The benefits of FRUITS & VEGETABLES for children

Do you have to nag at your kids to take their vegetables and sometimes fruits as well? In our busy schedule where everything is speed required, did we give it a thought on why it is important to have a good diet in terms of the health nutritions and their nature? Children like adults need a balance diet. More especially for children since they are growing and their appetite is small and whatever they take in per meal is definitely limited. That's the reason the more we need to pay attention to what they consumed.

Fruits and vegetables benefit kids in many ways, including improved nutrition, decreased obesity risk and better school performance. However, most children don’t get the recommended four or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Only 22 percent of toddlers and preschoolers and only 16 percent of kids ages 6 to 11 meet the requirements. One-half of children’s mealtime plates should be filled with fruits and vegetables in order to reap the benefits.

Improved Nutrition -
Children’s growing bodies require good nutrition, and fruits and vegetables contain a multitude of vitamins, minerals and other healthy compounds. Citrus fruits and strawberries are rich in immune system-boosting vitamin C, carrots are loaded with eye-healthy vitamin A and spinach is a good source of iron, a mineral that helps prevent anemia. Eating fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors will provide a wide range of nutrients that help keep kids healthy.

Decreased Obesity-
Fruits and vegetables are high in filling fiber, but low in fat and calories. Encouraging kids to eat fruits and vegetables instead of sugary snacks and fat-laden fast food can help children avoid obesity. According to an USDA study of 3,064 kids ages 5 to 18 linked higher fruit consumption to healthier body weights.

Digestive Health-
High-fiber foods, such as fruits and vegetables, help the digestive system function properly. Constipation in kids can often be eased by eating more high-fiber prunes, apricots, plums, peas, beans and broccoli. As fiber passes through the digestive system, it absorbs water and expands, which triggers regular bowel movements and relieves constipation.

Better School Performance-
Children with healthy diets, including high consumption of fruits and vegetables, performed better on academic tests than children who consumed fewer fruits and vegetables. A number of factors influence the academic performance of kids, but nutrition is an important contributor to better school performance, the report noted.

Tips To increase Their Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables

1. Shop with your kids and let them prepare vegetable and fruit dishes.
2. Sneak pureed vegetables into your children’s favorite foods and stock kid-level shelves in the fridge with baggies of cut-up veggies and fruits and fruit cups.
3. Shop organic if you can. However, the most important thing is for kids to eat fruits and vegetables – organic or not.
4. Eat along with your kids. Do not have a separate type of diet with your children unless you are on medical restrictions.

We all are always guilty of not have enough fruits and vegetables, both adults and children. Thus with the explanation above, let's all incorporate more of these into our diet.

Extras:
1. When you have a buffet next time, do up a rainbow bowl of fruits and a cocktail glass of vegetables (as in pictures). When it looks good, it makes you wanna eat them.

Let us have your ideas and how you keep up on this fruits and vegetable routines. =)