Kids are the stars who twinkle in the heart of the family. Their laughter makes everyone happier and energized. What provides them with the energy they need to twinkle everywhere? – A balanced diet. According to dieticians, a balanced diet is one that helps to maintain or improve overall health and provides the body with essential nutrition: fluids, macronutrients, micronutrients, and adequate calories.
A growing up kid need a carefully selected balanced diet. Children love a lot of processed and take out foods but that can be unhealthy for them. Their diet must include an adequate amount of nutrients, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Healthy eating has many benefits for children. It can:
- Improve their minds.
- Boost up their energy.
- Improve their minds.
- Help in proper growth.
- Even out their moods.
- Help them maintain a healthy weight.
- Build up strong mental health conditions, and avoid depression, anxiety, and stress.
Here are some rich sources of important nutrients that a balanced diet must-have.
CALCIUM
Calcium is an a-must component of a balanced diet. Calcium helps in building up healthy bones and teeth. It ensures the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and nervous system. Some of the food that contains a rich amount of calcium are:-
Spinach, kale, collards, soybeans, white beans, fish, like salmon, sardines, rainbow trout and perch. Fruits like pears, guava, pineapples, etc.
PROTEIN
Proteins are the building blocks of body cells. They perform significant jobs in the body like the preparation of enzymes and hormones, carrying oxygen, fighting infection, breaking down food into energy, etc. Proper intake of protein ensures good health.
Some of the food rich in protein are- seafood, white meat, poultry, cheese yoghurt, milk, beans, lean beef and egg.
CARBOHYDRATES
A new trend is to reduce carbohydrate intake in your diet, but as a matter of fact, carbohydrates are the most important source of energy in our body. They boost up our internal organs, like kidneys, brain, muscle, central nervous system, liver and heart. They ensure healthy blood sugar and provides us with an adequate amount of energy. However, we must be cautious while taking carbohydrates.
Some of the sources of carbohydrates are:
Milk and dairy products, whole fruits and fruit juice, grains, bread, rice, crackers, and cereal, legumes, beans and other plant-based proteins, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. Try to cut off sugary food and processed food from your children’s diet.
IRON
Iron is an essential component of blood. It helps in the building of haemoglobin which is responsible for transferring oxygen from lungs to tissues.
Some of the food having rich content of the iron are:
Lentils and beans, grains, for example, whole wheat, brown rice, green vegetables, e.g., spinach, silverbeet and broccoli, nuts and seeds, fortified breakfast cereals and dry fruits.
VITAMINS
Vitamins are one of the most important ingredients of a balanced diet. Different vitamins play a different role in the body. For example,
● Vitamin D helps in building strong bones. They ensure the prevention of chronic diseases in later life.
● Vitamin E improves the nervous system and keeps the blood vessels clear. Sources of Vitamin E are the other the oil of sunflower seeds, nuts, dry fruits, etc.
● Vitamin B targets healthy metabolism and a good nervous system. Animal-based foods like meat, yoghurt, eggs, poultry, fish, etc. are better sources of Vitamin B.
FLUIDS
Fluids are very important for children to keep them hydrated and avoid constipation. Certain drinks are very important sources of energy. With a little pinch of good taste, you can provide good health to your kids. Some of the healthy drinks for your kids are Sun lemon juice, banana shake, milkshake, lemonade, papaya juice, ginger or bitter gourd juice, strawberry shake and the proper amount of water a day.
The recommended amount of water a day for a kid is:
● 1 litre (5 glasses) for 5 to 8 years old.
● 1.5 litres (7 glasses) for 9 to 12 year old.
● 2 litres (8 to 9 glasses) for 13+ year-old.
Good health means a happy life. Proper growth of your child will help them lead a happy life later on. Provide your child with a diet fuelled with an adequate amount of nutrients and an adequate amount of drinks.
