This is a guest post by Isabella York.

photo credit: miheco

As a mother, proper nutrition for my children is first and foremost on my mind. To raise healthy children, I must pay attention to what I feed them. It is common knowledge that living right means eating well, and that a healthy lifestyle starts at a very early age. My kids are on the younger side (Girl Child is 6, Boy Child is 4), so it’s easier to instill the practices that lead to good health. Lately I’ve been transforming family meals, and I’m proud that I’ve got several nutritious dishes on hand that are easy to prepare and that my children enjoy. While researching, I came across several web articles on cooking methods. It seems that how you prepare food in general has a huge impact on its nutritional content.

Of course, our earliest ancestors had no qualms about nutrition, with food being mostly about survival. Most viands were eaten raw until the discovery of fire, which came much, much later. With the knowledge of planting and harvesting, vegetables and other grains were introduced. At this time various cultures, mostly the Egyptians and Chinese, were all about spices as a form of enhancing the taste of their food. Once the trade routes were firmly established, this practice quickly spread to other parts of the world. Very soon, new dishes were being introduced to the general public and this resulted in the publishing of the first cook books. Cuisine evolved with the demand for new gastronomic delights, and now there is a focus on the nutritional content of food – and how preparation methods affect that nutritional value.

Any type of food preparation entails a loss of nutrients to some degree. However, some aspects of the process of preparing food cannot be overlooked due to other health purposes. For example, some forms of raw food may be harmful to your health, such as raw eggs that cause Salmonella poisoning. The main objective of proper food preparation is to ensure that the food isn’t over processed. For optimal nutrition, cook only as much as necessary to maintain essential vitamins and minerals, and here’s how:

Meat

The main health deterrent in meat and poultry dishes is the grease that comes from the use of too much cooking oil. This practice not only detracts from the taste but piles on the pounds as well. It’s ideal to use techniques that don’t include oil or batter. Shorter cooking times are also desired in the event that large amounts of grease cannot be avoided. These methods include:

• Grilling:When using this method, avoid overcooking or burning the meat. Charred portions of meat present significant health hazards. This is an ideal technique for low fat delicacies.
• Broiling:Low fat meats are also recommended with this method. The high heat and quick preparation time ensure that very little nutrients are lost. At my house, we’re big fans of broiled chicken and vegetables. In the fall I slice some apples and broil them with the chicken; the house smells of an autumnal heaven.
• Pressure Cooking:Tough meats are made tender by this cooking technique. It also preserves nutrients by making short work of the preparation time.
• Stir-fry:Only small amounts of oil and fat are required when doing a stir-fry. It decreases the amount of grease while preserving vitamins and minerals with the quick cooking time. Stir fry is quick and nutritious when the kids are howling for food. They munch on carrot sticks and hummus while I prepare. I’m not the most creative cook in the kitchen, so the internet has been a wonderful source for a variety of recipes. This Thai stir fry recipe is one of my favorites; I make a double batch of sauce and preserve half of it for later in the week. It tastes so fresh and light, and the jasmine rice is so fragrant.

Fruits/Vegetables

This food group possesses vital nutrients, and improper cooking methods could detract from their precious store. Even before the actual cooking begins, fruits and vegetables must be properly washed, peeled, and cut.

Most nutrients are present in the skin and just below the skin of fresh produce. More often than not, it is advised that they be eaten raw after washing in cold water, since hot water tends to dehydrate them and results in a loss of moisture and possible nutrients. When peeling, keep the amount removed as thin as possible and avoid including the fleshy portions. Cutting fruits and vegetables should also be done with care to avoid bruising which results in loss of nutrients.

Steaming and stir frying are ideal to cook vegetables. These techniques do little to detract from valuable nutrients and, in the case of steaming, do more to lock them in and preserve them in the food. Boiling, on the other hand, should be avoided since the prolonged cooking time inevitably depletes vegetables and fruit of their nutrients. If you are preparing vegetable soup, this method is suitable since the nutrients lost from the vegetables remain in the broth.

