Proper diet and nutrition is very important during the developmental stages of childhood. Parents are advised to learn more about nutrition in order to see through the mainstream myths listed below.
Natural Ingredients
Many processed foods claim they use natural ingredients. What they technically mean is they use processed ingredients that was once real food. Most food manufactures use highly elaborate processes to incorporate natural ingredients into unnaturally processed food. The advertising claims of junk and processed foods are generally inaccurate.
Multivitamins are a Must
Multivitamins haven’t been around that long. In fact, researchers still don’t recognize hundreds of chemical components and organic compounds within food. However, many people believe that taking a specific multivitamin will cure a specific problem. For instance, people erroneously believe that vitamin C will cure a cold. However, the digestive process of disseminating nutrition throughout the body is a complex process that doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Therefore, the best source of vitamins is fresh food, not processed pills.
Milk and Calcium
The dairy industry has long proclaimed that milk is the best source of calcium. Children are traditionally allowed to eat breakfast cereals rich in sugar with milk. However, many vegetables actually have higher amounts of calcium. For example, broccoli is one of the most calcium rich vegetables available. Broccoli also has twice the amount of vitamin C than oranges. Kale, collard greens, edamame beans, and bok choy are also excellent sources of vegetable-based calcium.
Meat and Protein
Most marketing efforts for the meat industry is centered on protein. While sensible meat portions are an important source of protein, there are even better sources. Athletes and bodybuilders alike know that the best sources of protein include Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and fish. In fact, halibut, salmon and tuna are some of the most excellent sources of protein. Eggs, nuts, and soy milk are also much higher in protein than many meats.
Gluten Free is Good
One of the most popular health crazes is gluten-free products. Popular health icons claim that gluten causes various problems. For example, celiac disease is a digestive disorder that results in intestinal damage from gluten consumption. However, scientific research is actually pretty vague when it comes to the correlation between gluten and intestinal health. Gluten advocates point out that a diet devoid of bread will deprive the individual of critical fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Turn to places like Klosterman Baking Company to get the breads that are best for the diet for your kids.
There are many diet and nutritional myths parents should be aware of in order to improve the health and wellness of their children. Processed foods are often marketed as natural ingredients and the actual usefulness of vitamins is highly questionable. Green vegetables are the best sources of calcium and there are healthier sources of protein than meat and gluten is actually a very healthy food substance.