Children's Nutrition

Most all foods marketed to the smaller consumer are anything but nourishing. It is important to remember that food and the nutrients it contains are what build the body and brain, prevent disease, and allow us to achieve our maximum potential. It is apparent that the majority of foods being consumed by today's average child are not providing adequate nutrients. Reports now refer to the percentage of overweight and obese American kids as an epidemic, which pushes the doors wide open for type 2 diabetes and other health problems. Research has also clearly shown that poor dietary habits, such as high amounts of sugar, white bread, and commercial cereals, lower IQ.(1) Depression, violence, cognitive disorders, social anxiety, eating disorders, and other symptoms of mental dysfunction are strongly linked to poor nutrition. The increasing incidence of such disorders is reflected in the great numbers of children taking prescription drugs for depression, anxiety, and attention deficit. The worsening of the American diet parallels these changes. Furthermore, it is well established that the key to a strong, healthy immune system is optimal nutrition,(2) and, without a strong immune system, many illnesses can take root.

Know the Top Food Saboteurs to Avoid

Sugar: The influence of sugar intake on brain function and physical health is enormous. Excess consumption of refined sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, depression, and fatigue, adversely affect school grades, compromise immunity, cause an inability to focus and concentrate, and eventually contribute to disease.(3,4) When a food (even natural sugar cane) is stripped of everything valuable, it has nothing to offer. When the occasional dessert is made, stick with raw honey, molasses, date sugar, or the herb stevia.

White Flour Products: Think of white flour as another form of white sugar. Most of the nutrients in a whole grain are stripped during the refining process. Because the "food" now has no nutrients of its own, it steals the body's nutrient reserves in order to be metabolized.(5) This causes nutrient deficiencies. In the 1930s, doctors noticed many white bread eaters suffered from health problems caused by iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin deficiencies. This led to the development of "enriched" flour, which is fortified with four nutrients but is still missing 20 others found in whole wheat.(6) Manufacturers try to promote enriched white flour products as if they were just as nutritious as the original pre-refined version. Don't be fooled!

Soda: Drinking soda or sugary beverages regularly is one of the habits most damaging to our health. A study published in the Lancet found that for every soft drink or sugar sweetened beverage a child drinks every day, their obesity risk jumps 60%.(7) No wonder obesity is a rising epidemic: 65% of adolescent girls and 75% of adolescent boys consume soft drinks daily. Furthermore, soft drinks currently constitute the leading source of added sugars in the diet, with a whopping 7 to 12 teaspoons per can. But, don't be misled into thinking that diet drinks are a good substitute. They may not be contributing sugar, but the artificial sweeteners they contain are known to cause a host of undesired effects, including headaches, depression, and seizures.(8)

Damaged Fats: Rancid fats and trans fats breed free radicals(9)—disease-causing unstable molecules—in the body. Fats, particularly polyunsaturated vegetable oils, can easily be damaged when they are heated to high temperatures, used to fry foods, or put through a process called hydrogenation. This process creates trans fats that are harmful to health.(10) Watch out for "partially hydrogenated" on food labels and put those foods back on the shelf! And, don't be fooled by products that advertise "No Trans Fats": the law allows labels to say "zero trans fats" if the amount per serving is less than 0.5 gram. There is thought to be no "safe" level of trans fats.

One easy way to stay clear of these health saboteurs is to limit processed foods, fast foods, and commercial baked goods.

What Should Your Child Eat to Optimize Health?

In general, start the day with a healthy protein, such as eggs or a protein smoothie. Missing breakfast negatively affects the performance of certain kinds of mental tasks in children. This impact may be due to unstable blood sugar levels, which is worsened by sugar and white flour and improved by protein. Try to incorporate some kind of vegetable salad somewhere in the day, and don't be shy with healthy protein and fats, such as those found in nuts, avocados, coconut, organic eggs and poultry, grass-fed beef, wild fish, and olive oil. Also, try to pack school lunches with healthy foods to sustain your child's body and mind.