Pasta/Grains

This is a category I generally stay away from, as I don’t like how I feel after I consume gluten, and I’m not a fan of gluten-free pastas and breads, and their alternatives. What I and my family like is rice. It is a nice alternative, especially because it comes in so many forms and can be healthy. For Mother’s Day two years ago the kids bought me a rice cooker (Smart Husband gave me pretty earrings), and it saves me a lot of time; it allows me to cook without having to think about cooking. I use simple, old-time preparation methods for the lentils – I buy Goya lentils and I soak them overnight. To get the kids to eat wild rice and lentils, I add a dash of sea salt to their servings. It’s a simple, nutritious solution.

Now that you know, always keep in mind that it’s not only what you eat but also how it’s prepared. Hopefully, these methods will help in preparing healthier meals for your children as well as yourself. Of course, don’t forget to add imagination to every dish so that they will be not only nutritious and appealing to the palate, but they’ll also be attractive to the eye as well. Your children will definitely enjoy meal times from now on.

Isabella York is a mother dedicated to a healthy and organic lifestyle, without giving up her life in the process. Along with raising her son, she works for Balsam Hill, a purveyor of Artificial Christmas Trees and Christmas Trees.

©2011 Littlestomaks.com

photo credit: Aaron T. Goodman

The word protein brings images of strength, muscle and high stature to mind. As such, there is a common notion that children need to eat a lot of protein to grow strong. Although, it is definitely important to include foods rich in protein, there is no need to overdo it. Chances are your child is already getting sufficient protein from a variety of foods  including dairy, meat, fish, eggs and vegetarian sources of protein.

Here are a few handy facts to know about protein:

1. Chemically speaking, proteins are made up of amino acids joined together to make a chain like structure.
2. Human proteins are made up of 22 different amino acids. 13 of these can be produced by the body. The remaining 9 are called essential amino acids which we must get from food.
3. 1 g of protein equals 4 calories.
4. The daily amount of protein your child needs depends on age, weight and activity level. In general, children 1-3 years old need 0.5 g per pound of body weight, which comes to about 13-16 g per day. Children 4-6 years old also need about the same amount per pound, but since they weigh a little more, the daily amount is about 22 g. The Institute of Medicine has a good resource for recommended daily amounts (RDA) of macro-nutrients such as fat, proteins and carbs.
5. Foods that provide all 9 essential amino acids are called complete protein foods. Animal food sources such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and cheese fall in this category.
6. Proteins from plant sources are deficient in one or more of the essential amino acids; that is why they are called incomplete proteins.
7. It has been a common belief that vegetarians need to combine various foods to get all the essential proteins. For example, beans should be eaten with rice. Most experts now agree that there is no evidence to support this belief. As long as you are eating a broad range of foods in balance and moderation, you don’t need to worry about such rules!
8. The quality of proteins is measured by many different types of indicators which relate to how effectively the body is able to utilize the protein. Biological value is one of these indicators – egg whites are considered a standard with a biological value of 100. It means that nearly all of the nitrogen from its amino acids can be utilized by the body.
9. The body cannot store excess protein. Eating more protein than necessary will actually result in more fat!
10. Food allergies is a response to specific proteins in different foods. For example, milk allergy is a response to caesin and whey proteins in milk. Another problem protein for a lot of people is gluten, which is found in wheat and causes celiac disease.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

Growing children need both calcium and iron in their early years. This week, Registered Dietitian Cindy Williams explains why you need to balance milk and meat for your toddler so he doesn’t miss out on these critical minerals.

Question: How much milk and meat should I feed my child?

Answer:

Milk

Milk is an excellent source of calcium. Children need plenty of calcium to build strong bones and teeth. Up until 12 months a baby should not drink cows’ milk because the protein is too large for the baby’s immature digestive system. After 7-8 months babies can have a little cooked cow’s milk as part of a milk pudding or custard. Yogurt and cheese are also fine for this age group – and a great source of calcium. Babies who drink cows’ milk before 12 months are at greater risk of iron deficiency.

Up to the age of two children should have full fat cows’ milk. They need the extra energy from the fat for growth. After the age of two toddlers can drink reduced fat milk so long as they are eating a good variety of food.

Up until the age of five, health authorities recommend children should drink about two cups of milk a day. Some toddlers love milk and would be happy to drink it all the time. Stick to two cups a day otherwise they will fill up on milk and have no room to eat their meat and vegetables. Toddlers who regularly drink more than two cups of milk a day are at greater risk of iron deficiency.

