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 Jill Weisenberger offers ideas for foods that can help your child build a stronger immune system.

Jill Weisenberger, MS, RD, CDE  Education: M.S. Food Science & Human Nutrition, University of Florida Degree in Communications, University of Florida Nutrition consultant, writer, speaker, educator Expertise in diabetes nutrition Writer for Eating Well, Diabetic Living, Her Sports and Fitness magazines Twitter: @nutritionjill Website: All That’s Nutrition LinkedIn Profile Contact via email: jill@allthatsnutrition.com

Question: What kinds of foods will keep my child’s immune system as healthy as possible?

Answer:

Winter colds and flu are making the rounds. In some households, it seems that just as one family member is well, another gets sick. A well-running immune system can mount a powerful attack against viruses and other invaders, so paying attention to diet is especially important now. An apple a day is a good start to keeping the doctor away, but it’s the total diet – not any individual food or supplement – that stokes the immune system and keeps it humming.

The types of foods your child needs to fend off colds and illnesses are the same ones you need. Don’t fall for the hype of immune-boosting supplements and fortified foods. Simply eat a balanced diet. For most, that means a stronger emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try to eat a whole grain and at least one fruit or vegetable at every meal. Here are a few to try, but again a balanced diet is required – not any specific food.

Beans: Baked beans, kidney beans and others are a powerhouse of nutrients including zinc which may reduce some upper respiratory infections. Smash up some white beans to thicken soups and stews. No one will ever know they’re there. Add red or black beans to salads and pasta.

Oats: another good source of zinc and a perfect breakfast food. Instead of using breadcrumbs, you can also add oats to meatballs and meatloaf.

Bell peppers, broccoli, citrus, kiwis and berries: These are all good sources of vitamin C. Research isn’t clear that extra vitamin C helps treat or prevent colds, but vitamin C-rich foods are packed with other antioxidants and nutrients, so it’s a good idea to include them daily. Clementines are especially nice for children because they are small, seedless, easy-to-peel, delicious and not as messy as other citrus fruits.

Mushrooms: Researchers at Tufts University suspect that the simple white button mushroom may enhance immune function by increasing the production of antiviral compounds. If your kids aren’t used to eating mushrooms, introduce them with foods they already like such as pastas and casseroles.

Finally, don’t forget that frequent hand washing and other good hygiene habits are also necessary to protect your health and your family’s health. Oh and get outside in the sunshine too.

©2011 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.

photo credit: Ani Carrington

“If you could be a fruit, what would you be?”, I asked my daughter on a whim at bath time tonight.

“Pineapple!”, she said without any hesitation.

“Why?”, I asked to get the conversation going…

“Because it is sweet and I love it!”, again came the reply without any hesitation…

It came as a surprise because we aren’t really into pineapple in our household. No special reason, it just turns out to be that way.

Maybe they get it at daycare, I thought.

I turned my attention to my son this time.

“If you could be a vegetable, what would you be?”

“a potato”, he said after a brief pause.

“Why?”

“Because I love it”.

Hmmm, it must be the waffle fries we got him last Friday at a Chick-Fil-A take out, I thought.

Whatever the reason may be, kids relate to a specific fruit or a vegetable because they love it, not because it is good for them.

So often, we get carried away by the science and what we read that we try to motivate kids to eat fruits and veggies because we think it is good for them.

Somehow, we need to figure out how we can get them to fall in love with fruits and veggies.

What has worked for you? Please share.

©2011 Littlestomaks.com

photo credit: DesertNana aka majamom

Chances are you have not had a whole lot of opportunity to ask your family physician or pediatrician about a few rules of thumb for your child’s nutrition. After all, there is hardly any time to talk about nutrition even on a routine wellness visit. Our experience has been no different as the doctor always seems to be in such a big rush to get you out of there!

That is why, I read with great interest an article written by a physician and a registered dietitian published in the American Family Physician, which is a peer reviewed journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians. The title of this article is Nutrition in Toddlers and it contains a nice table of 7 consensus recommendations you can use to manage your child’s nutrition. I wanted to share them with you in this article.

