Having a healthy diet is essential in anyone’s life, especially in childhood. A good food education starts early, so parents always have to be aware of what their children consume and to offer the best products to them. Because they are in the growth phase, eating nutritious foods will help in the development of them and, consequently, to a healthier life.

It is not easy to set up a menu for a child. Not always, the children like the food or are used to new flavors that parents give to them. Is advisable to enter gradually with fruits, vegetables or meat, for instance, because everything is very new to them. However, either for lack of time or not aware, many parents choose to offer to the child, products that do not contribute to the body.

Thinking about it, NAMU Courses listed some foods that should be avoided by children.

Sausage

Sausage is very common at children’s parties, and is an easy option for lunch or dinner after school. Nevertheless, what many parents do not know is that the food is made with the leftover cuts, i.e, what no one would eat from the meat. In addition, sausage is filled with substances that, overly, are harmful to the organism.

The presence of nitrites and nitrates, used to enhance the product flavor, color and longevity, is worrying. If ingested excessively, these substances could increase the chances of toxicities in the body. According to the World Health Organization, WHO, it is necessary to pay attention to the consumption of sausages, because they could contribute to the appearance of numerous diseases, including degenerative diseases such as cancer. However, it is extremely important to emphasize that the intake of this type of food may not be the only one associated with the appearance of this problem.

A good replacement for this food is the vegetable-based homemade sausage. Since most of its ingredients is natural, this sausage is more nutritious and digestible in the body. Typically has considerable level of protein and low in fat.

Soda / industrialized juice

Soda has high levels of food preservatives, which may cause harm to the organism. Besides not having any nutritional value, it also contributes to weight gain and tooth decay since it has large amount of sugar in its composition. Sodium benzoate is a preservative commonly used for the manufacture of industrial products, as well as soda. It is one of those responsible for enhancing the flavor and color of the drinks.

Researches has shown that, if warm up to high temperatures, the combination of sodium benzoate with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) may develop benzene substance carcinogenic. The attention should be greater with soft drinks and juices containing Vitamin C in their composition. Remembering that varies from person to person, the amount and time that the substance is in the consumer’s organism. In addition, researches declare that this preservative and some food dyes could help in the appearance of deficit disorder attention symptoms in children.

Avoid industrialized products, prefer natural juices and, preferably, fresh ones. Besides being tastier, they are highly nutritious and great for maintaining the children health. Grapes, for example, helps to control cholesterol. In addition to its antioxidant action, it is able to fight free radicals, responsible for premature aging of cells and numerous diseases. Orange and kiwi are also powerful antioxidants in the list. With high levels of Vitamin C, they help to prevent colds and flu.

Chips

Another evil that delights the children palate are chips. With different flavors and colors, chips are also one of the foods that should be avoided. The high level of sodium found in the product, if consumed excessively, may cause problems in children. Some chips also have preservatives, so be careful. Another common problem is choking, so avoid giving them to children under two years.

If you want to give chips to your child, choose organic. It is less harmful to health, as it has lower amounts of calories. Even, there are the whole chips that may also be used due to the higher nutritional value they have, and they are made with ingredients that are more natural.

Cookies

Cookies are also not recommended. Besides being too caloric, it has high levels of sodium and trans fat. No need to deprive the child to consume, but it’s good to moderate in their intake, so that later has no negative effects on their body.

Instead of cookies, you may give your to your child a homemade cereal bar. Besides not being an industrialized product, you choose the ingredients you want to use in the food manufacturing. For instance, banana and cashew nuts are good choices for the manufacturing. Bananas are great source of energy. Moreover, the chestnut is a source of nutrients and helps to raise good cholesterol.

Do you want to feed your child with tasty and healthy food? Get to know the Child Menu course, healthy food since babyhood and learn many delicious and nutritious recipes.

Foto: Beraldo Leal / Flickr / CC BY 2.0