As we all know eating healthy foods is a must if you want to feel at your best and it is crucial to set good examples for our children to follow and look up to. So please see below for some great information kindly contributed by Jem who is a health expert in the Dental field and has written this piece for the Lose Baby Weight mums!
Foods That Benefit Both You And Your Child
Healthy eating is important, no matter what age you are. Certain foods are better for you, and certain foods are better for your child. Eating right means staying healthy, staying free of disease and staying fit. When you know what foods are good for you and what ones are good for your child, it isn’t too difficult to eat healthy and change your eating habits all together.
The first step to eating right is to pay attention to portions. Learn to read the labels on your food items. These labels will let you know how many calories are in a serving and how big a serving is. An example of a serving is; a serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. Most people eat much more than they need to, and much bigger servings. It is much healthier, for parents and children, to follow serving suggestions. It is also important to get each food group in your diet. The five food groups are fruit, vegetables, meats, dairy and breads. Eggs, beans, poultry and nuts fall into the meat category. Cereal, rice and pasta fall under the bread category. Adults need different amounts of these groups than children do. And babies need different amounts than toddlers and teens do.
Healthy Eating For Parents
A basic adult daily diet should consist of 3 ounces of whole grains and 6 ounces of grains, 2 cups of fruit, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 3 cups of fat free or low fat dairy and only 46 to 56 grams of protein. Choose lean meats for more energy and better general health. Cut down on red meats, which stay in the body longer and clog arteries. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as these are vitamin rich. Apples and carrots are known to help keep teeth cleaner. Opt for whole grains, like brown rice and wheat bread. White breads are made with less healthy, over processed, bleached flour. Choose dairy products with less or no fat as dairy products are good for strong bones.
Healthy Eating For Children
Babies, toddlers, teens and those between all need different amounts of food. They also need healthy foods to grow up strong and free of disease, such as gum disease and diabetes. For young children the focus should be made on the vitamins and nutrients they are getting. Obviously, babies will need fewer servings than teens. Here are the daily food group serving amounts needed for children/teens; 5 or less items of bread, 3-5 for vegetables, 2-4 fruits, and 2-3 of both dairy and meats. The lower amounts would be for babies, then gradually raising the amounts towards the teenage years.
Dairy is very important for growing infants, as are vegetables. Give children healthy snacks, like raisins (it is important at this stage to exercise good oral hygiene as raisins in particular are extreme producers of alkalines which can erode teeth an cause major problems) and carrots, in order to fulfil their needed amounts of fruits and vegetables, and to make sure they are getting the vitamins and minerals they need in order to grow up healthy.
Jem is a freelance writer concerned with the wellbeing of nation, its oral hygiene and standards of oral health. You can contact him by on twitter at @writerjem.