A toddler diet should include 2-3 servings of milk or other dairy products  per day

Not a problem in most cases unless your child has a milk allergy or intolerance. Milk is a great way to meet your growing child’s calcium and vitamin D needs.

Toddlers older than 2 years old should get 30% of daily calories from fat

Not all fat is bad, even though we live in a world where low fat seems to be the golden rule. What you need to limit is saturated fat or trans fat and watch dietary cholesterol. Very easy to do if you reduce processed foods and rely more on home-cooked meals. Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats and fatty acids are among the healthy fats you must include in your child’s diet.

Limit fruit juices to no more than 4-6 oz per day and emphasize whole fruits and veggies

It is easy to get comfortable with the no-sugar 100% pure fruit juice label on the box, but fruit juices are no replacement for real fruit. Getting your child to love fruits and veggies takes effort and patience, but don’t give up!

Vitamin supplementation is unnecessary except in undernourished or chronically ill children

I could not agree more! It is natural to worry as a parent, and sometimes feel the pressure to start using a vitamin supplement just to be safe. There days we hear so much about vitamin D deficiency but a supplement is not needed unless your child doesn’t get enough sun exposure or if he does not or cannot drink at least 2 cups of milk. There are situations where you may consider a multivitamin for your toddler, but the general advice is to manage your child’s vitamins and minerals needs through diet and healthy lifestyle.

Good nutritional habits should be fostered by sitting at the table, turning off the television and interacting socially

Sometimes we get so focused on the what of eating, that we forget about the how of feeding! Having a family meal without the distraction of TV or video games is a very powerful way of building lifelong healthy eating habits. Dr Kathleen Cuneo of Dinner Together is an expert in this matter whose opinion I respect a lot. I really like her approach and belief that feeding is parenting. That is what matters in the long run, not the nutritional facts on the label!

Parents should offer children a variety of foods, expose them repeatedly to healthy foods and model healthy eating behaviors

Like it or not, you are a role model for your young child. And when it comes to building lifelong healthy eating habits, your attitude towards food and eating is the most important factor. Being a role model is not difficult; just be consistent and completely natural with your child.

To reassure parents and detect undernourished children, physicians should monitor growth patterns including body mass index

While it is natural to worry if your child falls below the 50th percentile on weight and height growth charts, body mass index is a better tool to assess if your child is overweight or underweight. Body mass index uses both height and weight. It is very easy and you can use an online calculator if you don’t want to wait until your next wellness check appointment.

I think these recommendations pretty much sum up the latest thinking in child nutrition. They are based on sound evidence and practical experience of doctors and dietitians. You don’t have to try to follow all of them on a daily basis. You can try to make them a part of your child’s overall eating habits in the long run. It is also a good idea to tailor your approach to your child’s individual personality without getting hung up on a certain best way to practice them.

Good luck!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

This is a guest post by registered dietitian Susan Dopart. Check out her excellent book A Recipe for Life for more tips and recipes.

photo credit: Www.CourtneyCarmody.com/
Recent studies reveal children with heart disease are not as unusual as you might expect.  Artery autopsies done on children who had fatal accidents showed the presence of fatty streaks.

Although I had knowledge of this phenomenon it still came as a shock to fathom children having fatty streaks and blockages in the arteries.  Isn’t that only supposed to happen to older adults?

Times have changed but I have to wonder if the current philosophy of feeding our youth needs an adjustment.  Where does the solution start?  Will pediatricians start prescribing statin drugs for children to fix the problem of unbalanced eating and inactivity like they do in adults?

Los Angeles Times article “A Sticking Issue with Kids” discusses the Center for Disease Control report which showed that cholesterol abnormalities – i.e. high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol values – are far more common in children than in past times, particularly overweight children.  The article questioned whether we should start checking children’s cholesterol panels.  Pediatrician’s views are mixed.

