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Good nutrition helps: As they grow, your child's dietary requirements may change and can be impacted by food allergies, body image, menstruation and sporting activities. To give them the best start to living a healthy lifestyle, it is important to introduce a wide variety of food to your child at an early age and establish a good nutritional foundation. Eating habits established as a child are carried throughout life. > Energy Requirements |
A healthy diet is vital for children of all ages from toddlers to teenagers, especially during periods of rapid growth.
Energy Requirements
Your child should gain most of their energy requirements from food rich in carbohydrates, with some energy also coming from fats.
Carbohydrates are found in -
- wholegrain breads and breakfast cereals
- rice, pasta, noodles
- fruit
- legumes
- some vegetables (all varieties of potato including sweet potato and corn)
- milk and yoghurt.
These foods also contain other valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre.
Wholegrains are a great addition to your child's diet. They not only provide the benefits of carbohydrates but will provide longer lasting energy and will help keep your child fuller for longer.
Wholegrains are found in breads, pasta and breakfast cereals such as Santiarium Weet-bix.
> It is important that your child doesn't eat foods high in saturated fat and trans fat - 'bad fats'.
> Many foods contain unhealthy and hidden fats, so always read the nutrition panel on the product label.
> Foods high in 'bad' fats include fried foods, snack foods, potato crisps, sausages, cream, ice-cream, pastries, biscuits and cakes.
Please note: Low fat diets are not appropriate for children under five years old, unless under medical advise and supervision. However low fat products may be given to children from two years of age.
For healthy growth, your child will need protein, minerals and vitamins.
Protein is essential for building and maintaining body cells and tissues. It is made up of smaller units called amino acids. There are around 20 common amino acids but our bodies cannot produce all of them. The ones we cannot produce must be gained from our diet and are known as "essential amino acids".
Soybeans1, dairy foods, meat and eggs are good sources of all the essential amino acids.
Plant sources of protein include foods such as:
- dried peas
- beans
- lentils
- nuts*
- peanut butter
- soy drinks such as Sanitarium So Good soymilk
- breads and cereals
- to a lesser extent some vegetables such as broccoli, peas, corn and spinach
These plant foods are usually lacking in one or more essential amino acids. Therefore, giving your child a variety of plant foods each day will also ensure they gain adequate protein.
* Suitability of nuts for children: Nuts, even smooth peanut butters, should not be given to children younger than twelve months old because of the high risk of allergies. For children with a strong family history of food allergy, all peanut products should be avoided until they are three years old. Whole nuts should not be given to children until they are at least five years old due to the risk of choking. If you want to give your child nuts, try a smooth nut paste or ground nut meal.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals help to support the growth needs of your child by providing protection from illness, sustaining body processes and helping other nutrients to work effectively.
| Vitamins -
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The most important minerals for your child are iron, calcium, phosphorus and zinc.
Iron
Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. As children grow, their number of red blood cells also needs to increase.
Making sure your child has an adequate iron intake from foods is easy once you know which foods are good sources of iron and understand how your body absorbs iron from foods.
There are two major types of iron in foods:
- Haem iron is found in foods such as liver, kidney, meat, seafood and poultry. Haem iron is well absorbed by the body.
- Non-haem iron is found in legumes, wholemeal breads and wholegrain cereals, green leafy vegetables, yeast spreads such as Sanitarium MarmiteŽ, nuts*, seeds and eggs.
Non-haem iron is not as easily absorbed by the body but you can increase absorption by simply including foods containing vitamin C (such as fruits or vegetables) in the same meal.
* Suitability of nuts for children: Nuts, even smooth peanut butters, should not be given to children younger than twelve months old because of the high risk of allergies. For children with a strong family history of food allergy, all peanut products should be avoided until they are three years old. Whole nuts should not be given to children until they are at least five years old due to the risk of choking. If you want to give your child nuts, try a smooth nut paste or ground nut meal.
> Giving your child a small glass of orange juice with breakfast;
> Adding vitamin C rich tomato or red capsicum to sandwiches, salads, bean or lentil dishes, wholemeal pasta and rice dishes; and
> Serving hummus or bean dip with chopped vegetable sticks as a great after school snack.
Calcium
Calcium is an important nutrient for:
- healthy bones and teeth
- playing a role in the clotting of blood
- functioning of nerves and muscles2
Dairy products and calcium-fortified soymilks are good sources of calcium but many children are not gaining enough calcium from their diet each day.
Simple steps to boost your child's calcium intake are:
- Start the day with calcium-fortified soy or dairy milk on breakfast cereal;
- Use calcium fortified soy or dairy yoghurt as a snack;
- Add cheese slices to sandwiches;
- Make your own iceblocks by freezing a blend of fresh fruit and calcium-fortified soy milk.
Phosphorous
Phosphorus works together with calcium to build strong bones and teeth. It is also important for releasing energy from our food.
Phosphorus is found in many foods. Some of these include:
- breads and cereals
- legumes
- soy milk, dairy foods
- meat
Zinc
Zinc assists to:
- heal wounds
- maintain your child's immune system
- aides DNA synthesis3
Sources of zinc are predominately -
- meat and dairy products
- smaller amounts can be found in plant foods such as nuts*, seeds, legumes and wholegrain or wholemeal breads and cereals.
Adding zinc to your child's diet can be as easy as:
- Giving them smooth peanut butter on wholemeal toast.
- Serving porridge for breakfast.
- Adding lentils to tomato pasta dishes.
References
1. British Dietetics Association. Vegetarian Diet Position Paper (UK). Internation Journal of Vegetarian Nutrition. 1997; 1(3): 106-7
2. Jones GP. Minerals. In: Wahlqvist ML, ed. Food and Nutrition: Australasia, Asia and the Pacific. Hong Kong: Allen & Unwin, 1997:249-254.
3. Messina M, Messina V. The Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications. US: Aspen Publishers Inc, 1996.
4. National Health and Medical Research Council, 1991. Recommended Dietary Intakes for use in Australia. AGPS. Commonwealth of Australia.
10. Young E, Stoneham MD, Petruckevitch A, et al. A population study of food intolerance. Lancet, 1994;343:1127-30.
12. Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science, Curtin University of Technology. Dietitian's Pocket Book. Australia, 2002:44.
The above information has been taken from the Santarium Health Food Company brochure - "Healthy eating for kids". Contact Sanitarium Nutrition services for a copy.
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