Curiosity Starts in the Kitchen:
Celebrating National Science Week
What do you remember from your favourite science lesson at school?
Seeds of Science: Nurturing curiosity
This year’s National Science Week theme is Seeds of Science: Nurturing knowledge for all. I love the idea of thinking about knowledge like a seed. Give it the right conditions and it can grow.
Download the Seeds of Science worksheet
Nutrition science is amazing
This curiosity about plants has also had me thinking about some of the fascinating science happening inside the foods we eat. This week I listened to an episode of Nutrition Science Bites about polyphenols – naturally occurring compounds found in plants. It was a great reminder that there is so much more to plant foods than the vitamins and minerals we usually talk about.
Polyphenols are bioactive plant compounds that researchers are exploring for their potential roles in areas including gut health, inflammation and immune function. It made me think about just how clever plants are. They don't simply provide us with energy and nutrients. They contain an incredible variety of naturally occurring compounds that interact with our bodies in fascinating ways.
Nutrition science really is amazing. If you'd like to explore polyphenols a little further, you can listen to the podcast episode with Dr Erin Clarke here:
Let's keep kids curious
As parents, we don't need to have all the answers. In fact, sometimes it's better if we don't. When a child asks, “Why?”, instead of immediately giving them the answer, we can sometimes respond with: “Hmm... I wonder why?” Then explore it together. Look it up.
Try something.
Make a prediction.
Taste something new.
Grow something.
Observe what happens.
Because curiosity isn't just about learning facts. It's about developing a desire to understand how the world around us works. And food is a pretty wonderful place to start. So this National Science Week, why not encourage a little more curiosity at home? You never know where that one little “I wonder...” might lead.
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