If you are confused by the conflicting nutrition messages from health care professionals, self-help books and the media, you are not alone. The public is bombarded with health information that is difficult to decipher. This can be most frustrating when it deals with the health of your children. No foods are "bad foods," but some that are less healthy should be limited in children's diets.
Sugary Drinks
Soda could be called the king of empty calories. According to myfoodapedia.gov, one can of soda has about 150 calories, 42 grams of sugar and no fiber, protein or healthy fats.
Juice does boast some vitamins, but it is mostly sugar. Yes, it may be largely natural sugars from fruit but it is still sugar and over time this can contribute to weight gain and cavities. Depending on the type of juice, many contain 25 to 30 g of sugar per 8 ounce serving.
Instead, choose fruit or vegetables juices without added sugar, sugar-free fruit flavored beverages or better yet, water.
Processed Meats
Fat in food adds flavor and bologna contains 8 g per slice, which is reason enough to limit this food. Parents should also be cautious when feeding their children hot dogs, not only because of the poor nutrition profile but also because of the safety risk. Hot dogs are a major choking hazard because of their round shape. Both meats are high in sodium and at least one third of the fat is saturated. These meats do provide some protein, however, only 15 percent of the calories are from protein while 80 percent are from fat as calcuated by myfoodrecord.com.
Instead, choose poultry without skin or lean cuts of beef or pork
"Healthy" Beverages
Flavored milk and sports drinks masquerade as healthy beverage options. Although flavored milks such as chocolate and strawberry contribute calcium and protein to a child's diet, the flavors bring additional calories and sugar.
Sports drinks can be beneficial when you need electrolyte replacement after exerting yourself with intense exercise or manual labor. These circumstances rarely apply to children and end up adding a lot of extra sugar to their daily diets.
Instead, choose water or low-fat white milk.
Fried Potatoes
Fried potatoes make this list because they are high in calories, fat and sodium and are low in beneficial nutrients. The average small serving of french fries contains 11 g of fat and 300 mg sodium. According to mypyramid.gov, a serving of potato chips does not fare much better with 10 g of fat and 170 mg sodium.
Fried potatoes do contain some protein, unsaturated fat and fiber; however, these beneficial nutrients are not in large enough amounts to warrant that this food be a staple in your child's diet.
Instead, choose yogurt, fresh fruit, side salad or baked chips.
Breakfast Pastries
Breakfast can be a hard sell to some kids. This can be especially true on a busy morning before school. Sugary pastries may have seemed like the perfect compromise between fast and tasty, but they do come with a price. The high amount of calories, fat and sugar in these breakfast foods makes them seem more suitable as a dessert.
Myfoodrecord.com states that an original glazed doughnut has nearly 200 calories and up to 5 g of fat, which is quite comparable to its toasted counterpart.
Instead, serve wheat toast, English muffin or a low-fat granola bar.
Member Comments