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The consumption of whole grains is beneficial for your children, since they provide energy and contain the essential nutrients for growth. Learn more about these foods.
whole grains They are a source of vitamins, minerals, fibers and carbohydrates. necessary in a child’s diet. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that, during the first 2 years of life, optimal nutrition promotes growth and improves cognitive development.
Contrary to refined grains, whole grains retain their bran layer, rich in iron, zinc, thiamin, niacin and riboflavin. In the same way, they maintain the germ and the endosperm. Together, these components favor the healthy feeding of the baby and minimize the chances of suffering from some diseases in the future.
When to introduce whole grains in the baby’s diet?
Currently, you find such cereals in various presentations and flavors, which allows versatility when preparing them. For infants, per WHO recommendations, It is good if from 6 months you incorporate the consumption of this kind of food in small quantities and little by little.
The Mayo Clinic mentions within these grains to the following:
- Integral rice.
- Broken wheat.
- Barley.
- Oatmeal.
The secret is knowing how to choose them and offer them so that the child likes them.
It starts from pregnancy
Pregnant women who consume whole grains provide their nutritional value to the baby. What’s more, fiber helps prevent constipation. If while you are pregnant you add them to your menu, later it will be easier to adapt them to your child’s.
start with breakfast
A child who eats healthy early has energy the rest of the day. Buckwheat pancakes, bread and whole grain oats are readily available in supermarkets and ideal for breakfast.
Opt for good mixes
Both the texture and flavor of whole grains is a bit heavy compared to refined ones. This makes some little ones tend to reject them. The solution is Give them whole grain baby mix. These are formulas that please your palates.
keep up the habit
It is useless if you interrupt the supply of these foods, because the child will lose the habit. Make them part of your reality from the start, like this they will be familiar to you and you will taste them without problems. For example, add a handful of pasta or a slice of wholemeal bread to your purée.
Let him manipulate with his hands
Simple preparations, with a soft or crushable consistency, can also be transformed into buns, croquettes or cakes that do not require cutlery. If the child takes the food with his hands he will feel autonomy and you will enjoy trying it.
appeal to creativity
It’s about babies and food has to capture your attention, both in appearance and taste. In baby fooda recipe book that breaks down what the child should eat by stages, there are healthy dishes made with imagination.
Benefits of whole grains
The Spanish Society of Community Nutrition includes to derivatives of whole grain cereals among the foods that They should be consumed daily as they are part of the healthy eating pyramid. Whole grains help them foster healthy habits, preventing childhood obesity, asserts an article of the Magazine of the Institute of Superior Studies of the Family.
They also contribute the following benefits:
- They have insoluble fiber, that inflates in the stomach generating greater satiety and favoring intestinal transit.
- They promote the slow absorption of glucose, no energy spikes or spikes in blood sugar.
- Help maintain digestive health body weight and protect against degenerative diseases, according to refers a publication of the supplement Hospital Nutrition.
When to consult the professional?
It is advisable that the incorporation of whole grains be gradual to measure the reaction of the baby. If the child is less than 2 years old and eats little, the fiber could affect him. In this case, the correct thing to do is to consult with the pediatrician.
same happens when the child has intestinal or digestive problems. It is the specialist who puts together a convenient diet for the minor’s nutrition, specifying portions, frequency and convenient foods.
Ways to promote the inclusion of whole grains
Do not confuse integral with Light. Whole grains are high in fiber, but they also have calories. Considering them exclusively dietary, many parents ignore whole grains, displacing their advantages in the child’s health.
There are basic suggestions for the adaptation to the integral menu to be of benefit:
- check the labels, so they specify whole grain.
- Do not use sugary cereals. Look for whole grains like oatmeal or iron-fortified.
- Includes the rest of the family. For example, if you cook rice, make it whole grain for everyone.
There are many alternatives for healthy and attractive recipes. On the internet there are recommendations to prepare hearty and attractive foods, such as animal muffins or colored porridge. Encourage your children to try them and have fun preparing them.
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