Nutrition is the foremost need of any individual, be it young or adult. The most important stage where nutrition is crucial is during childhood between 0-5 years. This is the time when the child grows mentally and physically at a rapid rate because of which value of nutrition should also be optimal in order to provide energy for growth. Proper nourishment can lead to a healthy body and healthy mind, with this thought in mind try to provide as much balanced diet and meals possible to the child. Today we will discuss about importance of nutrition in childhood with help of expert.
Why is Nutrition Important in Childhood?
According to Ms. Shilpa Singh, Clinical Nutritionist from Fatima Hospital, Lucknow says that childhood nutrition helps in growth of the child in every aspect. Nutrition of children should be different from normal adults; it should consist of more fruits, vegetables, dairy and proteins that help the child in improving immunity, strength and mental ability. A child who receives healthy nutrition is always at lower risk of falling for diseases at any stage of life. Hence nutrition during childhood is most important.
Here are some foods you must include in your child’s meals-
- Tomatoes
- Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Fish
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Egg yolks
- Nuts
- Spinach
- Garlic
- Pumpkin seeds
6 Benefits of Importance of Childhood Nutrition
1. Strengthens Immunity
These days there is a lot of talk about immunity and supplements to improve immunity. This is because any viral of bacterial infection infects the body by breaking immunity of a person. By having good immunity that can be provided by food nutrition, the immunity in the body will remain high which will further help to fight diseases and infection in the body.
For increasing immunity, you need to make sure your child has more vitamin C and D, zinc, selenium, iron and protein. These nutrients are very beneficial for growth in childhood are a must have in your diet. By taking these nutrients, it increases immunity cells in the body and creates anti-bodies which keep illness and health issue away for most time.
2. Helps to build base of healthy eating habits
It is very important to make your child understand the importance of healthy eating options in their diet. This is because childhood is best age to teach any habit and put it into place. Once your child has a habit of eating healthy food and nutrients, it will stay for long duration. This will ensure that he has proper body weight and body functions work efficiently.
Create an eating plan for your child, try to make it simple and healthy. Include fresh juices, more water, fruits and spices in meals. This will prevent tiredness and gastric problems in the future.
Make him eat slowly and not in a hurry, this will help to improve his metabolism and give signals to the brain that their stomach is getting full.
Stick of serving size- do not change the portion of serving daily, stick to certain amount which is beneficial for the child and he can eat it with ease. This can be very effective to create a base of healthy and regulated eating which can do wonders for him in the future.
Also Read- What Makes Egg A Superfood?
3. Provide essential Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamin and Minerals are one of the most essential nutrients for a child’s healthy growth. Parents should give their children vitamins in form of meat or plant based nutrition. There are a lot of essential vitamins and minerals children need in order to grow into healthy adults. These minerals and vitamins can be taken from the following food items-
- Green vegetables
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy products
- Avocados
- Fruits
4. Physical Growth
Apart from mental and cognitive growth, it is also important for the child to grow properly in physical strength and height. Physical growth should be according to the child’s age and weight should also be optimum accordingly. If a child does not get proper nutrition, it becomes hard to handle the growth rate of the child. He would not be able to achieve physical growth required which might cause some problems when he grows into adult as well.
Malnourishment is a major cause of tiredness, health issues and death. Hence be giving proper nutrition, you can save your child from these following problems with ease. Also child with proper nutrition often reduces risk of muscle weakness and muscle problems.
5. Childhood Nutrition Aids Brain Development
Importance of nutrition is such that it affects brain development of the child as well. This includes having proper organ functions, high cognitive ability and healthy nervous system. Brain is responsible to constantly gather and collect information, especially children’s brain are collect far more information than normal adults because of which proper nutrition becomes of vital importance. Lack of proper nutrition can result to trouble concentrating and problems related to cognitive health.
Also Read- Having Meat Regularly? Know These 5 Health Benefits Of Avoiding It
6. Improves sleep patterns
We do not give much importance to sleep patterns but it is a very crucial part of body routine. In the time you sleep, body does its maximum work and helps to recover your strength and builds more white blood cells which help to fight diseases. Healthy nutrition can provide kids and children with regulated sleep patterns. It can help them regain their strength and energy, it makes them grow faster and more efficient in their work.
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