In a day they could have milk on cereal for breakfast, a small glass of milk sometime during the day, a little cheese and perhaps a milk pudding or half a carton of yogurt. The amounts will vary according to the child’s appetite. Remember the parent decides the quality and the child decides quantity.

Meat

Meat, especially beef and lamb, is the best source of iron and zinc for a child. The type of iron found in meat is called heme iron and it is easily absorbed. Children can also get iron from non meat foods such as iron fortified cereal, legumes (split peas, dried beans, lentils) and green leafy vegetables. Only about 5% of this iron is absorbed but having vitamin C with the food will increase absorption. Give your child some vitamin C rich fruit such as orange or kiwifruit with their breakfast cereal and they will absorb about four times more iron from the food.

Research has found that children who eat fruit with their meals are less likely to be iron deficient than those who eat fruit between meals.

Babies are born with enough iron stores to last about six months. Premature babies have lower iron stores because iron is mostly stored in the last three months of pregnancy so it is especially important for these babies to start eating iron rich foods sooner rather than later.

At six or seven months a baby can eat cooked, pureed meat, chicken or fish. It provides essential iron for brain development but at this young age is still a top-up after the usual milk feed. By 7-8 months a baby should be eating two or three small meals a day with 2 tablespoons to 1/2 a cup per meal. Increase the amount gradually before increasing the number of meals. Include some cooked minced meat with mashed vegetables most days.

A one year old needs more iron than his or her dad. It is vitally important that toddlers get enough iron from their food. This is when their brain is developing the most rapidly. If they miss out on iron at this stage their brain will not develop to its full potential – and they can’t make up for it later. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends two serves of meat (or protein equivalent) a day for children under six years. A serve is 1oz of meat, fish or poultry or 1 egg or 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 4-5 tablespoons legumes. Remember to give your child an orange or piece of fruit with the egg, peanut butter or legumes to increase iron absorption. Give your child a mixture of meat, chicken, fish and vegetarian meals each week. Variety is good for both their health and training their taste-buds to enjoy different flavours.

KEY POINTS

• Don’t drink cows’ milk before 12 months.
• Toddlers should drink no more than 2 cups milk a day.
• Eat fruit with meals rather than between meals.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Registered Dietitian Emma Stirling offers a few handy tips on how to get enough protein in your child’s diet.

Question: What is the best way to get protein into a diet with a child who’s fussy?

Answer:

Air and water.  Well, so the saying goes that toddlers seem to survive on air and water, as their food intake appears so minimal at times.  But when it comes to optimal growth and development, it’s important to keep an eye on key growth nutrients including the powerhouse protein.  Let’s take a closer look at where you find protein, how much kids’ need and what you can do to help them power up.

What is it?

Protein is made up of chains of smaller components called amino acids, also known as the building blocks of our bodies.  Muscles, skin, hair and blood cells as well as hormones, enzymes and antibodies, are all made up of a combo of amino acids.

There are about 20 different amino acids that, in different combinations, make up the countless millions of proteins available in nature.   And there are two broad classes of amino acids: those that can be made by the human body (non-essential amino acids) and those that can only be supplied by food (essential amino acids).   A protein’s nutritional value is judged by how many of the essential amino acids it provides and in what quantity.

Where do you get it?

Different foods contain different combos and amounts of amino acids as proteins. Generally speaking, animal protein contains all of the essential amino acids.  Plant proteins usually lack at least one amino acid. There are exceptions to this like soy products and the seed of a leafy green called amaranth (consumed in Asia and the Mediterranean).

Nutritious sources of protein include: Meat, poultry and fish, eggs, dairy products, seeds and nuts, beans and lentils, soy products, grains especially wheat and less so rice, barley and corn.

In line with dietary guidelines it’s important to choose lean cuts of meat, trim the fat and go easy on processed meats like sausages and sliced ham as these are also high in saturated fat, sodium and artificial additives.

How much is enough?

Protein needs differ by age, weight, gender and life stage.  The US Recommended Dietary Allowance for children 1-3years is 13g/day of protein. In my country Australia, the NHMRC Recommended Dietary Intakes for 1-3 year olds is 14g/day of protein.  To put this in perspective, two large eggs provide 12.7g of protein or close to a toddlers total daily protein requirements.  So it’s no surprise to hear that nutrition surveys show that protein is not generally an at risk nutrient.  It is also possible for a toddler to consume enough protein for proper growth and development by following a vegan or vegetarian style of eating.  Make sure you speak with your health professional about balancing your child’s diet and seek expert advice from a Registered or Accredited Practising Dietitian.