When do we start looking at the cause rather than the symptom?  Taking control of our youth’s health and happiness is having time for family dinners, cooking at home, and making meals from whole unprocessed foods.

Our bodies are happy to get rid of bad cholesterol and avoid making plaque when we feed them “clean’ foods in their natural forms.  I hear from parents – “they only want pizza, burgers and fries.”  Who’s controlling the food?  When I was growing up I ate what was served without too many questions.

If I did not like a particular item served I was encouraged to have a few “no thank you” bites.

Many children have aversions to vegetables since they can have strong flavors.  Have your child try a “no thank you” serving each time a different vegetable is served.  A “no thank you” serving is having a bite or two (one or two teaspoons) of something they do not particularly enjoy.

Eating a bite or two of food that is foreign or not to their tastes can change the way they feel about that food over time and starts the conditioning process that nutritious food comes from the ground and not in a package.

Having whole fruits cut up with interesting additions helps satisfy the taste for sweet with natural foods.  Here are some ideas to try:

Healthy Snack Alternatives

1.  Mix vanilla and plain yogurt together and add nuts, sunflower seeds or Healthy Nut Mix
2.  Cheese and apples slices
3.  Hummus and carrots
4.  Sliced apples with spreadable cheese and dried cranberries on top
5.  Celery with natural peanut butter or sunflower butter and a few raisins on top

These healthy snacks can set the tone or change the norm of grabbing processed packaged foods.

Running around on the weekend with our kids and engaging them in outdoor activities is also essential to keeping their little arteries supple and healthy.

It’s not too late to start now.  Even if your child is overweight and has high cholesterol studies show a turnaround is possible in as little as 2 weeks.  The body responds quickly to dietary changes.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

This is a guest post by registered dietitian Alysa Bajenaru. She blogs at Inspired RD about food and fitness.

Does your family have a designated pizza night?  If so, I would like to challenge you to try making your own pizza next time.  In the same amount of time that it takes you to call in a pizza order and wait for it to be delivered, you can make a much healthier version and have fun as a family putting it together!  Making homemade pizza is one of our favorite ways to come together as a family.  It is also a fun way for our kids to try new vegetables.

We either make our own dough (you can find an easy focaccia recipe here) or use refrigerated whole wheat dough from Trader Joe’s.  The kids accompany me to the store where they choose veggies, cheese and sometimes meat to top their pizza with.  Lately, my 3-year-old son has been choosing butternut squash, zucchini and chicken apple sausage with mozzarella cheese.  The best part about family pizza night is that everyone can make their portion of the pizza just the way they like it!

Tip: Chop the vegetables into small bite-sized pieces.  Kids will add more to their pizza this way!

Have the kids help you roll out the dough and spread on the sauce.  Put different toppings out on a cutting board or in small bowls.  Cut the dough into smaller pieces so everyone can have their own pizza, or just designate different areas on one large pizza.  Encourage your kids to choose at least one vegetable.  Throw it in the oven for 12-20 minutes (depending on your dough) at 450 degrees.  Slice, serve and enjoy a family dinner together!

Here are some topping suggestions to get your creative juices flowing:

-marinara sauce, tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese
-arugula, butternut squash, pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan cheese
-pesto, asparagus, tomatoes, fontina cheese
-barbecue sauce, shredded cooked chicken, pineapple chunks

Start thinking about family pizza night in a whole new (and healthier) way!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

This is a guest article by pediatrician Dr Ayala.

photo credit: mia3mom

I believe that anyone can cook, and that everyone should know how to cook.  I believe that teaching our kids how to cook healthy food is an important life skill that will not only enable good choices; it can also influence their food preferences.

I started teaching my kids how to cook as soon as they showed the slightest interest. My first lesson involved making a good green salad, and included the basics of how to wash and dry lettuce, and the simple principles of mixing a good salad dressing. The second session’s product was a nice bowl of lightly salted edamame in their shell, which my kids still think of as “addictive food”.

I didn’t get into brownies and cupcakes until much later. I figured that creating a dish makes its creator treasure it, and why waste a lesson of love on brownies, which any kid’s bound to fancy anyway.

