Nutrition
Growing children have high nutritional needs, but fairly small appetites. So it’s crucial all meals and snacks they eat are packed with nutrients. Good nutrition is vital if they’re to make the most of their childhood and grow into healthy adults.
Increasingly, doctors are linking good nutrition to kids' happiness and also their performance in the classroom. It’s hardly surprising that eating a good diet will improve your child’s ability to concentrate at school, give them the energy to play hard and also stabilise their mood, making it easier to form friendships.
A healthy growing child needs lots of energy, which is provided by a steady supply of carbohydrates. These should be unrefined - such as wholemeal pasta, granary bread, beans and vegetables as these have more nutrients and crucially keep blood-sugar levels steady. Refined, sugary foods cause surges followed by a slump, which affects attention span, concentration and can lead to irritability.
Although kids do need fat, it's the type of fat they eat which is important. They shouldn’t eat too much saturated fat but do benefit from polyunsaturated fatty acids also known as omega-3 fats. These are the fats children are least likely to get and there is increasing evidence linking low fatty acid levels to infants and bad behaviour. The richest amounts of omega-3 are found in oily fish, some is also found in eggs and plant food, though it’s not as potent.
Children only need a relatively small amount of protein. For a primary school aged child 15-28g per day should be fine. Protein will supply your child with amino acids, which will help their brain development, regulate blood sugar, improve their mood and make them more alert.
Vitamins and minerals are also essential for good health and development and pound for pound, children need a great deal more than the average adult. Iron is important for helping the blood carry oxygen around the body, which makes kids less irritable. It can also boost their brain power as research has shown a link between iron-rich diets and a high IQ in youngsters.
B vitamins boost brain function and keep energy levels high thus helping memory, concentration and actually improving their sleep-patterns. If you have a nervous child it could be they are deficient in calcium and magnesium which naturally relax muscles and nerve cells. Children particularly benefit from Vitamin C, which is necessary for a healthy immune system, absorbing iron and turning food into energy.
Fruit and vegetables provide many important vitamins and antioxidants for children - even though getting them to eat their greens can be tricky sometimes. Most children don’t get enough so it’s worth trying to ‘hide’ vegetables in blended sauces and giving them smoothies instead of squash. Try giving them raw fruit and vegetables cut up with dips to make them more fun and make sure they are offered a variety so they can determine what they do like. Experimentation is key to make sure your kids get a range of nutrients and develop into healthy adults with adventurous tastes.
It's not always easy to make sure a fussy child gets all the nutrients they need. That's why following a survey of the children's eating habits, health experts Bio-synergy have launched a range of healthy snacks based on the Marvel Heroes characters.
Marvel Fruit Bars are a unique combination of 100% whole fruits, which melt deliciously in the mouth. And mums and dads love the fact these snacks contain no artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives. They have also left out sweeteners, trans fats, additives and flavourings. And if that's not enough they are also free from genetically modified ingredients.
These bars can be used in the place of other treats in your child’s diet and are another valuable way of getting children to eat their recommended five portions a day. However fruit and vegetables are still an important part of a child's diet and should be included in every meal.