Food Pyramid for Kids
While in grade school a lot of us had health science as a subject we took. In the middle of the health science text book there was a topic called food pyramids and the major foods listed there were rice, bread, cereal and other kinds of grains. The subject of building a suitable food pyramid for kids is one that must be taking very seriously because what kids eat now has a long lasting effect on their growth. To pattern a food pyramid that is patterned after what we have in our grade school health science textbook would give us up to 11 servings. This seems like a whole lot for a kid but is it the right kind of meal to give a child. A child must have varieties in the food pyramid and they must also be balanced in diets.
Something you will find lacking in our society today is Good Health Plan; it is just not what our society is defined by. All we seem to have are junks that we call food. It is a common sight in homes today to see kids having cocoa puffs, cornflakes as breakfast with no fruits or vegetables to go with the meals. Our food pyramids for kids don’t have quality foods that can help our children in the long run. Good health now seems like a mirage, an unattainable entity that one can’t seem to have. The complexity of this is the fact that good health is very attainable and not expensive as long as you eat properly. I am not saying that you will never get sick no on the contrary sickness is inevitable because the world we live in is polluted. We can simply reduce the rate we fall sick by simply eating right.
In creating food pyramids for kids we must first understand why grains are not the best options for food pyramids. Grains seem to be advantageous as meal supplements but they also have disadvantages. Some of the disadvantages are listed below:
1. Most grains are
genetically modified i.e. ‘GMO’: The need to genetically modify grains
started when someone decided that having cheap grains was an answer to
people’s prayer. This led to the modification of grains in the hope of
it meeting the standards laid down by the presiding body. This modification
came in the hope of feeding the ever growing population of the world not
to mention the vast number of animals that would also need to be fed for
example cows, hens to mention a few. The grain is a main food in our food
pyramid for kids. We do this with the misconception that it is the best
for our kids. The effects of GMO have a long lasting effect on the body
and take a long time to be noticed. An example is a grain that had amino
acids already in it but when the grain was modified it produced its own
amino-acid that countered the already existing amino-acid and when it
was consumed it had an adverse effect on the body system. The effects
were serious that it even led to death in some extreme cases.
2. It has been certified that humans are not supposed to consume grains.
You might be wondering how come? but it is true. So when planning a food
pyramid for kids keep this in mind. If you don’t belief ask a food nutritionist,
a biochemist or even a doctor for confirmation. A veterinarian would advise
you against feeding your dog any grain but we as humans survive on grains
most especially our young ones. What a paradoxical lifestyle.
3. Grains have anti-nutrients. Please ensure that you do away with it on the food pyramid for kids. The grains contain the second class of nutrients which when mixed with the frequent nutrients prevent easy digestion. Some common anti-nutrients are: Lectins, Alpha-amylase, Phytic Acid and others.
When building food pyramids for kids it is mandatory that some steps be taken. Some of these steps include:
1. Avoid grains as much as you possibly can.
2. Feed your kids with healthy foods and not junks.
3. Reduce the intake of fast foods.
4. Yes grains contain fibers and children need fibers to grow healthy. You can also get fibers from fruits, in fact, all the amount of fiber you need is embedded in fruits. So eat a lot of fruits.
5. Reduce the intake of soft drinks if your kid must have drinks, let it be minimal and be fresh juice alone. Most importantly let there be plenty of WATER accompanying their meals.
In preparing food
pyramids for kids there are a lot of things to consider the above are
just a few of them. You can create some personal rules for yourself to
follow.
Find further
information below:
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