Posts Tagged ‘Child Nutrition’

Aside from it’s primary purpose, there are several monosodium glutamate side effects. Technically speaking, monosodium glutamate is a “flavor enhancer”. It stimulates your childs taste-buds, making them more sensitive to food flavors. This improves the taste of food, or rather, your child’s response to that food.

If that was all MSG did, it wouldn’t be a problem. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Monosodium glutamate side effects go far beyond this purpose, and not all of those side effects are positive. Unfortunately, the FDA has not acted on the problems and monosodium glutamate maintains the status of “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS). Considering the negative side effects of this chemical on children and adults alike, MSG should be banned, especially since it is abused by the food industry so much.

So what are the negative monosodium glutamate side effects?

1. Some children are allergic to MSG: A child can consume a small amount of it and have an anaphylactic reaction to it. Like other allergies… peanut, wheat, citrus, shellfish etc. the reaction varies from causing discomfort to being life threatening. Because MSG is commonly used in a wide variety of products that are consumed by children, it should be banned. The reason is simple. If your child had a severe peanut allergy, you would avoid giving them peanuts and products containing peanuts. Products containing peanuts or potential traces of them are required to indicate this on the packaging. Compare this with monosodium glutamate where most processed foods contain it but, because of insufficient labeling laws, it is not required to be listed in the ingredients. This creates a potentially dangerous situation that requires government intervention. Companies should at least be forced to label the foods correctly.
2. Monosodium glutamate dramatically stimulates appetite and causes binging: Have you ever wondered why one potato chip is never enough? Monosodium glutamate is the reason. Your child can be physically full, but monosodium glutamate stimulates a part of their brain that tells them to eat more. Food manufacturers use monosodium glutamate to make their foods addictive. Binging on any food causes obesity. MSG takes away a child’s choice in what they eat by creating a dependance similar to drug addiction. That is immoral and should be illegal. Monosodium glutamate has also been identified as a major contributor to the dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes in society. It’s also a major factor in bulemia. Monosodium glutamate encourages children to binge. That’s why snack producers use it. Thankfully, people are becoming savvy to this and choosing not to allow their children to consume food containing MSG. However, companies are not content to allow even this level of personal choice. Because of the GRAS (generally regarded as safe) designation, they are permitted to include MSG as an ingredient in a list of so-called “secret ingredients”. These are ingredients that are not required to be listed on food labels because doing so may allow competitors to copy their recipe and steal their business. Further, some products contain MSG and if companies list that product, they are not required to label the individual ingredients. The names of these common products include ‘Natural Flavorings’, ‘Naturally Flavored’, Artificial and Natural Flavors’. These are PRODUCT NAMES rather than FDA designations. These names conceal the fact that those products are additives. The primary ingredient in many of those products is monosodium glutamate, so if you see them in the ingredients list, replace them with the words monosodium glutamate…because that is basically what it really means.
3. The most controversial problem with MSG is HOW it stimulates your child’s appetite: MSG is referred to as an “excitotoxin”. This is a chemical that stimulates your child’s nervous system using a mechanism usually used to fight infection or remove damaged tissue. A child’s brain is generally sterile and doesn’t have the same immune system as the rest of their body. The main immune system is based on an inflammatory mechanism. Inflammation in the brain is potentially deadly, so the brain uses a glial system instead. The glial system releases chemicals that destroy invading particles and stimulate the brain. Guess which mechanism MSG uses? Guess what the side effects are? If your child consumes large quantities of MSG then in the long-term it will destroy brain tissue. Monosodium glutamate has also been implicated in Alzheimer’s.

As you can see from these side effects, the consumption of MSG should be avoided not only in children but in adults also. Most modern Chinese restaurants understand this and have now removed this ingredient from their recipes.

The main problem in modern society is packaged and processed foods, especially those at fast food restaurants and snack foods. If you want to avoid your child consuming large quantities of monosodium glutamate you need to limit consumption of those foods.