In his new book The Upside of Irrationality Dan Ariely, professor of behavioral economics, devotes a chapter to the well know phenomenon of falling in love with the things we make, and the irrational value we attribute to the objects we had a more intimate relationship with. Ariely titles the chapter “the IKEA effect”— the Swedish maker’s assemble-it-yourself shelf Ariely labored over for hours somehow has a special place in his heart, and Ariely investigates why it’s so.

Through a series of experiments, involving the creation of origami animals, Lego patterns, and real-life examples of successful and unsuccessful businesses, Ariely comes to several conclusions regarding the evident connection between labor and love:

• Putting effort to an object changes how we feel about it — we value the things we labor over
• The harder we work on something, the more we love it
• We’re so invested in the things we labored over, and value them so much, that we assume others share our (biased) overvaluation of our creation
• Although working hard on a task makes us love it more, not completing the task is a deal breaker. We have no attachment to tasks we failed at or failed to complete.

Interestingly, Ariely also shows that both people and animals would rather earn their keep and work for their food. Even mice seem not to value free meals, at least not on a regular basis.

Kids in the kitchen

The lessons above are valuable and applicable to many aspects of life: I think “the IKEA effect” chapter (the whole book in fact) is a good read for any employer or employee seekeng greater work productivity and satisfaction, and for any parent contemplating showing his kids photos to a stranger (no, he doesn’t think your kids are the cutest — he couldn’t care less).

But back to kids in the kitchen. Learning how to cook is a valuable life skill that will not only enable kids to eat healthier — no matter what you make at home it will usually be healthier than the bought version — but can also be a great tool in directing their preferences toward those foods you’d like them to eat more of, namely, fruits and veggies.

Ariely’s lesson also made me think of the importance of giving kids a task they can complete. I suppose that being responsible for just one small step in a complicated dish would result in much less creator’s pride than being able to claim the creation from start to finish as your work. So selecting recipes that are of just the right technical difficulty to be challenging, but not too hard for a kid to complete is the name of the game.

This week we made potato gnocchi from scratch. I wasn’t sure my kids would be able to create dumplings that hold up in the boiling water their first try — I had many less than stellar attempts at this dish before I sort of mastered it — but beginners luck, or maybe I can take some credit as the instructor, they made incredible light-as-a-cloud gnocchi.

Ariely wrote nothing about clean-up having anything to do with the creator’s adoration of his handwork. Wish he did — I tend to find myself all alone when clean-up comes, and honestly, I can’t tell my kids that clean-up will result in great satisfaction in the same way cooking and serving your creation does.

I’d love to hear about your adventures in the kitchen as a kid or with kids.

Dr. Ayala

Read more from Dr. Ayala at  Ayala’s Herbal Water blog.
Follow Dr. Ayala on  Twitter

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

It is no secret that most people in America today do not eat enough fruits or veggies each day. According to a recent report from the CDC, only 26% of adults admitted to eating 3 or more servings of vegetables a day. Even the well-known health benefits of eating veggies do not entice people to give veggies the love they deserve!

On the other hand, I am sure that most parents want to get their kids ingesting veggies at each meal. After all, no parent wants to feel like they don’t care about their child’s health and nutrition! In desperation, they may rely on offering rewards or issuing threats to ensure their child’s cooperation.

Well, according to this Chef Boyardee advertisement, an alternate strategy is to hide the veggies in the food and just don’t tell them! Brilliant idea from their highly paid marketers!

What do you think? Is it smart to get a full serving of veggies, or whole grain pasta in your child’s tummy no matter what even if it means you hide it behind loads of salt, fat and sugar?

It is about time we give up on such stealth tactics and promote veggies in an overt, intelligent and sustainable way.

We are not impressed. Share your opinions below.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

The childhood obesity octopus is out to ruin our children’s future! What can we do to stop it?

Share your thoughts in comments below.

Artwork by: Sierra B.
©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.

