Proper nutrition is must for kids. A healthy and balanced diet plays a very important role in the development of the kids. Nutrition of kids is based on the same principles as nutrition for adults. Poor nutrition can lead to a lack of energy, digestive problems, food allergies, weight gain, depression and anxiety. Everyone needs the same types of nutrients in their diet. Children, however, need different amounts of specific nutrients at different ages.

Do you know about the best formula to fuel your child’s growth and development? Let’s see which foods are necessary for your child’s good health:

• Protein: Add protein diet which should include seafood, lean meat, eggs, beans, peas, soy products along with unsalted nuts.
• Fruits: Encourage your pal to eat fresh, dried fruits rather than having fruit juice. Make sure if your child is having fruit drinks, it’s 100 percent juice without added sugars.
• Vegetables: Add a variety of fresh vegetables in your kid’s diet. When you are selecting canned or frozen vegetables, look for options lower in sodium.
• Grains: Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, popcorn, brown rice. Limit refined grains such as white bread, pasta and rice.
• Dairy: Encourage your child to eat and drink fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese or fortified soy beverages.

Always limit your child’s calories from:

• Added sugar: Limit added sugars. They are not good for your child’s health. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit and milk, are not added sugars. Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, honey etc.
• Saturated and trans fats: Limit saturated fats from your kid’s diet. Fats that mainly come from animal sources of food, such as red meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products. Look for ways to replace saturated fats with vegetable and nut oils, which provide essential fatty acids and vitamin E.

Poor nutrition can lead to a lack of energy, digestive problems, food allergies, weight gain, depression and anxiety. Having nutritional knowledge and making informed choices about the foods you add in your child’s diet can help your child to achieve optimum health over your lifetime.

A word from SuperActive Kids:
Always remember that your children aren’t born with a craving for French fries and pizza. Cravings for such food appear over time when kids are exposed to more and more unhealthy food choices. Try to introduce your kids with healthy food items when they are young.

Happy Parenting!!