Because nutrition is one of the keys to staying healthy, in the midst of the Coronavirus epidemic, it is essential to choose the right products to fill our children’s plates. Here is a guide from Go4prep to boost children’s immune defenses.
Feeding children is a constant headache for parents. Between the right quantities to respect, what they don’t like, and the little pleasures to give… not easy to navigate. Nutritionist says, “kids should always eat a colorful and varied diet,”
Indeed, the more colors there are, the more antioxidants there are (such as vitamin C, which has an anti-infectious and anti-fatigue power), which provide children with all the necessary nutrients for their growth and immune response defenses. But what are the foods that contain it?
The kiwi
Its advantage: It is found almost everywhere, and it is easy to taste.
Why kiwi is good for Kids: It’s rich in water, vitamins, and minerals. Did you know a single kiwi of about 100g provides 90g of vitamin C, the child’s daily needs? Also, It is an excellent source of vitamin B9. Vitamin B9 helps strengthen the immune system. Finally, Kiwi contains fiber that is good for the balance of intestinal flora.
The right amount to give: 1 to 2 servings per day, alternating with other raw fruits.
How to cook it? We avoid cooking them to avoid destroying the fragile vitamins that cannot withstand heat, like vitamin C. But we can open a small hat and put it in an egg cup, offer it on a skewer, or in a fruit salad. Of course, if you want to make juice from it, you will have to drink it very quickly to avoid losing the benefits it brings.
Sweet potato
Its asset: its slightly sweet taste is very popular with children, and it allows you to change from classic potatoes.
Why sweet potato is suitable for kids: Its orange color indicates the presence of beta-carotene (β-Carotene), an essential vitamin for children’s skin and eyesight. Sweet potatoes are also rich in fiber & starches; potatoes are the only ones to contain vitamin C (16.9mg / 100g), provided they have eaten the skin. Better to choose them organically. Do not forget that vitamin B6 it contains helps reduce fatigue.
The right amount to give: Starchy foods should be present at each meal: alternate pasta, rice, wheat, or semolina.
How to cook it? In the mash, in soup by adding orange, in quarters passed in the oven with a bit of olive oil.
Broccoli
Its advantage: it is suitable for six months in the form of puree.
Broccoli is suitable for children: Like all vegetables, Broccoli is rich in minerals & fiber, which are essential for the comfort of children’s transit. AlsoBroccoli is one of the most nutritionally dense vegetables, especially in vitamins C & B9.
The right amount to give: vegetables should be present at all meals at 2 to 3 servings per day.
How to cook it? Unlike fruits which are better raw to preserve the healthy vitamin C content, cooking increases the bioavailability. It reinforces their vitamin C. You can consume it in a gratin, in the salad, with pasta, and in a crumble version.
Sardines
Their asset: they appeal to parents and children alike, especially at aperitif time!
They are suitable for children: this little fish is very rich in Omega 3 and, more particularly, in DHA, a fatty acid that the body does not know how to manufacture and which is essential for the proper functioning of the brain and the construction of the brain. If they are eaten whole, and with the bones, they will also provide calcium (333 mg / 100g) and vitamin D (7.56 microgram / 100g), essential for bone health and children’s teeth.
The correct quantity to give: it is a “fatty” fish, which must, alternately with the others (salmon, mackerel, trout, halibut), be eaten at least once a week.
How to cook them? In rillettes: crushed, mixed with cottage cheese, avocado, and lemon, all on bread. A delight!
Molds
Their asset: the way of eating them also develops motor skills!
Why they are suitable for children: they are very high in iron (over 3.99g of iron per 100g of mussels, roughly the equivalent of red meat 2.83g per 100g of steak with 5% fat), essential for intelligence quotient, immune defenses, blood circulation and the production of red blood cells. It is heme iron, which is very well absorbed by the body. They also provide a good dose of protein (17g / 100g), necessary for children’s muscle development and growth.
The correct quantity to give: is 120 to 150 g of mussels, or one small plate to have contributed to the intake of the daily dose of iron.
How to cook them? Creamed / with pasta, a little parsley, garlic, and tomatoes.
Plain yogurt
Its asset: we always have one in the fridge, and the children love it.
Why it is suitable for children: its protein intake (3.87g / 100g), calcium (125 mg / 100g), vitamin A (ideal for children’s visual health), and D, which strengthen the immune system, the ferments they contain are helpful for the balance of the intestinal flora.
The right amount to give: one per day.
How to cook it? You can combine it with fruit, add small dry cakes, or even mix it with a banana milkshake.
The “Superfoods”
You have undoubtedly heard of them, and they are very popular: goji berries, kale, ginseng, Maca powder… These foods have exceptional nutritional value because they have high amounts of nutrients, antioxidants, ‘enzymes, minerals, vitamins, fibers, trace elements, essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, and proteins … but beware, and they are expensive in terms of carbon balance because they sometimes come from the end of the world! Favor red fruits such as blueberries will contain as many antioxidants. And for info, garlic and plain yogurt are among the first superfoods!
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