Children are in the stage of development, which is why they eat more than adults and need more nutrients. Also, they are much more active physically so they need nutrients, and in the following text, we will focus on this more in detail.
Nutrients
The body needs carbohydrates because they fuel the body and give it energy. Foods like sugar, pastas, bread, beans, corn potatoes, starchy vegetables and cereals are rich with carbohydrates and should be eaten daily. Body processes, the repair and development of proteins depend on proteins, which are also responsible for formation of enzymes and hormones. This crucial nutrient can be found in food items with seeds, nuts, peanuts butter, lentils, beans, meat, poultry, tofu, cheese and milk. Children need vitamins or there is a risk of many serious medical problems. Vitamins A, B, C, D and other all have different responsibilities and must be included in nutrition. Vitamin A can be found in peaches, apricots, pumpkin, broccoli, carrots and spinach, while eggs, meat, poultry, cereals, bread and whole grains are rich with vitamin B. Vitamin D rich foods are margarine, fish and eggs and sunlight is also a source of this vitamins. Vitamins C can be found in mangoes, dark green vegetable and citrus fruits, while vitamin E can be found in foods like milk, egg yolk, butter and vegetable oils. Vitamin K rich foods are milk and leafy vegetables. Development and growth largely depend on minerals and mostly on calcium. Other important minerals are sodium, magnesium, iron and potassium and they can be found in poultry, vegetables and milk.
The Food Pyramid
In order to lead a healthy life we have to eat health and eat right foods. Food pyramid helps us with this. It has four horizontal parts. The lowest part is reserved for cereals and grains, while fruits and vegetables are in the second part. Proteins and dairy products are in the third part, while sugars, fats and oils need to be consumed less and they are in the fourth part. Third and second part need to be consumed in equal amount, whereas the first part food should be consumed the most.
Children and Healthy Eating
First important thing is to include milk, grains, fruits and vegetables in the daily meals, which should be regular in order to give a complete meal. Variety of food is important and children should try out new foods. Also, meals should not include popcorn, candy, chips and sweets, along with sweet and aerated drinks. Fruits and vegetables need to be made interesting for kids since they should eat such food more. Other useful suggestions are to include less fruit juices and more whole fruits, put vegetables in sandwiches and find foods that are low in fat. Children imitate the behavior of their parents, so they need to provide an example. You can involve them with buying the food and its preparation. Never force them to eat, especially if they are full. Make the food interesting and they will eat healthier foods more on their own. Junk food and processed food should be avoided but not entirely eliminated from nutrition.
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