BRAND'S Essence of Chicken - Are Brains the New Beauty?

How many readers out there are being 'coaxed' or 'forced' to drink essence of chicken during an examination during your schooling days? I am, hahaha because my beloved mother believes that it will boost my brain power for the exam.

It has been years since I last drank essence of chicken and I am glady surprised with the variety of flavours BRAND'S® Essence of Chicken. Other than the classic flavour that I grew up with, BRAND'S has came up with flavours to include American Ginseng, Cordyceps and Tangkwei.

Today I am very privileged to blog about BRAND'S® Essence of Chicken and even had the opportunity to interview Dr. Philip Tsang, Chief Scientist of BRAND'S® Health Science Centre to find out more about our mysterious brain!

Miaka: When does a child’s brain get fully developed? 

Dr Tsang: Yes, it is true that some parts of our brain may not be fully developed till our early 20s. But until now, there is currently no definitive answer to how exactly our brain develops at different stages of development. Our brain grows to about the same size of an adult’s brain between the age of 2 to 5. Some parts of the brain (e.g. amygdale, which controls emotion and fear) may not be fully developed until the age of early 20s. More importantly, our brain undergoes a continuous process of fine-tuning that is influenced by many factors including nutrition, environment exposed, etc.

Miaka: How do we simulate ‘brain growth’ in a developing child?

Dr Tsang: It is important to keep the brain active of a growing child. Jigsaw puzzles and games crafted for kids should be given importance. Besides, maintaining a mentally active lifestyle is important as it engage the brain to actively acquire and integrate new information from our environment. This is the principle of “use it or lose it”. As the child learns, he not only increases his knowledge, but the brain is also changing its very structure and increasing its capacity to learn. Unlike the computer, the brain is constantly adapting itself. The more actively the child in engaged in various cognitive activities, the more efficient the brain will become so that the child can learn and perceive with greater precision, speed, and retention of information. 

Miaka: What are the types of food that you would recommend to enhance brain development in a growing child? Will your recommendation defer in an adult? 

Dr Tsang: Nutrition plays an important part in the healthy development of children. When a child reaches the age of 2 - 3 years old, this is the most crucial part of the brain development. The right nutrition and mental stimulation during this period can help boost the potential physical and mental development. For active and growing children, proteins help build muscle and provide energy. Good sources of proteins include meat, poultry, fish and eggs. Vitamin B rich food is the energy nutrients and that fuels the child to go about his daily activities. Iron is important for concentration and physical activity. Meat and green leafy vegetables are good sources of food rich in Vitamin B and Iron. DHA and Taurine are brain foods and are optimal growth and development of the brain. DHA and Taurine can be found in eggs and fish.  When the child is unable to intake all these nutrients as a part of the diet, it is important to start him on supplements. Certain supplements can be taken to also specifically promote a child's physical and mental well-being. One such supplement is BRAND’S® AlphaMynd Essence of Chicken with Vitamin B Complex.