We all know that growing children need to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. But getting them to actually do that is every parent’s most difficult challenge. This week, Registered Dietitian Patricia O’Keefe offers 10 ways to get your kids eating (and loving) fruits and vegetables.

Patricia O’ Keefe Girbal, RD B.S. in Dietetics from Montclair State University B.A. in Communication from Rutgers University Experience: Nutrition Research Associate II for Cooperative Extension of Alameda County, University of California at Davis; Nutrition Educator for Share Our Strength: Operation Frontline; Nutrition Panelist for Shop Well Expertise: Healthy cooking, food allergies and intolerances, early childhood nutrition Website: Dish by Trish Twitter: @DishByTrish LinkedIn Profile Contact: via email patricia.girbal@gmail.com

Question: How can I get my child to love eating fruits and veggies?

Answer:

We already know that fruits and veggies are associated with good health and reduced disease risk. Unfortunately, very few of us are meeting recommendations for these foods, particularly our little ones. Less than 10% of kids are eating the recommended amount of fruits and veggies.

Two of the biggest things that predict whether kids will eat veggies are preference and availability. Let’s first start with making these foods available. Let’s give our kids veggies regularly and let them taste-test different foods. Even if they don’t like it or try it the first few times, they may eventually warm up to it.

A new study finds that the more (higher amount) a certain veggie was given to kids, the more they ate that veggie. Here they discuss carrots:

As the amount of carrots the kids were given increased, from 30 grams to 60 grams (about a half cup) to 90 grams, so did the amount eaten. Doubling the portion size of the carrots resulted in the kids eating 47% more

The kids ate up to twice the amount- but after that there was no effect. Studies have also shown that kids are more likely to try new foods if they helped prepare them or grew them from a garden.

Top 10 Ways to Get Kids Eating (and Loving) Vegetables

1. Serve them. As obvious as it sounds, serve veggies with every meal or snack. Young kids need about 2-3 cups of vegetables every day. Make half the veggies leafy greens or orange veggies, such as spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and carrots.
2. Display them. Keep a bowl of fresh vegetables on the counter. Refrigerate cut up vegetables in small bags or containers for easy snacking so they’re ready to go.
3. Experiment. Encourage kids to be experimental and let them regularly taste-test different veggies. By trying new foods, kids are more likely to grow into adventurous eaters. Try pairing some new foods with some of their favorites. Don’t forget to praise your child for being brave and trying new foods.
4. Taste-test. Offer small tastes at first and introduce one new food at a time. Try to offer new foods at the beginning of the meal when they are hungry.
5. Beautify. Try to make food fun and beautiful. Cut veggies up into fun shapes, such as cubes or matchsticks. Make the plate beautiful using color. Serve a rainbow of foods, such as white fish, brown rice, red tomatoes, and green broccoli.
6. Vary your cooking style. Try using different textures and temperatures of foods. For an exciting change, alternate between pureed, lightly cooked, roasted, and raw veggies. Along the same lines, alternate between serving veggies cool with a chilled dip and heated in a casserole or warm soup.
7. Name it. Give a veggie a clever name, such Fire Engine Red Peppers, Sunshine Yellow Squash, and Mighty Strong Spinach.
8. Involve kids. Let kids help out with the food shopping, prepping and cooking. Let them help set the table, bring food to the table, chop herbs and greens with safe scissors, crack eggs, and be in charge of stirring. Here are some more quick tips on involving kids in cooking and shopping.
9. Plant veggies. Try planting a small vegetable garden, if you have the space, or a tomato plant. Research shows kids are more accepting of veggies and eat more of them when they plant them themselves.
10. Set a good example. Kids pick up on adult attitudes towards foods. Eat at the table with them and encourage conversation about how the food tastes, smells and looks. So eat your veggies too!

Remember, kids may take a while to warm up to veggies. Try to be patient. Studies show some kids need to be offered a food up to ten times or more before they will taste it.

Don’t give up and stay positive.

©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.

