Healthy Diets for ChildrenTips for Healthy Diets for Kids
What to Include in Healthy Diets for Children
Healthy diets for kids should allow them to meet their daily requirements for basic vitamins like A, C, E and D. Research indicates that many Americans, young and old alike, are not meeting their minimum daily requirements for vitamin D. That’s a shame, because a half cup of vitamin D enriched milk would be sufficient to meet those requirements. Practically everyone knows that healthy diets for children should include milk. We can get calcium from other sources, such as broccoli and cauliflower. It’s just that milk is one of the best sources and the easiest to remember on a daily basis. Low-fat milk is the best choice for healthy diets for kids. If your child is lactose intolerant, soy milk is a good substitute. USDA surveys have shown that more than half of all Americans fail to meet their minimum daily requirement for the mineral magnesium. One of the results is fatigue and muscle pain. Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, and in some cereals. One nutrient that is absolutely essential in healthy diets for kids is Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid. The only dietary source of the nutrient is fatty fish like salmon. Infant formulas and many baby foods are now fortified with DHA, which is also found in human breast milk. Once a child passes the age of eating baby food or drinking formula, it is important to find a way to include DHA in their diets. The only way to do it is with fish, seafood or a dietary supplement. For strict vegans, there are supplements on the market derived from a specific type of marine algae that provides DHA. There is some debate about whether or not healthy diets for children must include DHA, as the body can use some other kinds of fatty acids to create it. There is enough evidence to convince me that it must be present in the diet. Just looking at all of the new fortified foods containing it should be enough to drive home the point. As an average parent that truly believes in healthy diets for kids, but knows how difficult it can be to get them to eat their veggies and choose fish instead of hamburger, my solution has always been a good daily multi-vitamin and mineral formula, as well as a fish oil supplement. Supplements don’t take the place of healthy diets for children. But, they will help prevent nutritional deficiencies that can lead to delayed growth, behavioral problems and learning difficulties. We give our childrena a gift for life by teaching them from an early age to choose foods that will enhance their health.
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