Health Eating

Junk food is everywhere so we must make a concerted effort to resist temptation and eat healthily. Children should eat a variety of foods to ensure they are getting enough nutrients to develop and grow. This includes consuming foods from all food types. These include:

·         Carbohydrates for energy, calcium and B-vitamins.  Aim for healthier carbohydrates such as brown bread, sweet potatoes, potatoes, nuts, brown rice, legumes etc.

·         Protein to help children grow and to assist their bodies in repairing.  Avoid red meat and try chicken, turkey, lentils, beans or chickpeas

·         Dairy products. These will help provide children with calcium, protein, vitamins A, D and B12. Dairy products are effective at building strong bones and teeth.

·         Fruits are a tasty snack and a great alternative is chocolates and candy. They are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and fibre. Children should eat a variety of fruits, aim for different colours of fruit, not the same fruit each time.

·         Vegetables make an excellent side dish and like their fruity friends are a good source of vitamin, antioxidants and fibre. Children should eat 5-7 portions of fruits and vegetables every day, and eat colourfully, lots of different colours of fruit and vegetables.

·         Fats. Children do need some types of fat for their brain and nervous system to develop properly. Fats should be eaten in small doses and the focus should be on unsaturated fats these include monounsaturated fats (avocados, olive oil etc) and polyunsaturated fats (olive oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, walnuts etc). Both of which are considered either neutral or beneficial to heart health. Stay away from trans fat (margarine, junk food, baked good, some fried foods) and saturated fats (cheese, butter etc.), both increase risk of heart disease.