Registered Dietitian Susan Dopart sent me this recipe from her recent book A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian. A great way for children to enjoy vegetables.

Servings – 4
Prep Time – 10 minutes
Cooking Time – 10 minutes

Ingredients

• Large head cauliflower (regular or colorful variety)
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ⅓ cup unsweetened coconut
• ⅓ cup chopped pecans or almonds

Method

Clean and cut cauliflower into flowerets.  Place into pot of boiling water and let cook, approximately 2 minutes.

Drain and pat dry.  Place florets close together in tin-foiled lined pan and drizzle with butter.  Cover with coconut and nuts.

Place under broiler until toasty brown, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Important to watch and rotate for even cooking.

Variation: You can microwave cauliflower if short on time.

Per serving nutrition information – Calories 107, Protein 3 g, Total Carbs 6 g, Total Fat 8 g, Fiber 3 g, Sodium 44 mg

If you have a favorite recipe you want to share on our blog, send me a note via our Contact Us form.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Struggling to get your growing child interested in fruits and veggies? Well, you are not alone because this is a big challenge for most toddler parents. There is a lot of advice out there on how to encourage your child to eat fruits and veggies, but no good tool that can help you succeed. That is why I was super excited to get this handy kit from Kia Robertson of Today I Ate A Rainbow!^TM. She has developed this tool especially for young children to get them excited about fruits and veggies. It is a very simple colorful chart you can post on a refrigerator or a magnetic board. The chart has 5 columns corresponding to different colored fruits and veggies – red, orange, yellow, green and blue/purple. Using color coded round or square shaped magnets, you can teach your child to track his intake of fruits and veggies during the day.  If they complete all 5 colors, they get a reward sticker!

We had a lot of fun with our twins the other night who found it fun as they tried fruits and veggies of these 5 different colors just to be able to stick those magnets on the chart.

My son picked the square shaped magnets while his sister got the round ones.

Here is what we like about this product -

1. It works!
2. It is simple and colorful
3. Kids love it and get a sense of accomplishment
4. They learn about different colored fruits and veggies
5. The kit also contains a very nice illustrated book “The Rainbow Bunch” written by Kia Robertson, perfect for bed time reading to reinforce the idea of eating fruits and veggies
6. There is a blank shopping list you can use to involve your kids in selecting their favorite fruits and veggies

Here is what we don’t like about this product -

1. The kit is supposed to have 4 sets of distinct round and square magnets for family of upto 4 children to track their progress. We found it a little confusing because it was not easy to separate them in groups. Still, it worked out for us since we have only 2 and we decided to play round magnets vs. square magnets.
2. If you have a stainless steel fridge, like we do, the magnets will not work. We decided to use a small magnetic dry erase board instead.

Overall, we love this product and will continue using it as long as our twins remain excited about it! Check out the Today I Ate A Rainbow!^TM website for details.

Disclaimer – The Today I Ate My Rainbow!^TM kit was sent as a gift to us for this review. Our opinions are based on our personal experience.

©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.

Worried your toddler is not getting enough fiber? How much should he consume on average each day? Check out these handy tips from Registered Dietitian Keri Gans!

Question:How much fiber should a 4 year old be getting in his diet? How can I get him to eat fiber rich foods?

Answer:

I really love that you are asking this question. Too many children (and adults) today fall very short on meeting their fiber needs. AND fiber is important for 2 main reasons:

1. Promotes regularity and prevents constipation.
2. May help reduce risk of heart disease and certain cancers later in life.

