Your child’s diet is important to their health and their wellbeing. Because they are in a stage of development, the food they eat is important. Your child’s diet affects their growth, dental health, and mental wellbeing.
Their Growth
Children are in a period of rapid growth. So, it is important to give them the proper nutrients through their diet to help aid in this growth. It is important to look at your child’s growth in the context of what is normal for them, as they may be growing at a different rate than other children. For optimal growth, your child needs to eat enough calories and nutrients such as enough of the macronutrients. For healthy growth your child needs a healthy balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Protein is especially important as this helps with growth, repair, and function of body structures.
Their Dental Health
The food your child eats can influence the health of your child’s teeth and mouth. Sugary drinks and snacks can contribute to tooth decay. For example, sports drinks are terrible for kids’ teeth because they have added sugar. To help with your child’s dental health, reduce the amount of sugar your child eats to prevent cavities. Swap out these sugary foods for more whole fruits and vegetables. You can also include foods that contain calcium to help them have strong teeth.
Their Mental Wellbeing
Diet plays a role in the health of your child’ brain. Specifically, many nutrients found in food are important for development of neurotransmitters in the brain. These are what help to regulate mood and memory. Having a problem with the neurotransmitters has been linked to mood disorders such as depression or anxiety. To help with these necessary chemicals in the brain, you need to include foods in your child’s diet that contain folate, vitamin B6, and choline. Healthy fats are another important nutrient for your child’s brain because it is made up of mostly fat which means fats, like omega 3 fatty acids are essential to healthy brain function.
Your child’s diet has a big effect on their wellbeing. They need to be getting the proper nutrients, such as a balance of the macronutrients and enough calories. Don’t worry too much about getting everything in a single day, but ensure they are getting a varied diet over time. To help with this, focus on getting a variety of mostly whole foods.
Check out this article on signs that you’re eating too much acidic food!
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