Columbist Nozaina: Nutritious meals help kids grow and develop. The parents must encourage and educate children to choose healthy food. Food variety keeps our meals flavorful and interesting. It’s a key to a balanced and healthy diet because each food has an exclusive mix of nutrients, both micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) and macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein).  Divide half the plate with vibrant vegetables and fruits and the other half with healthy whole grains and protein.

Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are essential parts of a healthy diet and variety is also important as quantity. No single vegetable or fruits provide all the nutrients that you need to stay healthy. Eat plenty of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. A fruit and vegetable-rich diet can decrease the risk of blood pressure, stroke, and heart diseases, prevent cancer, and lower the risk of digestive and eye problems. It also has a good effect on blood sugar levels. Non-starchy fruits and vegetables (green leafy vegetables, pears, and apples) help to promote weight loss. Their low glycemic loads inhibit blood sugar spikes that may raise hunger. Nine different families of vegetables and fruits are present; each has potentially hundreds of various plant compounds that are good for health.

Introduce plenty of fruits of all colors into kids’ diets. Choose sliced or whole fruits instead of fruit juices; limit fruit juice to one glass daily.

Whole Grains

Choose food made with whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat). Avoid processed foods. Whole grains have a gentler effect on insulin and blood sugar than white bread, pasta, rice, pizza crust, and other refined grains. They have numerous health benefits. Whole grain kernels have three parts. All are a powerhouse of health-promoting nutrients such as iron, copper, vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants, zinc, phytochemicals, fats, carbs, and proteins. These compounds have various health benefits.

• Fiber lowers blood cholesterol and prevents the formation of small blood clots that can trigger stroke and heart attack.
• Essential minerals and phytochemicals may protect against some cancers.

Introduce food made of whole grains to kids. Avoid all products made of refined carbs.

Protein Rich Foods

Avoid processed meats (sausages, bacon, hot dogs) and limit the use of red meat (lamb, beef). Choose seeds, nuts, peas, beans, and other plant-based healthy protein options in addition to poultry, egg, and fish.  Protein is present in hair, skin, bone, muscles, and every tissue or body part. Amino acids are building blocks of protein. Protein is made up of twenty-plus amino acids. According to research, millions of people especially young children worldwide do not get enough protein due to food insecurity. Protein deficiency causes growth failure and loss of muscle mass, which reduce immunity, weaken the respiratory and heart systems, and may lead to death. Introduce abundant animal and plant-based foods full of protein in children’s diets.

Fats

Fat is also a necessary part of our diet. Always remember that the type of fat we eat matters a lot. We must avoid unhealthy trans-fat, limit food high in saturated fat (particularly red meat), and regularly choose food with healthy unsaturated fats (nuts, fish, seeds, and healthy oils from plants). Use healthy oils from plant sources such as peanuts, extra virgin olive, sunflower, corn, and canola oil on salads, vegetables, in cooking, and at the table. Limit the use of butter to occasional uses.

According to new research, healthy fats are beneficial and necessary for health. Food manufacturers reduce fat in food and replace it with refined grains, starches, and carbohydrates from sugar. Our body digests these refined carbs quickly, which affects blood sugar and insulin levels and results in weight gain and other diseases.  Fat is also essential for the vital functions of the body. Rather than choosing a low-fat diet, it’s more important to choose food with good fat and avoid harmful bad fat. Unsaturated fats decrease the hazard of numerous diseases.

Dairy Foods

Dairy foods are required in small amounts compared to other food on our plates. Choose plain yogurt, unflavored milk, unsweetened dairy foods, and a small amount of cheese. Milk and other dairy products are convenient sources of vitamin D and calcium. Dairy foods include a variety of beverages and food products that make up a definitive combination: ice cream sundaes, yogurt and berries, cheese and crackers, and cereals with milk. The Dietary Guidelines recommend three 1-cup (8-ounce) servings of low/non-fat milk or related amounts of low-fat cheese, yogurt, and other dairy foods for children over nine years old and adults to reduce the risk of bone fractures and increase calcium intake.

Water

Water must be a part of every snack and meal. It’s the best choice for satisfying thirst. Water is sugar-free and easy to find everywhere. Limit juices to one small glass daily because they have a lot of sugar. Avoid sugary drinks like sports drinks, fruit drinks, and sodas which provide a lot of calories and virtually no nutrients. Sugary drinks can lead to weight gain and also increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other problems.

In the start, there was only water that provided everything the body needed to replenish the fluids it lost. Milk was presented with the initiation of agriculture and the domestication of animals. Then tea, coffee, beer, and wine came all of them consumed just for pleasure and taste. Children eight and older should drink at least 5-6 cups of water per day.

Physical Activity

Along healthy diet, it is also important to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Adolescents and children should aim for at least one hour of physical activity per day. The physical activity guidelines of Americans recommend unstructured activities for children, such as having fun in playgrounds. Healthy food helps in the physical and cognitive development of kids. It fosters lifelong healthy habits, strengthens their immune system, and enhances emotional well-being. Nutritious meals promote social skills and help to establish a basis for overall happiness and health.

Encouraging a varied diet filled with minimally processed foods can set kids on a path to a healthy future!