Fish is known as brain food because it's a rich source of essential fatty acids. - file photos

As children head back to the classroom this September, they will endure another gruelling year of exam and homework. So what can you do to prepare your child?

The answer may lie in what they eat. It has been shown that children's nutritional intake maybe related to their mental performance and concentration levels. When we learn something new, our brain cells send messages to one another. To do this efficiently the cells need proper nourishment and that's why food is a powerful tool for maintaining brainpower.

Recently, over 23 schools and 120 children between the ages of six and 11, took part in one of the largest multi-care centre studies across the Uk, to find out whether a daily dose of Omega-3 with vitamins would help their concentration and behaviour in school and at home.

Improved behaviour

The results showed that supplementing Omega-3 with vitamins substantially improved the children's behaviour, by 35 per cent.

The Omega-3 required for brain development cannot be made naturally in the body and can only be obtained through diet. For generations fish has been known as brain- food - that's because it's a rich source of essential fatty acids, which are regarded as building blocks of the brain. Oily fish such as salmon and mackerel which are rich in fatty acids, may contribute to brain development and function.

However, it is sometimes difficult to get children to eat the foods that are rich in these nutrients. Luckily, there are products which have been specially formulated for children to combine Omega-3 with the important vitamins A, C, D and E, essential for a child's healthy growth and development.

One of these products is Halibo-range Omega-3, available in orange and blackcurrant flavours. Products such as this are a simple way of providing your children with all the goodness of fish without the taste.

Salmon are rich in Omega -3 and great for children.

The entree consists of a honey mustard balsamic marinated New York steak stuffed with caramelised onions and goat cheese served on a bed of wasabi mashed potatoes along with a horseradish crusted salmon served n a bed of sweet mashed potatoes with a grilled vegetable Napoleon with a muenster cheese melt.

This is paired with 2004 Ruffino Riserva Ducale.