So how much is needed for our children?
1-3 years: 19 grams
4-8 years: 25 grams
boys 9-13 years: 31 grams
girls 9-13 years: 26 grams

First thing you need to do to get your child to eat fiber rich foods is be a role model. If you aren’t eating them and they are not in your house how can you expect your child to? So pack your kitchen with whole grains, fruits and veggies and encourage your child to eat them the following ways:

1. serve fruit with the skin on them, like apples and pears
2. have fruit cut-up in the refrigerator for easy grabbing, such as pineapple and melon
3. top breakfast cereals with berries instead of sugar
4. serve a breakfast cereal with minimum 3g fiber per serving (if they don’t love start by mixing a lower fiber cereal with it and then gradually increasing)
5. make waffles or pancakes with whole wheat flour
6. use whole wheat bread for sandwiches
7. slice a banana on a peanut butter sandwich
8. whip up afternoon smoothies for a snack that include low fat milk, low fat yogurt and fruit
9. keep raw veggies on hand for munching with lowfat dips
10. make whole wheat pasta and wild rice for the whole family

©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

Greetings! The twins are turning 4 this weekend and we are having a birthday party! Should be a lot of fun.

Here are 5 nutrition related stories that caught my eye this week. Enjoy and let me know what’s on your mind.

Beware of this high tech coke vending machine

Called the Freestyle, a high tech Coke vending machine will soon allow you to make your own personalized beverage by selecting a combination of flavors injected on demand into carbonated water. In light of falling soda sales over the last 5 years, and an actual drop of about 2% in 2009, Coke is betting that by getting you to play with these machines, you will drink more soda! I say, watch out and don’t fall for it even if it seems free at your favorite fast food restaurant.

I am all for technology – and believe me, this new machine is really high tech – but this kind of innovation is misguided and reflects linear thinking. The logic is simple – get people to drink more soda so you can make a few more dollars (actually a lot more!) each year. And why worry about a soda tax when you can get the restaurant owners to pay up for these fancy gadgets!

If Coke wants to reinvigorate its brand and re-engage consumers, in the words of its Vice President in-charge of Freestyle, why not do something that actually makes them healthy? Surely they have no shortage of smart engineers and brilliant marketers. How long do they want to keep going with the same Open Happiness message?

Skip the soda fountain. Ask for water. Vote with your wallet and don’t fall for these gimmicks.

Consumers link food to health and expect food companies to do more

Nearly 1 in 4 consumers look at food as a means of health and about 1 in 5 consider it a way to connecting with friends and family. This according to a farm-to-fork survey by StrategyOne which randomly asked 1000 US adults 3 simple questions to understand their attitudes and opinions about food.

About 90% of these consumers expect supermarkets to focus on health, wellness and nutrition, but only 68% found it important for fast food companies. Over 90% want food companies to offer healthy products which also taste good, and offer more healthy food choices. They also expect these companies to help solve community problems such as childhood obesity and malnutrition.

The data is encouraging. Although the sample size is small, the message is clear.  When will the food companies begin to pay attention?

Choose organic to reduce risk of chemical exposure and cancer

The President’s Cancer Panel is raising a red flag on chemical exposure as a potential cause for cancer, which is becoming a growing concern especially in children. According to an Op-Ed in the New York Times, the cancer panel is about to release a 200-page report recommending better oversight, and possibly new regulation, to manage our exposure to chemicals. “Only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals used in America have been tested for safety”, and “many known or suspected carcinogens are completely regulated”, says the report.

Although, it is important to be careful about chemicals, there is no reason to panic. I think a lot of has to do with the notion what you don’t know can hurt you, because of the very poor public awareness about chemicals. Modern life, and its conveniences, is a direct result of our success with using chemicals. Based on my personal experience I can say that the chemical industry takes its responsibility about chemical safety extremely seriously. Exercising caution is prudent, but there is no need to panic.

Since young children are most susceptible to the risks of chemicals, one easy action you can take is to rely more on organic foods, especially fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats. Organic certification on a food product means that it is produced without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and hormones. It may cost you extra, but there are ways you can buy organic on a budget.

Solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation

The White House task force on childhood obesity has a plan to solve this problem within a generation. They have issued a 120-page report with 70 recommendations for the federal, state and local governments as well as the private sector so we can get back to a 5% childhood obesity rates of the early 1970′s. Today we are at close to 20% and if these recommendations are acted upon, the task force believes that we can reach this goal by 2030.

