Boost your family’s health with nutrition

berriesJanice Youngwith, Daily Herald Correspondent, shared that there’s no magic bullet to help ensure kids eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. From soup to nuts to fruits, veggies and everything in between, experts say eating a variety of foods representing a rainbow of colors and in the right portions is key to boosting immunity, protecting against illness and reducing future health risk.

With potatoes, lettuce and tomatoes topping the list of the most-consumed vegetables in America, nutritional experts say the top three aren’t all among nutrition’s top health performers.

It’s the fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, which are packed with nutrients, low in fat, sodium and calories and high in fiber which have the most punch,” says Tricia Ligon, an exercise physiologist, manager of Advocate’s Weight Management program and American Heart Association spokeswoman.

“Childhood obesity is a big concern,” she says. “Overweight kids tend to become overweight adults, putting them at risk for diabetes and, in the future, for developing many diseases associated with excess weight such as various cancers and heart disease.”

The first step to more healthful childhood nutrition, Ligon states, is to eliminate sugary drinks and instead teach kids to rehydrate and boost development with eight glasses of water a day.

There’s no one food to reduce risk of inflammation, cancer and heart disease, according to Colleen Doyle, a registered dietitian and managing director of nutrition and physical activity for the American Cancer Society. “It’s likely the synergy between many nutrients — vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidents — is responsible for boosting protection across a lifetime.”

Eating a diet that includes a rainbow of colorful vegetables, fruits, whole grains and limited red and processed meats is your best bet to help reduce cancer risk for you and your children’s future risk, she says.

“Phytochemicals and antioxidants found in gazillions of fruits and vegetables are protective, but we just don’t know which are the most protective,” cautions the mother of two. “However, in the context of an overall healthy diet and watching weight, some nutrient-packed foods do pack a powerful punch.”

“Super foods are those fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans that pack a punch of phytonutrients (natural chemicals that are produced by plants) that protect your body against illnesses,” explains Doyle, who says it is important to expose kids to vegetables 10, 20, even 50 times, to help develop a taste for them.

“Broccoli and carrots top many kids’ lists of their favorite vegetables, but plenty of other potential favorites can help boost immunity, fight infection and aid in protecting against future diseases.”

 

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