Posts Tagged ‘healthy eating habits’

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).

If you have a pregnant teenage daughter you probably want to know about the dietary effects on teen pregnancy. We all know that it is important to have a nutritionally balanced diet, this is even more true during pregnancy. Teenagers have many special dietary needs. Whether your teen is a boy or girl, you understand there are certain things they require more than others. Doubtless, as they have grown, you’ve attempted to provide them with exactly what they need while trying to steer them away from things that make them unhealthy. Like the old adage says, “mother knows best,” This is true not only with regards to understanding that teenagers have special dietary requirements, but also that pregnant women do.

During Pregnancy women require a carefully balanced diet. Without that healthy diet, the risk of birth complications increases exponentially. Even the baby can be put in danger by an inadequate diet. This can be quite traumatic for the mother, especially if she is unaware of the danger that not eating a well balanced diet can put on both herself and her baby. For mothers who don’t realize this before things happen, it is a tragic and devastating blow.

So how can you help your pregnant teenager? As you can imagine, the dietary effects on teen pregnancy are exceedingly important. Not only does the mother need to take care of her own nutritional requirements, but she needs to also consider the nutritional requirements of the growing baby so that she can provide it with the sustenance it requires to grow and be healthy. This is an extremely challenging undertaking, especially for those who may not understand the importance of it. Of course, it is extremely important to both mother and baby.

The best way to help your pregnant teenager is to encourage them to talk to a nutritionist about specific dietary requirements that may be appropriate. This helps to ensure that she receives the correct nutrition that is appropriate for the situation. If in doubt, it is better to play it safe. Nutritionists are specially trained to make certain that people receive the right types of food for their individual circumstance.

Being pregnant as a teenager can be a frightening thing. If a nutritionist or a physician isn’t an option, then you can always search the internet to find diet plans for pregnant teenagers. Encourage your pregnant teen to eat a well balanced diet with appropriate sized portions for both their requirements and the baby’s. If she doesn’t eat enough, she can put both her baby and herself at risk. Pregnancy is extremely tiring, without proper nutrition, this situation can be exacerbated. If you are looking into dietary effects on teen pregnancy, Be certain to double check any information you discover with other sources to ensure it is correct.