We all know that a healthy diet is essential for the healthy growth of children. Children have weaker gastrointestinal functions and are very picky eaters, so parents need to pay more attention to their daily diet. So what are the dangers of an unhealthy diet for children?
【Dangers of an Unhealthy Diet for Children】
1. Parents must know that although some candies add some nutrients, such as milk candies and fruit candies, which are beneficial from a nutritional perspective, excessive consumption can still pose various risks to children's health. It can affect their appetite, and excessive sugar intake can provide favorable conditions for lactobacilli in the oral cavity to ferment sugar and produce acid. The acid can promote the formation of tooth decay, so try to limit the consumption of candy for children.
2. Parents should also be aware that they should not let their children eat instant noodles. Unless there are special emergency situations, try to avoid it. Most instant noodles on the market contain various food colorings and preservatives that are harmful to the human body. Regular consumption can cause nutritional imbalances in children and affect their growth and overall health.
3. Parents should pay attention to the habit of eating leftovers. Leftover rice and dishes can produce nitrite, which is converted into highly carcinogenic substances in the body. Therefore, both children and adults should avoid eating leftovers. Smoked and salted foods should also not be consumed by children, as they can produce strong carcinogens during the manufacturing process. Eating these foods increases the risk of cancer in children as they grow up, so it is not advisable to consume them excessively from a young age.
【Principles of a Healthy Diet for Children】
1. Avoid excessive consumption of sour plum powder. Prolonged consumption of sour plum powder can significantly increase the acidity in the stomach, corroding the gastric mucosa and leading to gastric and duodenal ulcers in children.
2. Avoid drinking cola-type beverages. Cola is a beverage that contains caffeine. Studies have shown that cola-type beverages can interfere with children's memory and stimulate the central nervous system, leading to hyperactivity.
3. Avoid excessive chewing of bubble gum. Bubble gum contains rubber and plasticizers. The rubber contains additives such as vulcanization accelerators and antioxidants, which are toxic when consumed in large quantities. Plasticizers have low toxicity, but their metabolite, phenol, is harmful to the body when absorbed in the digestive tract.
4. Avoid excessive sugar consumption. Sugar is an acidic food that does not contain calcium. The human body needs to maintain a weak alkaline state. Excessive sugar consumption depletes the alkaline substance calcium in the body, which can affect the skeletal development of children over time.
5. Avoid excessive consumption of eggs. Children have less digestive secretions in their stomach and intestines. Eating too many eggs can increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, leading to indigestion and even vitamin K deficiency, resulting in symptoms such as irritability, pale complexion, facial rashes, drowsiness, and hair loss.
6. Avoid eating canned food. Canned food contains a certain amount of additives during processing. Because children's development is not yet mature, their tissues have lower reactions and detoxification functions to chemical substances. Therefore, consuming canned food can increase the burden on the organs' detoxification and excretion, and even cause chronic poisoning due to the accumulation of certain chemicals.
7. Avoid excessive consumption of orange juice, fruit juice, or fish oil supplements. Fish oil mainly contains vitamin D and vitamin A. Excessive consumption can cause vitamin D and A toxicity in children. Excessive vitamin D intake increases the absorption of calcium in the body, leading to hypercalcemia, which can cause calcium deposition in the kidneys, blood vessels, bronchi, cornea, and sclera, resulting in symptoms such as loss of appetite, indifference, dry skin, vomiting, polydipsia, polyuria, and weight loss.
8. Avoid consuming foods with added ginseng. Ginseng has the effect of promoting the secretion of sex hormones. Consumption by children may lead to precocious puberty and, in severe cases, affect normal development. In short, when arranging a baby's diet, pay attention to the above points and ensure that the baby's diet follows these principles to promote their health.
【Precautions】
Parents must pay attention to providing their children with a diversified diet, avoid picky eating and a limited diet, and eat a balanced variety of foods. They should not overeat their favorite foods and eat less of the foods they do not like. Meals should be eaten on time, and excessive snacking should be avoided. A light diet should be followed, and high-energy foods such as fried foods, candies, ice cream, and sugary drinks should be avoided.
