Understanding healthy eating and how to make healthy food choices as a child can empower you to take care of your own health. Making healthy food choices for yourself can help you improve your performance in school and feel more able to handle your emotions, according to the Child Development Institute.
Basics
As a child, you have a limited amount of control over what you eat because you cannot go out and buy your own food. Despite this, you can help your parents make decisions about what you want to eat. Take time to ask your parents for specific healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and make sure to eat a variety of them.
Significance
There are certain types of foods that should always be a part of your healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables will provide you with an assortment of vitamins, minerals and fiber, all of which are necessary to keep your body healthy. Eat different types of fruits and vegetables. Whole-grain products such as crackers, bread, brown rice, and pasta should be regularly consumed to ensure you are getting enough fiber. Get your calcium from dairy products, foods that have had calcium added to them and leafy green vegetables. Make protein a part of your daily diet. You can get protein from either plant or animal based foods. Eating some plant-based proteins will decrease the amount of cholesterol and unhealthy saturated fat you consume.
Amount
Eat two servings of fruits per day and at least three servings of vegetables. Get about two servings of protein each day. Consume two servings of calcium-rich foods each day. Also, make sure to get about six daily servings of whole-grain products.
Warning
As a child, what you eat plays a role in your growth and development. If you are not getting the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals as a child, your body will not have the fuel to build muscles, get taller and build your brain power. Also, making good food choices as a kid can improve your health as an adult. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reports that many chronic diseases that are influenced by poor diet, such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, begin developing in childhood when kids eat unhealthy.
Tips
Drink plenty of water even if you are not feeling thirsty. Water keeps your body functioning properly. Avoid sugar drinks such as sodas and fruit drinks. Eat sweets only on special occasions. Learn to read nutrition labels so that you will be better able to make healthy food choices. Choose healthy serving sizes. Eat snacks that provide you with protein or fiber. Do not watch television while you are eating. This can be a bad habit because it causes you to eat without thinking about it. As an addition to your healthy eating habits, be physically active in some way every day of the week. Engage in about an hour of physical activity per day.
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