More Specifically…

Most children should consume the following on a daily basis:

• 2 to 5 servings of quality protein, found in grass-fed meats, organic eggs, beans, and dairy products (preferably fermented forms)

• At least 1 serving of vitamin C-rich fruit/vegetable (citrus fruits, berries, melons, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, chilies, potatoes)

• At least 1 serving of beta-carotene-rich fruit/vegetable (melons, peaches, apricots, carrots, spinach, broccoli, squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts)

• At least 3 other servings of vegetables

• No more than 2 servings of fruit. Avoid fruit juice and eat the whole fruit. The juice lacks the fiber and provides excess sugar.

• A few servings of whole grain breads/cereals, emphasizing whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat

• 3 servings of healthy fats from such foods as avocados, butter, nuts/seeds, coconut, grass-fed meats, and olive oil

Children have very high energy requirements. Every child's nutrient needs will be different and they will change over time. However, general nutrient percentage suggestions include 25% to 35% protein, 30% to 40% fat (the younger and more active need more), and 30% to 40% complex carbohydrates. Adjust individual needs by listening to signs from the body. For example, a lack of protein can contribute to sugar cravings and fatigue, and good quality oils can reduce the cravings for less healthy fatty foods.

Regarding portion sizes, a good rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of each kind of food for every year of the child's age. For example a three-year-old's plate may contain 3 Tbsp meat, 3 Tbsp rice, 3 Tbsp mixed vegetables, and 3 Tbsp peaches.

Some lunchbox suggestions:

• Whole grain bagel with cream cheese, piece of fruit

• Vanilla full fat yogurt, whole grain crackers and nut butter, carrot sticks

• Whole grain English muffin pizzas with sauce or tomatoes, grated full fat cheese, celery sticks

• String cheese, ½ ham sandwich, raw veggies with yogurt dressing, applesauce

• Cheese and buffalo, beef, or bacon quesadilla made with whole wheat tortilla, sliced cucumbers, fruit leather

• Soup, stew, or chili in a thermos, whole grain crackers, piece of fruit

• Peanut/almond butter with jelly on whole wheat bread or leftover waffles/pancakes, veggies, homemade oatmeal cookie

• Chicken breast chunks and vegetable pieces with Ranch dressing, banana

• Turkey and cheese on whole wheat bread, orange wedges

• Roast beef with veggies in whole grain pita pocket with Italian dressing, sliced apple

For kid-friendly recipes, see Kid Smart by Cheryl Townsley,or Healthy Snacks for Kids by Penny Walker.

References:

1 Schauss, A.G. Nutrition and behavior. Journal of Applied Nutrition, 1983; 35(1):30-43.

2 Galland, Leo. M.D. Superimmunity for Kids. A Copestone Press, Inc. 1988.

3 J. Goldman, et al. "Behavioral Effects of Sucrose on Preschool Children," Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. 14 1986 565-577.

4 Schausss, A. Diet, Crime and Delinquency. Berkeley, CA: Parker House 1981.

5 Byrnes, Stephen, N.D. Digestion Made Simple. Wellspring Publishers. 1999.

6 Smith, MD. Confused About Carbohydrates? Delicious Magazine. May 1997.

7 Ludwig,LW. Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis. Lancet 2001; 357:505-508

8 Bateson-Koch C. Allergies, Disease in Disguise. Alive Books, Burnaby, BC, Canada, 2002, p 212.

9 Crayhon, Robert. M.S. C.N. Nutrition Made Simple. M. Evans and Company. New York. 1994

10 Enig, Mary G, PhD, Trans Fatty Acids in the Food Supply: A Comprehensive Report Covering 60 Years of Research, 2nd Edition, Enig Associates, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 1995, 148-154; Enig, Mary G, PhD, et al, J Am Coll Nutr, 1990, 9:471-86