This post published with thanks to Mr Roger of Fatzilla.org who graciously permitted me plagiarize his work.

This post does not constitute medical advice nor should it be substituted for professional medical advice. This post titled “Monosodium Glutamate Side Effects” is intended for informational purposes only.

Understanding the difference between glycemic index and glycemic load is important for anyone who needs to lose weight, including children. But first, it is important to understand the definition of the two terms.

Definition of Glycemic Index: The glycemic index, abbreviated as ‘GI’, is a calculation of how specific carbohydrate rich foods affect blood sugar levels over a period of 2 hours. Foods containing simple carbohydrates are easier to digest and have the highest glycemic index. Complex carbohydrates burn slower and therefore have a lower GI.

Definition of Glycemic load: The glycemic load, abbreviated as ‘GL’, is a ranking system for carbohydrate content in food portions based on both their glycemic index (GI) and portion size.

Scientists calculate glycemic index by providing 10 individuals a 50 gram serve of the food to be tested then measuring their blood glucose response over the next two hours. This response is compared to the blood sugar response to glucose and averaged across the 10 test subjects to calculate a relative index value.

The problem with this approach is that in real life, portion sizes vary from child to child. Not every child consumes a 50 gram portion! So glycemic index doesn’t provide an accurate measure of the effect of any given food on blood sugar levels.

For this reason, the glycemic load is considered to provide a more accurate measure than the glycemic index alone since it takes portion size into account.

Calculating the glycemic load of foods is fairly straightforward if you know the glycemic index of that food. You can find the glycemic index for a wide range of foods at The glycemic index. Note that this is an Australian website connected with the University of Sydney so some foods may be listed under unfamiliar names. However, the website does provide the most comprehensive listing of GI values along with GL values. Sometimes you can find the GI value of a food listed in the nutritional data table. I believe that over time this will become more common.

The metric formula to calculate the glycemic load of food is: GI value x usable carb content (in grams), divided by 100.

The imperial (UK and US) formula to calculate the glycemic load of food is: GI value x usable carb content (in oz), divided by 100 x 28.4. Note that this figure isn’t exact since the original formula was created in metric but it provides a reasonably accurate indication.

Say for example you want to calculate the GL of two slices of white bread made from wheat flour. The glycemic index of one 30 gram (1 oz) slice of bread is 69. Since children generally eat two slices of bread we need to calculate it according to two slices. The usable carbohydrate content of one slice of white bread is 14 grams (15 grams minus 1 gram of dietary fiber). Therefore, to calculate the glycemic load for two slices of bread the sum is:

Metric: (GI)69 x (Carbs)28 / 100 = 19.32

Imperial: (GI)69 x (Carbs)0.99 / 100 x 28.4 = 19.40

The ranges for glycemic index are

Low GI = 55 or less
Medium GI = 56-69
High GI = 70 or more

The ranges for glycemic load are

Low GL = 10 or less
Medium GL = 11-19
High GL = 20 or more

Okay, lets compare the glycemic load of different types of bread:

Two slices of white bread have a GL of 19
Two slices of whole wheat bread have a GL of 15
Two slices of multi grain bread have a GL of 10

As you can see from this, the glycemic load of two slices of white bread squeezes into the medium glycemic load range. If a child consumes four slices per meal the figure increases to 38 which makes it high GL. On the other hand, the glycemic load of multi grain bread is barely half that of white bread so four slices of multi grain bread has a GL of 20 which is much better. Remember, the higher the dietary fiber content the lower the glycemic load. This is one of the reasons why it is important to provide your child with wholegrain products rather than simple, processed carbohydrates like bread or pasta made from white flour and white rice.

But why should children consume low GL foods? Foods with a high GL tend to cause a surge in blood sugar levels followed by an equally rapid drop which triggers the child’s appetite. If the energy generated is not required it can be converted to fat storage. In diabetics this can cause dangerous fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low GL foods do not cause this surge, take longer to digest, provide lasting energy and satisfy the hunger for longer which assists with weight loss. Consuming low GL foods means that your child’s overall calorie consumption can be reduced without them feeling hungry.

