Yes, Please. Thanks!: Teaching Children of All Ages Manners, Respect and Social Skills for Life. Penny PalmanoЧитать онлайн книгу.
Too much salt
Too much salt will withdraw calcium from the body which children urgently need to develop strong bones, teeth and nails. It will also increase the risk of osteoporosis, asthma, stroke, heart attack, water retention and raised blood pressure in later life.
The maximum recommended intake of salt per day is:
| 0–6 months | less than 1mg |
| 7–12 months | 1g |
| 1–3 years | 2g |
| 4–6 years | 3g |
| 7–10 years | 5g |
| 11–14 years | 6g |
An average 7–10-year-old’s daily diet may include:
| Breakfast | 40g cornflakes | 1g |
| Lunch | Ham sandwich (white bread) | 1.85g |
| Processed-cheese portion | 0.50g | |
| Packet crisps | 0.50g | |
| Snack | 2 chocolate biscuits | 0.33g |
| Supper | Children’s portion pizza | 4.1g |
| Portion chips | 2g | |
| Total Salt Intake | 10.28g |
That is over twice as much as the recommended allowance and does not include any salt added at the table.
Most food packaging says how much sodium is in the product. To calculate how much salt that is, multiply the amount of sodium by 2.5. Example: 1g sodium = 2.5g salt.
Too much sugar
For years we have known that sugar has disastrous effects on children’s teeth and contributes towards obesity. But it is also a stimulant which affects children’s blood-sugar levels, producing short bursts of energy or hyperactivity followed by an immediate low, which can manifest itself in moodiness or difficult behaviour and a craving for more sugar.
The brain chemicals which affect people’s moods, including depression, are called serotonin and beta endorphins. Doctors now believe that there is a direct link between glucose (what pure white sugar breaks down into in our bodies) and these chemicals.
An excess of white sugar can change the normal biochemical ‘pathways’ of both, resulting in moody, unmanageable and disruptive children who make everyone’s life a misery, including their own. Products made mainly from pure white flour will also convert into pure sugar in the body with the same effect.
A can of cola contains both sugar and caffeine, combining two stimulants. If children drink a can at lunchtime the caffeine will still be in their system by the evening and we know what that means – T-R-O-U-B-L-E. These poor children will not be able to sit still at school or around the dinner table and will find it difficult to fall asleep. Be on the safe side and avoid all sugary foods at suppertime, offering fruit as an alternative dessert or snack.
To reduce children’s intake of sugar take the sugar bowl off the table and be in charge of the amount they can have. Gradually reducing the sugar on their cereals and in their diet will go unnoticed but will make a significant difference to their overall consumption.
Schools that have removed vending machines selling sugar-laden snacks and drinks and replaced them with fresh fruit and water or fruit juice have reported that attention rates have improved and that problem children are much calmer as a result.
Give your children fresh or dried fruit, water and juices (check the sugar content) as snacks and leave the sweet snacks and drinks for the odd occasion or use them on a reward basis occasionally. As an alternative to canned fizzy drinks, dilute fruit concentrates with a fizzy mineral water. Your children’s tastes will adapt to their healthy diet and although they will still enjoy sweet products they will find many unnaturally sweet.
Fats
Much has been written about fats in the body. It is now widely recognized and accepted that the body does need fat and that there are both good and bad fats.
Good fats
The brain is composed of 60 per cent fat and needs an abundance of fatty acids from our diet to function effectively. Essential fatty acids are the good fats. They are found in oily fish such as mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines and salmon, and nuts, seeds and cold-pressed oils. These fatty acids are essential for the normal development of the brain, eyes and nervous system. New research from Oxford University has indicated that many children suffering from dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) which affect children’s ability to listen, think, speak, sit still and write are suffering from a dietary deficiency of fatty acids.
Bad fats
However, most processed foods, fried foods and convenience foods contain trans fats. Trans fats are formed by hydrogenating oils in order to improve their shelf-life and flavour. Trans fats alter the brain chemistry and block the production of the essential fatty acids.
Always Read the Label
Until the food industry starts to reduce the amount of salt, sugar, preservatives and additives in their products, always read the label.
Even some foods that proudly claim on their labels ‘NO artificial sweeteners’ and ‘NO preservatives’ may still have added colourings.
Steer well clear of the following colourings: Tartrazine E102, Sunset Yellow E110, Carmoisine E122, Ponceau 4R E124. Also avoid preservatives such as Sodium Benzoate E211, saturated fats and anything ‘Hydrogenated’.
‘But My Children Love Fizzy Drinks and Snacks’
There is nothing wrong with the occasional packet of crisps or a fizzy drink, but they should not be part of the daily diet. If we keep sugar-laden drinks, high-fat snacks and sweets in the house, the temptation for our children to ask/moan/beg for them is quite natural. So to avoid having any confrontation, only buy them when you want them, perhaps for a weekend. Quite simply, if these products are not in the house, there is no issue, and everyone is much healthier and happier all round.
Getting Off to a Good Start – Breakfast
The British Nutrition Foundation urges all parents to ensure that their children eat breakfast to improve their performance at school. Researchers have reported that foods with a low glycemic index (GI) are far better for your children than foods with a high glycemic index. But, as we all have busy lives to lead, I’ll cut to the chase. Wholegrain breads, porridge, muesli and high-fibre cereals are good (low GI). Cereals such as cornflakes or chocolate-flavoured cereals and white bread are not good (high GI).
Children who eat a low-GI breakfast will be less hungry at lunchtime and less likely to want to snack between meals.
Children who eat a high-GI breakfast will have an initial energy boost then feel sluggish. They will be hungrier by lunchtime and are far more likely to snack.
Research on children aged 9–16 given sugar-laden snacks for breakfast (simple carbohydrates) showed levels of performance equivalent to 70-year-olds!
Healthy breakfasts may include a combination of the following: smoothies (yogurt and fruit shakes), fresh milkshakes with fruit, wholegrain toast with peanut butter or a banana, a boiled egg, fresh fruit, high-fibre cereal and fruit juice, milk or water to drink.
Exercise
Try and get your children to exercise as often as possible. By restricting your children’s TV and computer time it should be easier to get them outside, whether it’s for a game of frisbee in the park or walking to the shops. If they enjoy sport, encourage them to join a local club.
Invest in a battery-operated