Healthy Food for Children

The relationship between eating a healthy diet and positive health outcomes is well known; nurturing healthy eating among children therefore has the potential to improve public health. A healthy diet occurs when one’s usual eating patterns include adequate nutrient intake and sufficient, but not excessive, energy intake to meet the energy needs of the individual. Also a healthy diet can have a profound effect on children’s health, helping to maintain a healthy weight, avoid certain health problems, stabilize their moods, and sharpen their minds. A healthy diet can also have a profound effect on a child’s sense of mental and emotional wellbeing, helping to prevent conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD. Eating well can support a child’s healthy growth and development into adulthood and may even play a role in lowering the risk of suicide in young people.

Some basic guidelines which can be adopted while considering a healthy diet for children include,

• Add fruits and vegetables into the daily routine, aiming for the goal of at least five servings a day.
• Make it easy for kids to choose healthy snacks by keeping fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to eat. Other good snacks include low- fat yogurt, peanut butter and celery, or whole-grain crackers and cheese.
• Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.
• Choose whole-grain breads and cereals so kids get more fiber.
• Limit fat intake by avoiding fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low- fat or nonfat dairy products.
• Limit fast food and low-nutrient snacks, such as chips and candy. Limit sugary drinks, such as soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and low-fat milk instead.

Baby care within 1 year of birth is very crucial and should be watchful in terms of being healthy and fruitful. In this regard, Ayurveda ensures specific protocol for baby care. This should be adopted only after assessing the general health of baby.