Sweet pastries, yeasty cakes, crisps - calorific and fatty snacks tempt especially children. The result? More and more of them have extra kilograms, which in adulthood may lead to many diseases related to the cardiovascular system such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer or osteoporosis. Cutting out fat completely is not recommended either. So what should a school child's breakfast contain?
- It's very important that we provide children with a second breakfast at school, so they don't just get a lunch box. This provides energy for the whole school day. A very important element is a proper kind of fatty acids, that is fats- says newsrm.tv Ewa Kurowska, a dietician and expert of 'Get to know yourself on fats' campaign - Children should, just like adults, provide mostly unsaturated fatty acids, that is those coming from vegetable oils, nuts, avocado and fish.
Fats are an irreplaceable source of energy for the body, and also form an insulating layer in the subcutaneous tissue, protecting against the loss of heat. The diet of a child aged 6-12 years should provide this nutrient at the level of 30-35% of daily energy requirements. Unfortunately, in the total amount of fat consumed by children, a large proportion of saturated fatty acids (found mainly in fat of animal origin), and less polyunsaturated acids (found in vegetable oils and fish).
- It is unsaturated fatty acids that should constitute the majority of fats consumed by children, because they are necessary for proper development of the whole organism, including the sense of sight or the nervous system, production of hormones, absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K and regulation of the immune system. Omega-3 fatty acids found in vegetable oils or fish play a special role in this respect. These acids should be constantly supplied with food, because the human body is not able to produce them on its own - explains Dr. med. Agnieszka Jarosz from the Institute of Food and Nutrition.
Fats also have an impact on the body's immunity. They play an important role in growth, development and proper functioning of the whole organism. - Essential fatty acids (EFAs) participate in the production of eicosanoids - compounds which play the role of transmitters involved in the immune system response, as well as the development or suppression of inflammation.
EFAs may also regulate the expression of genes responsible for regulation of the immune system. Especially omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce inflammation and have a beneficial effect on our immune system. For this reason, especially during the autumn and winter, we should pay particular attention to providing them in appropriate amounts - adds Agnieszka Jarosz.
School-age children and adolescents are among those most vulnerable to the effects of poor nutrition. Unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity can lead to many diseases related to the cardiovascular system in adulthood, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. That is why we should pay attention to the formation of healthy eating habits in children from their earliest years. Especially due to the fact that as time goes by it becomes more and more difficult to modify them. What snacks should be included in the children's menu?
It may be a sandwich made of whole-grain bread with vegetables and cheese or lean meat spread with high-quality margarine containing omega-3 or DHA acids or butter. A vegetable salad with seeds, nuts, avocado, olive or canola oil dressing is also a good choice. If the toddler likes sweets, make sure that he takes to school his favorite fruit or yogurt, and not a candy bar or a candy bar.
It is important to include fish in the child's diet on a regular basis, because they are a rich source of omega-3 essential unsaturated fatty acids, especially DHA, which support the development of the nervous system and the sense of sight in children, says Ewa Kurowska, a dietician.
Fish in the diet of school-age children should appear at least twice a week. They provide not only a priceless portion of healthy fat, but also easily assimilable protein and minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium, as well as vitamins A, B, D and K.
Source:newsrm.tv
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