Top toddler tips to slip in more protein:

Keep it coming – aim to include small serves of protein at each main meal and slip in extras at snack time.  Try:
Breakfast

• Wake up to a poached or hard-boiled egg with wholegrain toast fingers
• Whip up fruit smoothies with reduced fat milk and natural, Greek style yogurt

Snacks

• Spread nut butters on celery sticks for home snacking, away from nut-free zones
• Blend up a quick hummus with canned chickpeas

Lunch

• Make a baked bean toasted sandwich for lunch
• Mix up a tiny tuna mornay with cheese sauce

Dinner

• Toss some small cubes of tofu with bite-sized veggie stir-fry
• Make mini-meat balls for homemade cheeseburgers on round dinner rolls

Chew on this – overtired toddlers can find chewing meat at dinner time challenging, so make sure you use slow cooking methods to tenderize meat or cook with a sauce like a casserole style or mince bolognaise.
Petite is sweet – don’t overwhelm your child with a huge serve of meat.  As a rule of thumb adults should stick to a portion-controlled palm size serve of steak and little kids…well, just a thumb size may do!
Add flavor – experiment with different flavours too. Your three year old may soon learn to love curry, especially if they have been exposed to the cooking aromas as a baby.
Maximize variety – if your toddler wants mince meat all the time, extend their variety by branching out into different recipes….that still look like mince.  Think tacos, spaghetti, meatloaf, shepherd’s pie or your own masterpiece.

As a general guide aim to clock up 3-4 serves of lean red meat per week for valuable iron and zinc and 2-3 serves of fish for brain boosting omega 3 fatty acids.  And remember, research shows us that young children are naturally wary of new foods (known as neophobia) so the key is to try and try and try and try again.  One of the best health head starts you can give your young child is exposure to a huge variety of different nutritious foods and dishes.

Play your protein cards right and before you know it, your toddler that lived on air and water, will become the “I just don’t know where he puts it” ravenous teenager.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

Just like thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, which I wrote about recently, Pantothenic acid is another B vitamin commonly known as the B complex. In case you have wondered what it is and why it is needed, here is some research for you in a simple Q&A format. Let me know what you think of this format and if you have any other questions that I did not cover here. I will get them answered by one of our experts and post them under Ask the Expert column.

What is Pantothenic Acid?

Pantothenic Acid is also known as vitamin B5, one of the 8 B vitamins needed for many important cell functions inside our body. In short, they are needed for healthy functioning and growth of child’s body. Together they are also known as vitamin B complex especially in nutritional supplements.

Pantothenic Acid, like the other B vitamins, is soluble in water. The name pantothenic acid is derived from the Greek word pantothen, which means from everywhere! Clearly, it is an essential component of all plant and animal life. Inside the living cells, it is found in the form of coenzyme A (CoA). A coenzyme is a kind of a “helper molecule” inside our cells which attaches to an enzyme involved in a variety of biochemical reactions. In some ways, living cells are like tiny factories where these biochemical reactions take place and enzymes are responsible for speeding up those reactions.

Why does my child need it?

According to the 2nd edition of the PDR for Nutritional Supplements, pantothenic acid is involved in a number of biological reaction, including the production of energy from carbohydrates, fatty acids and amino acids. It is also required for production of cholesterol, steroid hormones and neurotransmitters. Even though we hear cholesterol as a bad word and something to be avoided, there is also good cholesterol that our body needs.

Coenzyme A is also required for production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and the hormone melatonin. It also plays a role in making heme, which is a component of hemoglobin. In short, it does a lot of important things inside the body which are needed for sustaining life and healthy growth.

How much pantothenic  acid should my child be getting?
What are good sources of pantothenic acid?

For infants, the FDA has recommended a daily amount of 3 mg. And for toddlers less than 4 years old, the recommendation is 5 mg. Pregnant and nursing women are recommended to take about 10 mg per day. Healthy adults are also advised to take about 10 mg per day.

