Junk- Striking it out of your house

One downside of modern living and changing lifestyle is obesity resulting from lack of activity and unhealthy eating habits in children. Research findings indicate that obesity in children has reached epidemic levels in the developed countries and the third world is quickly catching on with this trend.

As children grow, their bodies need to be nourished with a healthy diet for both physical and mental development. Unfortunately, many children are consuming too much food that provides little nutritional value. This is a recipe for disaster, as it puts them at risk of serious health issues such as diabetes and heart disease later on in life.

What is wrong with junk food?
Saturated fats: Foods such as burgers, pizza, fried chicken and chips contain loads of saturated fats. Too much saturated fat in the diet causes obesity and puts one at risk of heart disease among other diseases.
Unnecessary salt: Junk food often contains more salt than the body needs. Too much salt leads to hypertension and heart disease.
Excess sugar: One of the reasons why cakes, biscuits, soft drinks, ice cream and sweets have a ‘sweet’ taste is because they are laden with sugar. Not only is this unhealthy, but too much sugar causes tooth decay in children.

True, the body does need some salt, fat and sugar. However, too much of these is unhealthy. Eating a lot of food containing them will only lead to health problems that interfere with an individual’s quality of life.

A healthy diet
Limit the amount of high-fat and sugary foods like chocolate, biscuits, cakes, crisps and chips that your child eats. Also, avoid keeping such foods in the house. You could replace them with
healthier alternatives such as fruits, which are also cheaper.

• Grill, stew or steam foods instead of frying. Burgers, fish fingers and sausages are just as tasty when grilled, and have a lower fat content.
• Substitute fizzy drinks such as sodas and synthetic juices, which are high in sugar, with water, fresh juices, yoghurt or milk.
• Introduce more fruit and vegetables into your child’s diet. Small changes such as adding fruit to her breakfast or a glass of fresh fruit juice can help her get the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
• Foods like whole-meal bread, potatoes, pasta and rice are rich in complex carbohydrates, making them filling and nutritious. Include them in your child’s diet. Always choose wholegrain varieties. However, toddlers cannot digest too much fibre well. Therefore, don’t give them food with too much fibre.
• Use vegetable oil instead of cooking fat. Oils like olive oil, corn oil and sunflower oils are high in monounsaturated fats and are healthier. Use soft margarines that low in saturated fat and trans-fatty acids.
• A healthy breakfast of wholegrain cereal and fruit or yoghurt is a good way to start the day.
• Choose healthy snacks that include fruits and vegetables. Other good snacks include boiled eggs nuts, yoghurt, peanut butter and fruits.
• Limit red meat intake and serve more white meat such as chicken and fish. Consider other sources of protein such as pulses (beans, lentils, dry peas, green grams etc), nuts and eggs.

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