NOTE: A child should never consume food less than an hour before bedtime as this makes them more likely to store unused energy as fat.

If your child needs to lose weight then you need to understand the difference between glycemic index and glycemic load so you can provide them with low GI foods to satisfy their hunger for longer and stop them from constantly wanting to eat.

When it comes to the topic of good fat vs bad fat in your child’s diet, there are several things you should consider.

First of all, fats are required for optimal function of the human body. Fat plays several essential roles in the body including:

• Children require fat more than adults due to the fact that their bodies are still growing. Not only do children require a higher calorie consumption (compared to their size at least) they also need to be able to store fat as they grow.
• Provision of the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acids which the body is incapable of producing. These fatty acids control inflammation, blood clotting, cholesterol levels and brain development.
• Provision of fat reserves for the body for survival during times when food is not available such as when we experience infections that cause nausea making it impossible for your child to eat.
• Fat stored in adipose tissue helps insulate the body against cold and heat and therefore helps maintain internal (core) temperature. A child’s body has more difficulty maintaining core temperature.
• Fat provides an important energy source. Children burn a lot of energy and once carbohydrates are consumed the body turns to fat for energy
• The oils required for healthy hair and skin are derived from fat.
• Fat solumble vitamins A, D, E and K require fat in order to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

What are fats? Fats are organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Fat belongs to a family of substances known as lipids, and come in solid or liquid form. All fats are combinations of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

Fat is one of the three main components of food, the other two are protein and carbohydrates. These three components supply energy for the body. Fat provides around 9 calories per gram which is more than double the amount of calories provided by protein and carbohydrates.

There are several types of fat in food. Some are considered bad fats, while others are considered good fats. The types of fat are:

Saturated fat

Saturated fats are what are generally referred to as ‘bad’ fats. These fats are found in animal products like meat, dairy products. There are also a couple of vegetable sources of saturated fats which should be avoided or consumed prudently. These include

• Coconut (and coconut oil).
• Palm oil.
• Palm kernel (and palm kernel oil).

Fats and oil containing high amounts of saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature, regardless of whether they are derived from animal or vegetable sources.

Trans fat.

Another ‘bad’ fat is trans fat. Trans fat occurs during ‘hydrogenation’ which refers to the introduction of hydrogen to unsaturated fat molecules (eg. vegetable oils) in order to convert them into a solid. When this occurs, the molecules are effectively converted to saturated fats and begin to have the same effect upon the body as saturated fats.

High consumption of saturated and trans fats, which are frequently hidden in some foods, can cause weight gain and become obesity but more importantly, they can lead to cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke.

Unsaturated fat

Unsaturated fats are generally referred to as ‘good’ fats. This is because they are higher in essential nutrients and free of cholesterol which means they don’t contribute to atherosclerosis (fatty plaque deposits in arteries which cause heart disease and stroke). There are several types of unsaturated fats including:

• Monounsaturated fat
• Polyunsaturated fat
• Cis fat

Fatty Acids

Although they are not, strictly speaking, fats… fatty acids are another crucially important nutrient, including the omega fatty acids

• Omega – 3
• Omega – 6 AND
• Omega – 9

As mentioned earlier, these fatty acids are responsible for controlling inflammation, blood clotting, cholesterol levels and brain development. Rich sources of these fatty acids include vegetable oils and fish like salmon and tuna.

Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are good for us and can reduce the risk of heart attack, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Maybe you think you don’t need to consider this with your child, but developing healthy eating habits now will help them continue them as adults.

