Does your growing-up kid really need DHA?

MANILA, Philippines - Lately, there has been much talk regarding DHA in milk. DHA is an essential fatty acid that comprises much of the brain and has consequently been linked to improved cognitive development in children. Around 90 percent of the brain is formed during those first four crucial years of life.

“DHA is important to cognitive development because it supports the structural development of the brain. DHA helps make the brain physically complete,” says nutritionist Aleli Gana-Magtibay.

She, however, adds that while DHA helps complete the brain’s physical development and maximizes the ability of the brain to think, factors like nurturing and exposure are also very important.

That’s why when it comes to a child’s nutrition, it is important to look beyond the brain-building properties of DHA. A kid has to be able to explore and experience the world around him or her, free from illness as much as possible.

How can children develop their intelligence if they’re constantly lying in bed sick? This is where a helpful mix of prebiotics and probiotics comes in.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can be found in various foods. The presence of probiotics in the intestinal tract helps maintain a healthy digestive system.

Here’s the analogy, according to Gana-Magtibay: “Our digestive system may be likened to a house, and probiotics serve as the guardians that minimize the harmful bacteria we get from ingesting food.”

“When there’s not enough of probiotics, harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella will proliferate and wreck havoc. This can result in serious digestive illnesses like diarrhea,” she explains.

Because of their digestive systems’ underdeveloped protection, children are especially vulnerable to these types of illnesses. With probiotics in their bodies, children will be able to maintain a healthy digestive system that can better absorb the nutrients essential for their growth and intelligence.

As a guardian of the digestive system, probiotics also helps maintain a healthy balance between the amount of good and bad bacteria. This balance, in turn, leads to a stronger immune system.

Prebiotics are complex carbohydrates that serve as food for probiotics (good microorganisms) in the body.

Gana-Magtibay explains that prebiotics are also a form of dietary fiber that trap the body’s toxins and remove them from our system. Both probiotics and prebiotics help keep the digestive system healthy.

Prebiotics also helps maintain the normal pH levels in the body. When pH levels go haywire, bad bacteria may thrive in levels that would endanger a child’s health.

It is important to note, adds Gana-Magtibay, that prebiotics and probiotics inevitably “die” — casualties of the daily battles waged inside the digestive system to keep it in good working condition. That’s why a child’s milk should be able to provide a constant supply of prebiotics and probiotics.

When it comes to giving the right nourishment for their kids, parents should not just depend on the presence of one or two good nutrients in their milk. Check the label of your child’s milk and see the essential nutrients that it has. A healthy, smart kid is a product of good all-around nutrition.