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Superfoods for Kids
Advice from iMoo nutritionist Siobhan Julian on nutrition for families and children
iMoo's resident nutritionist on Super Foods for Kids...
Frequently, parents are surprised when I describe my top “superfoods” for kids, as they expect a list of exotic, expensive and hard to find items. But the truth is that superfoods are not novelty foods. They are natural, everyday foods designed by nature to keep the body healthy and prevent illness.
My top five ‘superfoods’?
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Dairy: milk, yogurt and cheese
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Wholegrains
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Fruit & Vegetables
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Lean Red Meat
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Oily Fish
Milk, Yogurt & Cheese
Dairy is so important for children, because of the role it plays in building bones – the skeletal structure that forms the foundation on which a healthy body depends. 90% of the adult skeleton is formed by the age of 17, with the balance by the early 30s and childhood represents the critical period for bone development and prevention of osteoporosis.
Milk, yogurt and cheese are a fantastic source of calcium – essential for strong bones.
What’s the recommended intake?
When it comes to dairy, 3 a day is the advice for young children and 5 a day for teenagers. A good way to include 3 a day is to be sure to have a serving of milk, yogurt and cheese each day.
Are we getting enough?
No. In Ireland 28% of Irish boys and 37% of Irish girls have inadequate calcium intakes.
Things to remember:
- Low fat milk is not suitable for children under two years of age. After age 2 it can be gradually introduced provided the child is a good eater and has a varied diet.
- As well as calcium, yogurt often has the added benefit of probiotics. A probiotic is a live microbial food ingredient. When consumed in sufficient quantities, it has a number of benefits including helping to balance good and bad bacteria in the gut, promoting a healthy immune system, helping to fight infections and prevent ill health. Glenisk Kids Yogurts contain probiotic cultures.
Wholegrains
This includes cereals, bread, pasta and rice. These foods are an excellent source of fibre, energy and B vitamins. Fibre is important for a healthy digestive tract and for keeping the bowels regular. It also creates a feeling of fullness which helps kids to avoid unnecessary snacking.
Wholegrain foods should make up the biggest proportion of each of your child’s three main meals.
What’s the recommended intake?
Children should consume an amount of fibre equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day.
Are we getting enough?
No. 63% of Irish children are getting less than their recommended intake of fibre.
Things to remember:
- A food is considered to be a good source of fibre (a wholegrain) if it has six grams of fibre per 100 grams.
- The best way to introduce wholegrain is to include wholegrain breads, cereals, rice and pasta in the daily diet.
- Don’t forget that plenty of liquids help wholegrains to do their work. Wholegrains act like a sponge absorbing fluids.
Fruit & Vegetables
Fruit and Vegetables are a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals that help to keep the body healthy and prevent ill health.
What’s the recommended intake?
When it comes to this super food, the magic number is 5: the recommended intake is 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
Are we getting enough?
Most Irish children are only getting half the recommended intake each day.
Things to remember:
- One portion is equal to one medium sized fruit or a half glass of unsweetened fruit juice or a small bowl of tinned fruit in natural juice or three dessertspoons of stewed fruit or a bowl of homemade vegetable soup.
- If your kids don’t like vegetables, you can compensate by offering extra fruit.
- Fresh is good but frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables also go towards the recommended intake.
Lean Red Meat
Lean red meat is a super food because of its ability to supply iron, protein, zinc and B vitamins.
Iron is needed for a healthy blood system and to prevent tiredness, irritability and infection.
Lean red meat tends to be the most efficient food in ensuring a healthy body.
What’s the recommended intake?
Children should be getting two servings of lean meat or its alternatives per day. One serving is an average sized pork or lamb chop.
Are we getting enough?
In Ireland 52% of Irish girls and 29% of Irish boys have inadequate iron intakes and eating more lean red meat is a good way to redress the balance.
Things to remember:
- If your child is following a vegetarian diet, it’s important to seek appropriate dietary advice to make sure they get the nutrients they need.
- As an alternative to red meat, you could opt for two slices of chicken or turkey or a medium fillet of fish or two eggs or nine dessertspoons of baked beans.
Oily Fish
Oily fish is a super food because it contains a special supply of omega 3 fats.
Since ancient times, fish has been recognised as a “brain food”.
This was before research has confirmed that the omega 3 fish oils that are found in fish have special benefits in growth, vision and brain development, concentration and learning. Oily fish includes salmon, mackerel, trout, fresh water tuna, herring, shrimp, crab, sardines and pilchards.
What’s the recommended intake?
Two portion of fish per week with at least one being an oily fish is sufficient to get the benefit of the Oily fish Super foods.
Are we getting enough?
No. Despite being an island nation, we could all benefit from increasing our consumption of oily fish.
Things to remember:
- Tinned fish (except tinned tuna) is as acceptable as fresh.
- Introducing fish early will help your child to enjoy its taste.
And finally, whichever super foods you’re buying, try to choose organic when you can. Organic food is produced to strict and regulated standards and is certified free of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and artificial preservatives.