To practice healthy eating habits regarding good fat vs bad fat follow these tips:

1. Give your child a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, wholegrain, high fiber foods, and either low fat or fat free dairy products.
2. Maintain a total fat consumption of 25-35% of daily calorie consumption
3. Ensure that your primary fat sources are monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats such as fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.
4. Use natural, unhydrogenated vegetable oils like canola, peanut, safflower, sunflower or olive oil.
5. Check nutrition labels on processed food for saturated and trans fat content (0% trans fat is best) and use soft margarine rather than butter or stick margarine.
6. Reduce your child’s consumption of foods that have high saturated fat content like french fries, doughnuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies and cakes.
7. Reduce your child’s consumption of saturated fat in general.
8. Reduce your child’s consumption of ‘junk foods’ like deep fried foods, baked goods made with shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. This will help reduce consumption of saturated and trans fat.

Summarizing good fat vs bad fat.

Good fats refers to unsaturated fats and fatty acids which are derived from vegetables and fish. Bad fats refer to saturated and trans fats which are primarily derived from red meats and dairy products. In all cases, consumption of fat should be limited but bad fat should be limited more than good fat.

Remember, children need fat more than adults but you still need to ensure that they don’t consume too much.

What??? Isn’t this a weight LOSS blog? LOL… yes, it is. But I noticed that I’d received a couple of visitors who were looking for information on how to increase kids weight and since this is another child health and nutrition issue, I felt it was worth creating a post to address it. I’m sure even some of you who are looking for solutions for overweight children also have other children who are underweight and need to gain weight… I know my children are like that. My oldest daughter has inherited my characteristic of storing most of her fat around her hips and thighs. My son, however, is so skinny that if he turns sideways he doesn’t cast a shadow! (I know, you can’t fatten a thoroughbred!) Yet they have always eaten the same things.

So how do we solve the issue of how to increase kids weight?

Firstly, we need to understand where calories come from. There are three types of calories based on the sources of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

The role of carbohydrates in the body

Carbohydrates provide the primary source of fuel to the human body.

• Carbohydrates are converted to glucose then burned to supply immediate energy requirements
• They supply energy to the Central Nervous System which requires glucose to function properly.
• They supply instant energy to the Muscles for physical activity – Fats and proteins are only utilized after being converted to carbs then sugar.
• They free proteins to be used for muscle development rather than an emergency energy source.
• Foods rich in carbohydrates are often rich in dietary fiber (especially whole grains). This fiber is crucial to digestive health and can help prevent many digestive conditions including cancer, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

The role of protein in the body

Proteins are essential building blocks for the body and muscles. They perform a variety of functions including:

• Antibodies – Specialized proteins that defend the body from bacteria, viruses and other potentially harmful foreign particles.
• Contractile proteins – Assist with muscle contraction and movement
• Enzymes – proteins which act as catalysts for certain biochemical processes in the body including digestion
• Hormonal proteins – messenger proteins that coordinate certain bodily functions such as the onset of puberty
• Structural proteins – fibrous, stringy proteins that provide support to tendons, ligaments etc. For example. Collagen, elastin and keratin
• Amino acids (storage proteins) – Muscles are predominantly made of the protein building blocks known as amino acids.
• Transport proteins – proteins that carry molecules around the body. E.g. hemoglobin which carries oxygen through the bloodstream to where it is required

The role of fat in the body

While an excess of certain fats is unhealthy, fats fulfill important functions in the body including:

• Fat provides energy during times of famine or when illness causes low appetite or the body is unable to retain food (i.e. vomiting)
• Fat helps insulate the body against extreme cold or heat.
• Certain vital organs require a protective cushion of fat.
• Dietary fat carries and enables absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
• Fat supplies essential fatty acids like Omega 6 (linoleic acid) and Omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid).

As you can see all three sources of calories are vital to the human body. However, there are certain combinations that assist with weight gain.

It’s logical that an underweight person has a metabolism that burns only enough calories to supply their daily energy requirements. This is usually due to one of two factors… (a) They eat barely enough for their level of activity, or (b) Their metabolism is inefficient. Having an inefficient metabolism means that a portion of calories consumed pass unused from the body. Many young people experience this. They can eat whatever they like and they never gain weight. However, this can change. Things happen, like pregnancy in women, that cause metabolism to become more efficient and you suddenly have to be careful of what you eat.

