Top 10 Best Super-foods For Growing Children

Growing children need more vitamins, minerals to fuel up their body and accelerate growth. If they have a deficient diet, growth failure is inevitable.

Here are the top 10 best super foods for growing children:

1. Milk

Known for centuries, milk is an important source of vitamin D and calcium; both of which are essential for the accurate mineralization of growing bones and stature. Besides, vitamin D also enhances the absorption of dietary calcium via variety of mechanisms. It increases the intestinal absorption of dietary calcium and its deposition in the bones. It escalates bone resorption of calcium and phosphorus, releasing calcium and phosphorus to the blood. This extremelybeneficial vitamin not only boosts calcium in the blood stream and bones, yet another important mineral for bones called phosphorus.

Accordingly, not only milk contains both calcium, vitamin D, but also these micro-nutrients in milk interact with one another, leading to enhanced growth in children.

2. Yogurt

Likewise, yogurt is another dairy product serving the same role for a child’s development as milk.

3. Fruits

Fresh fruits should be a very important part of a child’s diet. Either give them handy in a lunch or brunch box, or blend them and give your child to sip up fresh juices; they are a compulsory snack for children to help them progress better.

4. Fresh Vegetables

Fresh vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables (which are the major source of folic acid), are necessary to incorporate in a child’s regular dietary routine. Folic acid is required because it plays a major role in the synthesis of DNA, which is a nucleic acid, the body’s genetic material and is particularly important for growing and rapidly dividing tissues and cells). Furthermore, folate is crucial for brain function as well. Apart from that, folate functions with vitamin B12 to abet in making red blood cells and iron work properly in the bloodstream. Hence, defective folic acid diet can lead to a folate predominant “megaloblastic anemia” (enormously enlarged RBCs) and you really do not want your child to suffer from this terrible anemia with time.

Do not forget to give carrots to your child, since they contain vitamin A in copious amounts, which is best for your child’s good vision. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness in the long term.

5. Eggs

An exceptionally enriched food stuffed with protein and vitamins provides all the nutritious elements for your growing kiddo. The body wants protein for the formation of building blocks, called amino acids, for stronger bones and muscles. If your child does not like a boil egg, try to serve egg by combining it with his/her favorite noodles/macaroni cheese etc. and let your child enjoy the nourishing wholesome food.

6. Fish

Fish provides the growing children with omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is fundamental for the developing brain and nerves. Evidence-based studies demonstrate that introducing fish earlier in your kid’s diet fortifies memory and prevents ADHD. Many kids are not fond of the taste or smell of fish. In that case, try making a fish sandwich mixed with veggies or macaronis and a little mayo spread and the kid will love that!

7. Meat

Meat is loaded with proteins (one of the three macronutrients, the other two being fats and carbohydrates) that serve as the building blocks for amino acids for stronger bones, muscles, cartilage, hair, nails and blood cells, and animal food is “THE SOLITARY SOURCE OF VITAMIN B12,” therefore, should be a key diet for a developing child. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to hematological (blood-related) and neurological abnormalities. Pack a healthy snack by mixing it with DIY veggies. Remember your body does not have protein reservoirs, unlike that of fat and carbohydrates.

8. Whole grains

Adding whole grains means adding more fiber and more protein! You can use wholegrain breads for making snacks. Other forms of serving whole grains are oats, oatmeal, wheat, barley, fortified whole grain cereals, whole grain pastas, brown rice, etc. Introduce them gradually as your child’s sensitive belly may be unable to tolerate the bulky fiber in whole grains initially but “better be safe than sorry!”

9. Natural Nutty Butter

You must have heard your elders raving about “chew seven almonds in the morning for an awesome memory.” They are not wrong! It is a good idea to give natural nutty butters free from highly saturated fats (bad fats) like peanut butter, almond, and cashew butters or simply offer them a handful of these nuts. They are good for your child’s developing brain and memory aside from a variety of other healthy benefits.

10. Water

Hydrate well! Children have a habit of skipping drinking water while at school and while playing out mainly in summer (during which the tendency for dehydration increases four-fold). Dehydration can make your kid lethargic, irritable, and incapable to concentrate and memorize. Therefore maintaining a good hydration is a necessity.