Health News and Tips

I was horrified yesterday during a trip to the supermarket. I saw an 8-10 year old boy arguing with his mother to get a small carton of Coke included in the shopping trolley. Nothing special about that but guess what – he was way overweight.

That lead me to think about the issue of parental responsibility and healthy eating for kids. Many parents seem to find it easier to give into the nagging and whining of our children – I know I do at times. Instead we allow them to embrace the world of fast food, soft drinks, and countless other processed foods.

One of the main reasons our children choose these unhealthy foods is because they have the magic ratio of salt, fat and sugar to make them taste good. However, plenty of healthy foods taste good as well. You just have to give them a shot in order to see. If you are not sure you want to put in the effort, just consider what you would be doing for your kids. Don't you want them to grow up healthy and live long lives? This is a given!

The key is to get the kids started on healthy foods early on, to set a good example and to educate them about food and nutrition. If you eat healthy, you set the ultimate example for the children. Sadly if you fail to eat healthy foods, then your kids may not take you seriously.

So if you can, instill healthy eating habits into them at an early age. It will make it much easier to keep them eating healthy in the future. These first years are a crucial time in their lives. Think about this when you are preparing meals your children each day. You are molding them to some degree.

What should you eat? Well, if you are striving to get healthy eating habits for kids started in your home, here are some foods you should move toward.

• All fresh fruits and vegetables are recommended. The reality is you should be consuming six to eight servings of these each day. Wow! Most people do not do this, but try and eat as many as you can.
• Healthy eating for kids also involves whole grains like whole wheat bread and rice. Oatmeal or wheat biscuits make a wonderful breakfast foods for kids.
• Avoid white breads and other white or highly processed starchy foods that break down as refined sugars in your body. They are mostly empty calories. You don't want this, since it will lead to major weight gain over time.
• As for beverages, the primary drinks your kid should embrace are water, low-fat milk and real fruit juices. Soft drinks are horrible for your body, as are many fake juice products out there these days.

Fast food should be a rare treat! We call it sometimes food here at home. If you love fast food, try to only eat it about once each month. This way your body has a chance to rejuvenate and heal. If you are considering healthy eating for kids, you should certainly steer clear of fast foods.

So have a think about your role in your child's food education and their future health and ask yourself – "am I doing enough"?

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