So how does this help us to know how to increase kids weight?

When you examine the functions of different calorie types you’ll see that the most readily absorbed form of calories come from carbohydrates. This is because carbohydrates are closest to the form required by the body for energy. Fats and proteins must be converted to carbohydrates before being utilized for energy requirements. So to increase kids weight, get them to eat more carbohydrates such as breads, pasta, rice, cereals etc. Try to use wholegrain alternatives to provide the dietary fiber required for digestive health.

However, don’t just increase their carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are primarily converted to fat cells. Your child needs more than just fat cells. They also need to increase the muscle content of the body and for this they require protein.

It is possible to increase carbohydrate and protein consumption without increasing overall food consumption. It just requires a little research to reveal food options that are rich in carbohydrates and protein. You can do this at Nutrition data. But here are some foods to start with.

Cereals: Corn flakes, oat bran.
Pasta & rice: couscous, spinach pasta, rice.
Vegetables: Dehydrated mashed potato, leeks, shitake mushrooms, tomato powder, mung beans, fava (broad) beans, dried split peas, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans.
Fruits & nuts: Dried fruits, sunflower seeds, chestnuts.
Dairy: Tofu, Eggs, egg substitute powder, parmesan cheese topping, buttermilk.
Snacks: potato crisps (chips), popcorn, corn cakes, tortillas, pretzels, granola bars.
Meals: Kraft macaroni cheese dinner.
Meats: Fried chicken, beef round steak, bacon, veal leg steak, beef salami, honey roast ham, offal products (liver etc).

As all parents know, getting children to eat the right kinds of foods to meet their nutritional requirements can be a tremendous challenge. It seems like they only ever want to eat junk because they are so fussy about what they will and won’t eat. It’s enough to make you want to tear your hair out in frustration. I’m sure I’m not the only parent who has ever wondered how to give their child a balanced diet when all they want to eat is sausages and mash!

Thankfully, my daughter is now eight years old and is more adventurous, she loves pumpkin (especially roasted), she’ll eat a few peas, loves baby carrots and broccoli (of all things), plus several types of fruit. But she is still very fussy about a lot of other things… her thing at the moment is ‘I don’t like garlic!’ Althought she loves garlic bread… go figure! When she was in pre-school (kindergarten) she wasn’t allowed to take snack bars, cookies or any type of junk food for snack time. It had to be something healthy like fruit. The only option we had with her was cheese because she wouldn’t eat fruit at that time. It was kind of funny, because her teacher actually told us off for always sending her with a couple of cheese wedges… oh well, at least her calcium needs were being met

When you have a child that is fussy about what they will eat it can be extremely difficult to make sure that their nutritional requirements are met. At times like this a vitamin supplement is ideal to supply what their diet lacks.

You can buy vitamins for kids from just about anywhere these days, health food stores, supermarkets, pharmacies etc. My daughter has taken a multi vitamin from Herron chewable Vita minis for several years. Vitamins for kids come in several different types including multi vitamin, vitamin C, Omega 3, calcium… even fiber.

They also come in several different formats. From chewable vitamin tablets (like Herron Vita minis) to products like those from Hero Nutritionals who supply ‘gummi’ vitamins for both adults and children. The vitamins for kids are called Yummi Bears. You know, like Gummi Bears only they’re a vitamin? These are ideal for children who don’t like traditional vitamins because it effectively turns vitamin time into treat time… all kids love their candy and that’s exactly what they think Yummi Bears are… only you will know they’re good for them. Hero Nutritionals even supply Yummi SourZ for kids who like sour candy.

So if you have a child who is a fussy eater, providing them with a children nutritional supplement can be a fantastic way to make sure their nutritional requirements are met thus giving YOU peace of mind while you attempt the introduce them to the types of food that will supply those needs

It should be noted that a children nutritional supplement does not remove the need for a balanced diet. It is still extremely important to introduce nutritionally balanced foods in a way that makes your child willing to eat it.