Pantothenic acid is usually present in organ meats (liver, kidney), egg yolk, avocados, cashew nuts, peanuts, brown rice, soya, lentils, brocooli and milk.  Here are a few examples of different food sources and amount of pantothenic acid per serving (source: wikipedia and Linus Pauling Institute):

1. Avocado, 1 whole = 1.9 mg
2. Chicken, 3 oz, cooked = 0.98 mg
3. Lentils, 1/2 cup, cooked = 0.6 mg
4. Milk, 1 cup = 0.8 mg
5. Cod fish, 3 oz, cooked = 0.15 mg
6. Broccoli, 1/2 cup = 0.48 mg
7. 1 Large egg = 0.61 mg
8. Yogurt, 1 cup= 1.35 mg
9. Sweet potato, 1/2 cup = 0.88 mg
10. Whole wheat bread, 1 slice = 0.19 mg

What happens if my child does not get enough pantothenic acid?

According to the PDR for Nutritional Supplements, pantothenic deficiency is rare. The symptoms, which are seen under severe malnutrition, include numbness in the toes and painful burning in the feet.

Should I be concerned about pantothenic  acid deficiency?

The short answer is NO. As long as your child’s diet includes a variety of food sources such as meats, dairy and vegetables, you have no reason to worry. There is no need to use a supplement. Whole grains are good source of pantothenic acid and other vitamins. Eating too many refined grains is a problem not just for pantothenic acid, but for other nutrients as well. Therefore, introduce your family to whole grains for a variety of benefits. Most breakfast cereals are not fortified with pantothenic acid although they contain other B vitamins. Balance, variety and moderation in your child’s diet is the best strategy for getting essential nutrients.

What do you think? What changes, if any, would you consider making to your child’s diet so he gets enough B vitamins?

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to take a closer look at our weekly grocery shopping. I was interested in finding out how much money, in terms of percentage of the total, we were spending each week on different food groups. For this particular week, here is how the various food groups ended up in our shopping cart:

The top 4 food groups were dairy, meats, fruits and vegetables, which together accounted for about 83% of the total. I was pleased to see that about 38% of our overall grocery dollars went into fruits and veggies. Dairy and meats together were at 43%. Clearly, we are buying a lot of protein and vitamins, but a higher portion of them is coming from animal sources. Not a huge concern right now since both of these groups seem to be in balance for us.

The other consideration is fresh vs. processed foods. Here is how this split turned out for us:

More processed food, but overall split is about even. Here, I considered frozen vegetables as processed foods.

So what is in your grocery cart?

Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding off.
©2009 Littlestomaks.com

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Registered Dietitian Elizabeth Rahavi offers some tips on how to ensure a balanced nutrition for your child through a mix of right foods such as meats, vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Question: Is eating too much meat harmful to our young children, not our baby for obvious reasons, but our 4 and 7 year olds? We do eat a lot of meat in our home, as well as lots of veggies and fruits, but I often wonder if there is such a thing with young kids as too much. What is the happy medium there?

Answer:

That’s a really good question and one that many parents of 4-7-year-old children may ask, especially when kids sometimes seem to want either all protein or no protein on their plates.

It sounds as though your family has a well balanced diet, but when thinking about whether our children are getting enough of the right kinds of food; it’s always a good idea to check with the experts just to be sure we’re on the right track.

First of all, it’s important that youngsters include animal protein (meat, chicken, fish, etc.), plant protein (grains, beans, soy, and nuts), carbohydrates (cereals, vegetables, and fruit) and some healthful unsaturated fat in their diet.  Most youngsters need about 1200 to 1600 calories per day depending on their age, size, gender, and the amount of physical activity they get in a day. With regard to how much protein a child should be eating, the Institute of Medicine advises that for boys and girl’s ages 4 to 18, 10 to 30 percent of their daily calories should come from protein.

The key to healthy eating is really about balance. Many children aren’t getting enough of certain nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. Often times when a diet is too heavy in one food group, such as meat, it can be lacking in others. MyPyramid for adults and kids alike describe a healthy diet that provides a balanced approach for getting all of the important nutrients that children need.

To find more information specific to your child’s diet, you may want to go to these Web sites with information just for kids:

Teach kids about how to fuel their body with and have fun with physical activity through MyPyramid for kids:

The Kidnetic.com Web site also helps parents start conversations about healthy eating with their kids:

Make meal planning fun for kids with this kid-friendly chart for tracking their meat, vegetable, dairy and other food groups.

©2009 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.