Every woman tries to provide the best for her child, but sometimes her maternal instinct is obstructed by the multitude of friendly advices, medical recommendations and hundreds of advertisements. Who can we trust and how to decide what is the best food for our growing children? We may not be wrong if we turn for help to the origin of everything – nature, and fill the menu of our sweetest creatures with its gifts.
Fruit
Full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and easily digestible carbohydrates, fruits are a great start for the energetic day of each child. Vitamins are necessary for the normal course of biochemical reactions in the body, while fibers stimulate digestion and disposal of waste substances. Fruit and freshly squeezed juices also quench the appetite of children for unhealthy sugary foods.
Vegetables
Like fruits, vegetables are also a natural source of essential nutrients. To preserve their valuable substances it is best to give them to your child raw (when possible) or steamed. Broccoli, spinach and beets, for example, contain a lot of calcium, which is responsible for the formation of healthy bones and protects children’s teeth from decay.
Whole grains
A portion of oatmeal, whole wheat pasta or other grains, in sweet or salty variations, is perfect “real” breakfast delivering to the child’s body the needed energy, and also an additional amount of fiber, minerals and vitamins.
Fish
Excellent source of protein and omega-3, most fish, prepared without frying, are delicious and healthy dinner for the kids. Proteins are the basic building block of cells, making them especially important for the growing organism. Fatty acids, in turn, stimulate immunity and brain development and improved memory ability in students.
Legumes
Lentils, peas, soybeans and other plants known to us from the family Fabaceae provide valuable nutrients – protein, fiber, micro- and macronutrients, photo-chemicals. It was found that children who have acquired the useful habit to regularly consume legumes are at much lower risk of developing diabetes and heart disease as adults.
Eggs
Under the shell of eggs from a reliable source, especially soft-boiled, a number of benefits for adolescents are hidden. Eggs are one of the few vegetarian sources of vitamin B12, which is of great importance for the development of the nervous system. They provide a great deal of complete protein, lutein for eye health and vitamin D for strengthening of the bones.
Nuts and seeds
Walnuts, almonds and other varieties of nuts, also contain large amounts of protein and minerals and healthy fats. The element iron, for example, which can be found in pumpkin and sunflower seeds, is a component of hemoglobin and helps transport oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. Its deficit often leads to tiredness and sleepiness in children.
With the right diet, our children will inevitably grow strong and healthy. But let’s not forget, much immersed in caring for them, that what they need most of all is always to feel our unconditional love!
