Introduction:
A healthy diet is essential for physical growth, the development of the immune system and brain, the prevention of seasonal infections, and the maintenance of a child's energy levels. Children should have balanced meals starting at age one and should avoid poor eating habits, which harm their long-term health. Since children's food preferences are formed early in their lives, it is the right time for parents to focus on giving healthy foods to their children. Since good eating habits are developed in the first few years of life, it encourages them to continue into adulthood and beyond.
What Is the Need for a Balanced Diet in Children?
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Children need a well-balanced diet and nutritious food as they can get various nutrients that keep them healthy.
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Giving the child a nutritious, well-balanced diet ensures that they receive all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for normal growth and development.
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It is also crucial to serve children in small portions since their appetites change with age, energy level, and growth spurts. First, start with small portions and then gradually give more if they ask.
What Foods Are to Be Avoided for Children?
Children are getting addicted to junk foods and fast foods since they tempt them more than healthy foods. These junk foods contain high sugar content, unhealthy fats and carbohydrates (saturated fats and refined carbohydrates), and low nutritional content, which cause harm to their health. It also increases the risk of anxiety and depression as they crave unhealthy foods over time.
The foods that should be avoided in the child’s diet are:
Sugar Content Foods:
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The sugar-content food includes biscuits, chocolates, brownies, cakes, carbonated drinks, and icecreams.
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These foods contain high sugar content and lead to the risk of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease in the later stages of life.
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These foods also increase the risk of tooth decay as they contain high sugar.
Fries and Chips:
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Fries and chips contain an excessive amount of salt, which causes harmful effects on the kidneys.
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It is better to avoid giving processed foods such as crackers, pickles, chips, and deep-fried foods daily.
Dairy Products:
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Dairy products such as raw milk, butter, and cheese are sometimes unpasteurized (the harmful bacteria are not killed), which may cause serious intestinal infections and diarrhea.
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It also causes intestinal illness, which lowers the child's immune system.
Canned Foods, Packaged Foods, and Frozen Foods:
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These foods contain saturated fats (fats containing high amounts of fatty acids), which can cause weight gain and lead to obesity.
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Some unsaturated fats like nuts and seeds are healthy when given in small amounts. But in large quantities, they can also increase the amount of bad cholesterol and causes heart diseases in the later period of life.
Caffeine Products:
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Caffeine is mostly present in coffee and carbonated drinks or soft drinks, which are toxic when taken in excess as they increase the risk of anxiety, heart rate, and lack of sleep.
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They also disturb calcium absorption and lower the development of bone growth in growing children.
Sea Foods:
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The most common kinds of seafood, like fish, prawns, and crab, may cause allergies in some children, so it is better to avoid these foods if they are prone to allergies.
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Some children get skin rashes after eating these kinds of sea foods. In such situations, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician.
Vegetables:
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Some raw vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, ladyfingers, bell pepper, and beans contain excess amounts of nitrates which are hazardous for children.
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These vegetables can be thoroughly washed and given to children in boiled or cooked form.
Grains and Nuts:
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Nuts like almonds, raisins, dry grapes, and grains can be given in broken form or powdered form as they can be easily swallowed and digested by children rather than given as a whole.
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When given as a whole piece, they can get stuck in the airway, so it is better to give them in a powdered form.
What Are the Adverse Effects of Junk Food?
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Daily intake of junk foods leads to serious health issues like hyperactivity, sleep disturbance, obesity, constipation, allergy, asthma, addiction, rhinitis, skin rashes, and chronic illness later in life.
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Excess consumption of sugar can lead to tooth decay and tooth pain.
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Avoiding essential minerals like calcium and magnesium and nutrients like vitamins A and C can cause bone diseases and other illnesses.
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The presence of food colors present in various kinds of foods like processed foods and packaged foods can cause harmful effects on children's health.
Why Should Children Avoid Foods High in Sugar and Fat?
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The normal sugar level the child's body needs is obtained naturally from the food taken.
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Refined carbohydrate foods are simple carbohydrates that include bread, pasta, pizza dough, rice, and cereals. These foods can elevate blood sugar levels and also cause type 2 diabetes.
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To avoid this, foods rich in complex carbohydrates like wheat bread, nuts, whole grains, beans, and fiber-content cereals can be given, which can be digested easily and slowly.
What Are the Ways to Make the Child Eat Balanced Diet?
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Play a food color game with the child by comparing it with the rainbow and encourage them to add many foods of different colors to their plates as possible.
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Make the child eat healthy foods and show them how enjoyable it is, and be a role model for them.
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Be creative in the kitchen by cutting food into different funny shapes and making food enjoyable.
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Get the children to food shopping and discuss the fruits and vegetables.
What Are the Healthier Alternatives for Junk Food?
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Nowadays, fast and junk foods are becoming more popular, creating temptations for children and making it difficult for them to avoid them completely.
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So these foods can be given as alternative forms which are healthier.
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For example: if they crave french fries, they can be given in baked form instead of deep fried. And instead of ice cream, fresh fruit smoothies can be given.
Conclusion:
Children who have been exposed to more unhealthy foods over time tend to crave junk food and develop a dislike for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. So parents must feed their children tasty and healthy foods in their early stages, which will become a habit in their later stages and keep them healthier in adulthood and beyond.