How Does Nutrition Help Give Your Child High EQ?

True or false: Is IQ due to nutrition while EQ is due to upbringing?

EQ and IQ are both necessary for your child to grow up healthily and happily. But how do these develop in your child? There is an idea that good nutrition supports higher IQ, while nurturing by the parents promotes high EQ. Is this true?

While nutrition may indeed support higher IQ, good nutrition isn’t just important for IQ development. Alongside nurturing, nutrition can also support EQ development.

While emotional quotient (EQ) or emotional intelligence (EI) develops over time, it is wrong to assume that nutrition doesn’t play a part in it. Children need proper stimulation and nutrition to help build their EQ. After all, a healthy mind starts with a healthy body– and a healthy body needs the right nutrition.

What is the role of nutrition in EQ?

Before diving into the role of nutrition in developing high EQ, it is important to understand how emotional intelligence and the brain are connected. The limbic system is made up of several areas of the brain, including the amygdala and hypothalamus. As a whole, the limbic system handles emotions, memory, the reward system, and even autonomic functions (e.g. breathing, heart rate)¹.

While the brain is made up of different functional parts and lobes, it is all largely made up of fat. Additionally, the brain requires ample amounts of glucose (a type of sugar) in order to function. This is why some of us experience headaches, blurred vision, and physical weakness if we haven’t eaten enough and our blood sugar is too low².

Providing complete nutrition, along with good fat that the brain needs, ensures that it develops normally and functions optimally. There is one ingredient in particular that has been shown to support brain function, EQ development, and immunity: MFGM.

Role of MFGM in building high EQ

MFGM, or milk fat globule membrane, is a unique and highly nutritious part of milk. Each drop of milk is wrapped in a coating  that contains fat, protein, and sugar molecules that are essential for brain development³. However, despite its numerous benefits, not all milk or milk formulas contain MFGM.

Now, how does MFGM help develop a child’s EQ? Although we normally associate knowledge with the mind and emotions with the heart, both are actually centered in the brain. In fact, the emotional center, or limbic system, is actually the oldest part of the brain. Therefore, good nutrition combined with proper nurturing and stimulation, help develop both IQ and EQ.

MFGM mainly works by helping the brain develop properly, which sets a strong foundation for cognitive and emotional intelligence. Components such as sphingomyelin, gangliosides, and choline are necessary for the brain and nerves to fully form and produce more meaningful connections³.

How to encourage EQ development in your kid through nutrition

Sometimes it can be a challenge to get your child to eat right. Hiring a personal chef and dietician may be too expensive, while purchasing and preparing meals from scratch can be too time-consuming. What is there to do for busy parents on a tight budget?

Luckily, major breakthroughs in dairy science have now brought all the goodness of MFGM to your child’s favorite milk formula. Remember to always check the label carefully: not all milk formulas contain MFGM!

Aside from providing good nutrition, encourage good table and playtime manners. Studies have shown that children who eat meals with their families regularly are more emotionally stable and get better grades⁴. Avoid watching TV or using gadgets at the table, as well. Starting healthy habits from a young age will set your child up for success.

See why milk formulas with MFGM are the right choice for your growing child. For more information on the benefits of MFGM and EQ, click here.

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