Foods To Include And Avoid In Your Child’s Diet
Today I’m going to speak about kids nutrition and some things to keep in mind while we feed our kids.
We are all suffering with low immunity and weak gut and not even getting the best food in terms of quality thus we need to focus more on what we eat.
FOOD WHICH NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE KID’S DIET
1. CARBOHYDRATES- Please get away from the fear of carbs, carbs are the essential source of energy for a human body to grow and develop both physically and mentally.
What we need to understand is the kind of carbohydrate we consume or give the child. Stay away from the processed and semi cooked or instant food which require minimal time for cooking. They are all highly processed and have no nutritional value. Prefer steel cut oats to instant oats or prefer a semolina pasta over an instant pasta.
The best sources of carbs include whole wheat, jowar, ragi, bajra, millets etc. It is important to know carbohydrates are responsible for the breakdown of protein so we need to balance the amount in order to get the essential amino acids from the protein by eating enough carbs.
2. GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES- All the essential minerals are needed for the body to function well. Include atleast 2 servings of green veggies in the diet of the child. I highly recommend spinach, saag, methi etc. You can use different ways to use these vegetables keeping your child’s eating prefrences in mind.
Making a spinach raita or a methi stuffed roti or puree the broccoli in the pasta are some ways to feed the child.
3. PROTEIN- Much needed in the body to make the kids’ muscles strong and give them the much needed strength.
Dairy is a food source of protein if the milk you know is coming from a known source and unadulterated.
Non-vegetarians have a varied choice for protein rich foods including eggs, chicken, fish and much more.
Vegetarian options are also no more limited, the lentils like moong, rajma, chana are loaded with proteins. Others are soy, tofu, paneer( home made from known source of milk ).
4. FATS- Fats holds the same importance as any other food group in a developing child’s diet. Ghee is the best source of fat that can be offered to the child as it’s rich in DHA which is needed for the brain development and also it helps in curbing the habit of eating between meals. It is better than the yellow butter available in the market.
Consider taking out fresh ghee from the malai.
5. WATER- Encourage the kids to consume water everytime they say they want to drink something. This will keep them hydrated and also flush out all toxins from the body. Try avoiding colas and juices as they can’t replace the goodness of water. A nimbu pani is a good option to give to kids instead.
THINGS TO AVOID
- Processed food-All packaged and processed food should be avoided. The preservatives are not good for their general health. It is one of the leading causes of child obesity.
- Cold drinks- No colas should be encouraged. Nimbu pani is a good alternative.
- Excessive sugar- Excessive sugar is not good for kids. It can lead to tooth decay in early years and unwanted weight gain. Sugar is empty calories so think before offering a chocolate everyday to your child.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Momspresso.com (formerly mycity4kids). Any omissions or errors are the author’s and Momspresso does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.