Popular Nutrition Myths Regarding Pre-teens Debunked

Many households today have busy and hectic schedules. Their tedious schedules make it hard to sit down and cook homemade meals every day. As a result kids' tend to include a lot of packaged and processed food in their diet. But these foods can be really unhealthy for your child can have a negative effect on them. Parents need to understand that is extremely important to inculcate healthy eating habits in your children right from childhood. Healthy eating habits can prevent them from lifelong diseases. Eating healthy right from the beginning is beneficial for children. It can stabilize their energy, help them maintain a healthy weight and prevent many chronic diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart diseases.

Eating healthy right from the beginning is beneficial for children.
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Debunking popular nutrition myths for pre-teens:

Myth one: Children need snacks constantly.

Fact: While some snacking in between the meals is beneficial, but kids should not engage in all-day-long eating. Also snacks should not be given a packet of potato chips, deep-fried snacks or sugary juice. Instead, a quarter of a vegetable or minced chicken sandwich along with half a glass of milk, a healthy yet delicious smoothie with fresh fruits and seeds or some nuts would be a better choice.

Kids should not engage in all-day-long eating.
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Myth two: Children need special, attractive kid-friendly foods.

Fact: Kids can learn to eat almost everything parents do. Some parents are under the impression that little ones will only eat appealing foods which are highly-processed, frozen, sugary, salty and fast or junk foods. However, this is not the case. You should feed your child with the same food you are eating whether it is chicken breast, salads or dark green leafy vegetables. 

Myth three: Parents decide how much a child should eat.

Fact: It is the job of the parent to provide healthy and nutritious food. But it is the job of the child to decide how they can eat. Many adults do not know what a proper portion looks like for themselves. So they might need even more help identifying the right portion for their kids.

It is the job of the parent to provide healthy and nutritious food.
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Myth four: If I give my child fatty foods, they will become overweight.

Fact: It is a well-known fact that our bodies need fat. But it is extremely important to distinguish between ''good fats and bad fats.'' Hence, parents should include low-fat options rather than non-fat options in their kids' diet. Some examples of "good fats" include nuts which are high in fibre, healthy seeds, low-fat yogurt, milk, cheese( be mindful of the proportion) and lean meats. 

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Myth five: Your child needs extra carbohydrates in their diet because he plays a lot of sports.

Fact: If your child eats a well-balanced diet, then there is no need for them to change it even if he is training for a sport. It is not necessary to give your child extra carbohydrates before a game that may last only an hour. If they are participating in extended games, such as tournaments where they are playing for hours at a time, then adding extra carbohydrates to a meal prior to the game makes sense. You can make sure your child has a good mix of protein and carbohydrates throughout the day so they are charged up for after-school and weekend sports. If they are playing sports for hours at a time on the weekend, then add more complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, eggs or cheese to their dinner the night before a game. This will help them sustain their energy throughout the game the next day.

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