How to make children eat more scientifically and nutritiously? Some traditional "diet philosophy" may not be completely correct. Take a look at the 10 common misconceptions below, as well as the facts about these 10 statements!
Misconception 1: Children will not get the necessary vitamins and minerals if they don't eat vegetables.
Fact: Some children do not like to eat vegetables, but they are still healthy. The reason is that they like to eat fruits. While children gradually learn to accept green vegetables like spinach, fruits are good nutritional substitutes.
If your child doesn't eat carrots, you can give him apricots or cantaloupes to compensate for the possible lack of vitamin A and carotene; strawberries or oranges can replace spinach to meet the child's need for folate. Bananas can replace potatoes as a source of potassium; citrus fruits can replace cabbage to meet the child's need for vitamin C.
However, vegetables and fruits cannot completely replace each other. Vegetables not only contain essential vitamins and minerals for the body, but also contain various plant chemicals that promote health. Therefore, it is important to continuously provide vegetables to your child and help them accept and enjoy vegetables.
Misconception 2: Dairy products worsen a child's cold.
Fact: Dairy products can increase mucus production or make the mucus secreted by the nasal cavity thicker, but this statement is completely wrong. When a child has a cold, the mucus in the nose and throat is produced by the cold virus. Dairy products just stick to the throat, making people feel uncomfortable.
When a child has a cold, you can continue to provide him with milk or other dairy products. If he does not drink milk, you can give him other liquids such as plain water, fruit juice, thin porridge, or chicken soup until he feels better. Even if a child has no appetite, it is important to ensure that he drinks enough water to prevent dehydration and help the mucus flow out of the nasal cavity.
Misconception 3: Children need to eat red meat (beef and lamb) to prevent anemia.
Fact: The younger the child, the more likely they are to have iron deficiency. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA, shows that 9% of children aged 1-2 who are just starting to walk may have iron deficiency. This percentage decreases to 3% for children aged 3-5, and 2% for children aged 6-11.
Children who are just starting to walk can obtain plenty of iron from their diet, which is good news. Many families are naturally vegetarians or do not eat beef and lamb. Besides, meat is tough and difficult for young children to chew.
Red meat contains easily absorbable iron, so it is beneficial for children to eat it in moderation. However, children who are just starting to walk can also meet their body's needs for various minerals by eating fortified cereals and bread, dried fruits (such as raisins), spinach, molasses, soybeans, lentils, eggs, fish, and poultry. Children under 10 years old should consume at least 10 milligrams of iron per day, which is easily achievable with a cup of cheese (containing about 8 milligrams of iron) and two small bags of raisins (containing about 2 milligrams of iron).
If you are unsure whether your child is iron deficient, you can consult a professional doctor. They will provide you with advice based on your child's feeding history and other factors.
Misconception 4: To prevent obesity, children's fat intake should be limited.
Fact: For infants and toddlers who are just learning to walk, their brains and bodies are growing rapidly, and they need 40% of their daily calories from fat. The developing brain has a special need for fatty acids and other components in fat.
Therefore, most experts recommend that children under 2 years old drink whole milk instead of skim milk. Older children still need to consume an adequate amount of essential fatty acids from their diet to promote healthy skin, normal growth, hormone secretion, and vitamin absorption.
However, after the age of 2, obtaining about 30% of their daily calories from fat is sufficient.
In addition, fat in food makes children feel full. Therefore, if you excessively restrict your child's fat intake, he may compensate by eating more of other foods.
Misconception 5: Eating too much sugar makes children hyperactive.
Fact: Eating a lot of sugar does not have this effect on children. In fact, studies have found that laboratory animals fed a high-sugar diet do not become more active. So where does this incorrect statement come from? It is likely that parents often find that their children become unusually active after eating chocolate or drinking soda, both of which contain caffeine. In fact, caffeine is the cause of excessive activity in children.
Misconception 6: Adding new foods to infants' diets requires special caution because many children are allergic to certain foods.
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