Nutrition is an important subject – for men and women of all ages and kids too. I discussed my thoughts about healthy eating for kids in my article Why is Nutrition Important for Kids? And it’s something I feel very passionate about.
Why am I so passionate about kids’ nutrition when I have none of my own yet? Well, the answer is simple; I believe that healthy kids make healthy adults and with the ever-growing obesity epidemic costing billions of dollars and millions of lives all around the world, any small thing I can do to make things better is worth doing.
That’s why I think that educating kids about healthy eating is so important.
The thing is, kids are pretty simple in terms of their food intake – they like what they like and don’t really understand the impact that nutrition will have on them as adults. To kids, food is just a source of energy and enjoyment.
Many kids are resistant to eating healthily. In some instances, it’s because they don’t like the taste or it might be because, given the choice, they’d rather eat something other than fruit and vegetables – candy and chips for example.
This can put caring parents in a difficult position; they know their kids need to eat healthily and they want them to eat healthily but the kids just won’t play ball.
One way to really pump up healthy eating is to give your kids superfoods. Superfoods, like the name suggests, are super-healthy and contain large and concentrated amounts of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, probiotics, essential fats, phytochemicals, and other important substances.
Because they are so healthy, you don’t have to give your kid lots of superfoods – just a portion or two per day will do the trick.
However, most superfoods are fruits or vegetables so might not be appealing to kids. That is, unless you choose foods from this list of tried-and-tested superfoods that kids will love!
Start adding these superfoods to your kid’s diet and then watch them become healthier right before your eyes!
1. Blueberries
Sweet and juicy, blueberries have the highest antioxidant score of all fruits. They are also super-high in vitamin C but very low in sugar so they are good for your kid’s teeth too. Let them eat blueberries like candy or add them to smoothies or serve as an ice cream topping. Fresh or frozen? It doesn’t matter as freezing does not damage the healthy qualities of this colorful berry.
2. Oats
Oats and oatmeal used to be breakfast staples before sugary cereals become popular. Filling and healthy, oats are good for virtually every aspect of a kids’ health and are high in fiber which is essential for digestive health. Because oats are digested slowly, they provide long-lasting energy which can help prevent overeating and also keeps your child mentally sharp all morning. Kids to who have breakfast are invariably better students than kids that don’t. Supercharge your oats by adding fresh fruit or raw honey.
3. Almonds
Kids love to snack – partly because they need a lot of energy to fuel the growing process. The trouble is, most snacks that are aimed at kids are loaded with sugar and really unhealthy. Too much sugar is bad for everyone but it’s especially bad for growing kids who need more than just calories – they need nutrients too.
Almonds are high in brain-friendly magnesium, vitamin E and heart-healthy fats (“How to choose healthy fats“), protein (“The power of protein“), and make a great snack for kids of all ages. Select raw almonds rather than dry roasted, blanched or salted as raw are the healthiest. About an ounce makes a perfect snack-size portion.
4. Eggs
Organic, free-range eggs are amazingly good for growing kids. They contain lots of healthy fats, are also high in vitamin B12 and folate, and contain lots of protein which is essential for growing kids.
Eggs make a great breakfast or quick dinner and can also be eaten hardboiled as a snack. And don’t worry about the cholesterol in eggs. Dietary cholesterol has very little to do with blood cholesterol in healthy people and those who eat high cholesterol foods often have lower levels of bad cholesterol than those who eat less.
5. Quinoa
Replace your kid’s rice, cous cous, or pasta with quinoa to boost their superfood intake. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a grain like food that contains all nine essential amino acids as well as fiber, iron, and zinc. It’s a good source of protein despite being a sort of grain. It has an interesting, fun, texture and can be turned into a sweet or savory dish. It cooks in about 15-20 minutes and is very low in gluten so it’s ideal for kids with allergies.
Conclusion
There are hundreds of superfoods to choose from but some may not be suitable for your kids – mainly because your kids won’t like them! These kid-friendly superfoods have been tried, tested and shown to be loved by kids and adults alike.
My weight loss plan using Meal Replacement Shakes
15 Meal Replacement Shakes Recipes
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