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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1997-11-12, Page 7THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12,1997. PAGE 7. ■/ood A 3-step guide to snacking savvy I Healthy eating habits for kids (...and their parents) Snacking has become an accepted part and, in some cases, a necessary part of our eating styles. It generally reflects our fast-paced lifestyles and the need for quick refuelling to see us through our busy days. Young children in particular may benefit from healthy snacking; they have small stomachs so they can't eat a lot of food at any one meal. Yet children have relatively high energy needs. This makes nutri tious snacking important, even for the child who eats three square meals a day. On the other hand, constant snacking can take a toll, especially when it comes to the health of our teeth. Bear in mind, that many factors play a role in the development of cavities, such as: • our overall nutritional health; the structure or shape of our teeth; • the amount and age of plaque on our teeth; • the consistency of foods eaten; • the amount of saliva produced when eating; • the number of times sugar is eaten • the total amount of sugar or carbohydrate contained in the food. When planning snacks for yourself or your children, think of snacks as mini-meals and apply the following action tips. Snack nutritiously Nutritious snacks are simply wholesome foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, meats, nuts and seeds. Choosing snacks from the Four Food Groups in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating will help to ensure sound snacking. But nutrition alore does not make a healthy snack. Limit the number of snacks While snacks are important, don't overdo them. Even some nutritious snacks can cause tooth decay if eaten too often throughout the day. All Four Food Group foods, except meat, fish, poultry, and eggs, contain some form of carbohydrate such as natural sugars, refined sugars, and starch. These carbohydrates are used as a source of energy by the bacteria found in plaque on the teeth, and can cause decay. The bacteria produce an acid which eats away at the tooth enamel. By limiting the number of snacks during the day, you limit the opportunity for the bacteria on the teeth to produce this acid. As a general guide, think of two or three snacks per day as a healthy snacking pattern for children. Adults usually require fewer snacks or none at all. Change the snacking menu daily Offer children a wide assortment of snacks from the Four Food Groups. This helps to ensure children get a variety of the 50 nutrients which are needed for good health. It will also help to limit fat, sugar and salt intake. Variety has benefits for your teeth too! A varied snack menu is more likely to include snacks that contain fewer carbohydrates, which can lead to cavities. Snacks that make the grade! Raw vegetables, nuts, seeds, and popcorn are examples of foods which require a lot of chewing which increases the flow of saliva. Saliva helps to rinse away pieces of food from between our teeth. However, a word of caution, foods such as nuts, seeds, and popcorn may cause young children to choke. Children, particularly preschoolers, should be supervised when they are eating these foods. • Nutritious beverages like milk make good snacks since they not only satisfy a thirst and hunger, they can also rinse away pieces of food left behind in the mouth after eating. • Meats, fish and poultry are good snack choices too. They are very nutritious and do not contain any carbohydrates. • Aged cheese such as cheddar, farmers, mozzarella, and brick are all great snack choices. When eaten about the same time as foods containing carbohydrates, like bread or crackers, aged cheese can actually help to prevent decay. Remember, though these tips may be helpful when planning snacks, they don't replace the need for regular brushing and flossing of teeth, especially at bedtime! By Anne Kennedy Everyone knows that good nutrition is essential to normal growth and development during childhood, but should parents impose their eating patterns on their kids? The nutrition experts suggest that you shouldn't. Children need adequate energy and essential nutrients for growth and development. Sometimes a child's need for food energy is not compatible with a parent's need to maintain a healthy weight. Health Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Pediatric Society re-examined the issues related to dietary fat and children. Research findings indicated that when children were placed on a low fat diet, they had problems meeting their energy and nutrient needs. In the final report, "Nutrition Recommendations Update ... Dietary Fat and Children," these experts concluded that during childhood, emphasis should be placed on a diet that provides adequate energy for growth and eating patterns that emphasize a variety of foods, especially complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables and some lower fat foods. Children need a more flexible fat intake to support their growth and energy needs. They also need to be exposed to a wide range of foods, including some low fat ones, so they will accept low fat foods when their energy needs start to drop following puberty. Here are some tips for a healthy eating style. 1. Be active. Watch less TV and get moving, walking, biking and playing. Regular activity is important for maintaining a healthy weight. 2. Choose a variety of foods and enjoy all foods in moderation. The more often children are exposed to a food, the more likely they will taste it and learn to accept it. This is important for developing a taste for lower fat foods. 3. Eat breakfast. It gets your mind and body fuelled for the day. 4. Eat lots of whole grain foods. 5. Include a fruit or vegetable in every meal or snack. 6. Choose lower fat, high quality protein sources like eggs, lean meat, fish, chicken and legumes. 7. Go easy on commercial snack foods. They are usually high in fat and salt. Serve fruit, cereal and unsalted crackers for snacks. Anne Kennedy is a dietitian with the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency. Nutrition Jo fyi The importance of folate Folate, a very important B vitamin, still remains a mystery vitamin for many of us. The University of California of Berkeley Wellness Letter (May 1996) reports that "a recent Gallup survey showed that only 52 per cent of all women age 18 to 45 had even heard of it. Only 15 per cent of them knew that they should be particularly concerned about it." Folate plays a beneficial role in cell division and recent studies have indicated other potential benefits: - helps prevent birth defects (Neural Tube Defects), - helps protect against cervical cancer, - helps protect against heart disease Folate can be found in a diet rich in vegetables, beans and whole grains. Here are some folate-rich snacks to help you meet your folate and other nutrient needs. - Have cut up, folate-rich, raw vegetables on hand in the refrigerator for quick snacking. For example, choose broccoli, spinach, beets, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and com. - Eat nuts and seeds. Choose peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts or sunflower seeds. - Have the fruit bowl within easy reach. Strawberries, cantaloupe, papaya, oranges and kiwi fruit are folate-rich fruits. - Eat whole grain breads and cereals. Choose crackers or dry cereal. Folate in foods is lost during storage, preparation and cooking. To preserve folate: - Serve vegetables and fruits raw. - Use minimal amounts of water to steam, microwave, boil or simmer vegetables. Cook the vegetables only until tender-crisp. - Store vegetables in the refrigerator (except potatoes and tomatoes). - Ripen fruit in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature, then refrigerate. Women planning a pregnancy may still need to consider supplements and should talk with their doctor or a registered dietitian. Sharing a Healthier Future" paRTiciPdcrion Add years to your life and life to your years! 30 minutes of daily physical activity not only add up to living longer, they add up to living better. 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