Fruits and vegetables benefit kids in many ways, including
improved nutrition, decreased obesity risk and better school
performance, but most children don’t get the recommended five 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
government's recommendation, according to Ohio State research. One-half
of children’s mealtime plates should be filled with fruits and
vegetables in order to reap the benefits.
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. According to DrGreene.com, apples contain 16 different polyphenols, which are antioxidants with health-promoting properties. Eating fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors will provide a wide range of nutrients that help keep kids healthy.
To increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, shop with your kids and let them prepare vegetable and fruit dishes. A child who makes the green beans himself may be more likely to eat them, notes an article by Elizabeth Cohen, CNN senior medical correspondent. 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. Shop organic if you can. If cost is a factor, however, be selective in buying organic, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics. The most important thing is for kids to eat fruits and vegetables – organic or not.
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. According to DrGreene.com, apples contain 16 different polyphenols, which are antioxidants with health-promoting properties. Eating fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors will provide a wide range of nutrients that help keep kids healthy.
To increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, shop with your kids and let them prepare vegetable and fruit dishes. A child who makes the green beans himself may be more likely to eat them, notes an article by Elizabeth Cohen, CNN senior medical correspondent. 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. Shop organic if you can. If cost is a factor, however, be selective in buying organic, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics. The most important thing is for kids to eat fruits and vegetables – organic or not.
