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Want your kids to get enough calcium? Set a good example and drink milk too
Hey moms, if you want your daughters to grow strong and healthy, serve them milk, and pour a glass for yourself, too! The most available source of calcium in our food supply comes from milk and foods made with milk, so it’s not surprising that those who drink more milk get more calcium.
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Kids & Snacking
Snacking is a very important part of a kid’s day. Growing children often need more food energy than they can easily consume at a single meal. In fact, about 20 percent of a child's energy and nutrients come from snacks.
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Starting the Day off Right
Let’s face it, we’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important  meal of the day, but all too often we not only neglect it for ourselves, but don’t enforce and encourage our kids to eat in the morning
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Eating Properly Can Only Help
Adequate and proper nutrition is important for kids as they grow and develop. It is compounded in sports, when athletic performance becomes increasingly paramount for their success. It is easier for kids to reach for a bag of chips or a can of soda at school...
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What Fuels our Body?
Our bodies are all about energy. And energy provides the fuel our body needs to do work. Since our body is always working, it needs continuous energy.
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"DIET" vs. "DIET"
There's a big difference between a "diet" (i.e. a regimented food plan to help you lose weight), and your diet (i.e. what you consume on a regular basis), and this is a big part of the problem with confusion among all of us.
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Obesity, Are Our Children At Risk?
"That's just baby fat," "so he's a little chunky," "no need
to worry, she'll outgrow it."
Heard these expressions before? I bet you have, probably you
have even stated them. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad
news but statistics reveal that our present generation of
"future" adults is at an alarming risk level
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Eating Properly Can Only Help
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Adequate and proper nutrition is important for kids as they grow and develop. It is compounded in sports, when athletic performance becomes increasingly paramount for their success. It is easier for kids to reach for a bag of chips or a can of soda at school, which has little nutritional value than for them to find more nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and granola. It is also ironic that prior to puberty when adequate nutrition is most critical, children have poor eating habits, which can hinder peak performance and growth.
Healthy eating starts with the energy basics. Carbohydrates fuel the muscles and the brain, fats are as stored energy, and proteins help build and repair muscles. Other essentials include: vitamins, which the body needs to regulate chemical reactions and minerals, which contribute to body structures. Of course, we cannot forget about water, which creates the environment allowing cells to function normally.
The food pyramid developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is a good guide to start. Its foundation is based on carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, rice and pasta. On the next level are meats and dairy, which should be eaten in moderation and at the top are the sugars and fats, which should be eaten sparingly.
(image courtesy of this site)
If we examine the food pyramid closer, we find that kids should consume 6-11 servings (e.g. one slice of bread) of carbohydrates per day to provide 60-70% of their daily calories. Ideally they should be lightly processed or as close to their natural state as possible. These include whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and cereal. Fruits should make up 2-4 servings per day (e.g. one piece of fresh fruit) such as citrus, bananas and dried fruits. Vegetables, which have more nutritional value than fruits should comprise 3-5 servings per day (1/2 cup coked vegetables). The rule of thumb is that the darker and more colorful vegetables provide a higher nutritional value. Meats and proteins should comprise 2-3 servings (e.g. 3 oz of cooked meat) per day. This can include chicken and peanut butter (a typical favorite). Dairy (e.g. one cup of milk) is exceptionally important because it provides the calcium to build and protect bones. Since peak bone density is reached around 30 years old it is important especially for girls to maintain adequate low-fat dairy intake. Fats, oils and sweets should be used sparingly to add taste and flavor to meals. It is also important not to cut these out of a “low-fat” diet because they are the only source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and essential fatty acids. Sweets are OK if consumed occasionally.
For kids to make healthy choices, meals should be well organized around variety, moderation and wholesomeness. Each type of food provides different vitamins and minerals and eating too much of one thing not only withholds important nutrients but also makes mealtime a chore. Parents should try new foods and recipes to keep their kids interest and even dare to be creative. Do not let your kids skip a meal, as hunger tends to contribute to over eating. Instead encourage your kids to spread out their caloric intake throughout the day.
Discussing nutrition nowadays is not complete without mentioning supplements. Whereas many adults believe in nutritional supplements, there is little research that supports their use in children. Contrary to popular belief, they do not speed up growth and development and most importantly, the long term effects on growth and development in children are unknown.
When it comes to training and competition eating right can be the key to victory. All too often kids do not have the energy to keep up because of inadequate nutrition. Eating properly several days prior to the competition replenishes the body’s energy reserves. Kids should be careful to not eat sugary foods within an hour of competition as this may lower their blood sugar just before game time. In stop and go sports such as basketball, fluids and carbohydrates should be consumed throughout the game. Ideas include pretzels, granola, pudding, raisins, oranges or applesauce. If exercising for greater than 60-90 minutes, you eat carbohydrate rich foods that break down slowly (e.g. low glycemic index) such as granola or peanut butter. Within 15 minutes after a game, consuming a carbohydrate rich snack is prudent. Muscles replace glycogen at 5% per hour and it may take as long as 20 hours to fully replenish depleted muscle. If carbohydrate rich foods are consumed within 15 minutes after a workout the rate can be as high as 7-8% per hour or a little over 12 hours. Within 1-2 hours after a game, kids should have a meal rich in carbohydrates and with moderate protein to sustain muscle recovery and once again replenish depleted energy stores.
Finally it is important to teach children about nutrition and how different foods can significantly impact their performance. This can help them make wise decisions in fast-food restaurants or when competing abroad and continue to benefit them in their adult lives. Remember healthy eating may lead to healthy performance.
For more information please visit:
http://www.momsteam.com
http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness
Andre Panagos, MD
Beth Israel Medical Center NY , NY
02/04
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