I like the comprehensive research and the holistic perspective outlined in this report. This problem cannot be solved by a mandate from the government. Everyone has a role to play – parents, schools, community service organizations, food companies should take responsibility. I also like clearly defined benchmarks for metrics for success.

I plan to take a closer look at the report and write about it in future. Feel free to share your opinion on how this problem can be solved in our lifetime!

Make veggies interesting to eat, not just nutritious

Don’t sell the idea of health and the same old good for you when trying to encourage your kids to eat more veggies. Make it fun and exciting, suggests Dr Susan Robin, a holistic nutritionist, in her article Getting Kids to Eat More Veggies is More Fun Than You Think. I couldn’t agree more!

Coke does not sell nutrition in a bottle, they sell happiness. Food marketing is not much different, although a lot of health related claims are often mixed with the idea of fun, satisfaction and excitement. Take a page out of the food marketers playbook and turn it around! That is what I liked about Dr Robin’s article – they used a cool music video about making hummus to encourage kids to eat more chickpeas at a summer camp.

A word of caution though – I think it is ok to learn from the food marketers playbook, but don’t just copy it. Twist it around because there is no way you can win by doing what they do. They have more money to buy more star power. I have been thinking about the idea of creating your family’s personal brand about food and nutrition as you try to counter the overwhelming influence of major food brands. Not an easy task, but it is a very different approach and will surely take time. I plan to build on this idea in future. In the meantime, feel free to share your ideas.

Have a great weekend!

Photo: adactio on Flickr
©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Getting toddlers to sit down and eat as a family is a challenge for most parents, us included! What we try to do is to spin interesting stories and silly conversations to keep their interest. Sometimes it is the Diesel Food For a Diesel Engine while at another time it might be something like Eating Salad Like a Giraffe! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but when it does, it is a great way of capturing their imagination while stretching your own.

We had another silly, but fun conversation at dinner today. Before I get into it, here is what was served so you get an idea:

1. Fettuccine with Turkey meatballs
2. Green beans with olive oil
3. Mixed salad
4. Plain yogurt, Feta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese
5. Plain milk, water

The twins love to eat pasta with a sprinkle of organic cheese (their word for grated Parmesan cheese). They mostly nibbled on the pasta and took only a few bites out of the meatballs. My daughter tried the feta cheese and a little milk from her glass.

The delicious green beans were not even touched! Our initial offers were met with stubborn resistance from both the twins! I knew I had to think of something interesting to nudge them into at least trying a few of them!

An idea popped into my mind as I announced -

“Hey guys, I am hearing a faint voice from your stomach. Let me get closer and use my special powers to listen to what it is saying”

Daughter: (with a huge grin as she lifted her T-shirt to show her stomach) – what is my stomach saying baba?

Me: Hmm..let me listen. I think it wants to eat a green bean. Just like my stomach…Mmmmm, these beans are d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!

Daughter: (giggling) Really? Give me a bean, give me a bean..

I popped one of those beans in my mouth as I announced loudly “bean coming…bean coming”

It worked…she went straight for the beans and pulled one out from the main dish in the center, imitating “bean coming…bean coming” as if to alert her craving stomach!

Me: Now ask what your little stomach would like to eat next…

Daughter: (lifting her T-shirt) My little stomach, what would you like to eat now?

Me: My stomach says it wants another green bean…

Daughter: Me too, give me a bean, give me a bean…

Bean coming…bean coming….

I had her hooked, and even though I enjoyed it a lot and wanted to laugh out loud, I kept the game going! Popping the whole green beans one by one in my mouth and relishing the rich tomato-onion sauce, I continued to eat while pointing to my own stomach. She imitated my every move and ate a few, one after the other, enjoying the taste and making Mmmm… sounds!

After a while, as she seemed satisfied and full, I asked again – “now what does your little stomach want to eat?”

She paused for a moment and reflected back – “it’s full now, it wants to drink a little milk”

Well done, I thought! I didn’t press any further as she finished her milk and left the table.

Bottom line – get creative, get silly and just try new ways of encouraging your kids to eat more fruits and veggies.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!