Introduction

      A well-balanced diet will keep you and your whole family healthy. Those who eat a healthy, varied diet are more likely to be full of energy, suffer fewer illnesses and children will be more attentive at school. Children grow rapidly between the ages of five and 12, gaining an average of 5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) in height each year. To support this rapid growth and development, they need a good supply of nutrients, especially protein, calcium and iron. It’s not just the body that needs good nourishment, though. Many nutrients, especially the B vitamins and iron, are important for concentration and learning at work or school, and our brains needs a constant supply of glucose and oxygen. Teenagers have higher nutritional needs than any other group, yet often have the poorest diet, choosing the easy option of processed and fast foods. Encouraging good food habits from an early age could have a significant effect on health throughout adolescence and throughout life, and could help protect against problems such as osteoporosis, heart disease and some cancers.

      The recipes in this book are about striking a balance between healthy eating and food that the whole family will enjoy. Eating well shouldn’t mean boring meals or denying favourite foods, but rather providing a diet that is healthy and varied, as well as delicious.

      So much has been written in the past decade about what we shouldn’t eat that most of us are well aware that too many sugary, fatty, or overprocessed foods should be avoided. But healthy eating is not about deprivation; the secret lies in serving more foods that will promote wellbeing and that everyone will enjoy.

      Fruit and vegetables

      These are packed with vitamins and minerals and ‘phytochemicals’, which help to keep the immune system strong and protect against everyday illnesses. To ensure your family gets a wide variety of these nutrients, try to include as many different coloured fruits and vegetables as you can.

      Both adults and children should aim for at least five portions a day. Fresh, frozen, tinned and dried fruit and vegetables and 100 per cent juice, all count. An adult-size portion could be three heaped tablespoons of cooked carrots, peas or sweetcorn, a mediumsized apple, pear or banana, three heaped tablespoons of canned fruit salad, a fruity cereal or snack bar, a few dried apricots or a tablespoon of dried fruit such as raisins. Child-size portions should be slightly smaller.

      Easy ways to eat more fruit and vegetables

      • Start the day with a glass of fruit juice at breakfast or top cereals with chopped fresh or dried fruit.

      • Serve crunchy vegetable sticks as a snack with favourite dips.

      • Stir a handful of frozen peas or mixed vegetables into soups and casseroles before serving.

      • Purée vegetables into sauces or blend with a little stock and milk to make nutritious soups.

      • Make a pot of ‘trail mix’ from dried fruit, nuts and seeds to lunch boxes and for sprinkling over yoghurts and desserts.

      Calcium and iron-rich foods

      Vitamins and minerals are complex substances needed by the body for a whole range of processes. All are important, but of particular note to families with young children are the minerals iron and calcium. Iron, often lacking in children’s diets, is needed for both mental and physical development and to make haemoglobin, which transports oxygen around the body. Iron is especially important for girls who need to build up supplies as they approach puberty. Make sure that your child has at least one iron-rich food every day.

      Calcium is vital for building strong healthy bones and teeth. It also acts as a ‘bone bank’, helping to build up bone density from an early age to reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Vitamin D is vital for the absorption and utilisation of calcium. As this vitamin isn’t well absorbed from food, the best way to get adequate supplies is to spend a few minutes outside everyday, especially on sunny days, but avoid staying out for long in the middle of the day, when the sun is at its hottest.

      Omega 6 and omega 3

      Although we tend to think of all fats as being ‘bad’, some actually play a protective role in the diet and two in particular are vital: the essential fatty acids (EFAs) known as omega 6 and omega 3. Omega 6 EFAs are involved in the production of prostaglandin, a hormonelike substance needed for healthy cell membranes which has a therapeutic effect on skin problems and allergies. They are found in many oils including sunflower and safflower, soft polyunsaturated margarine, seeds and nuts. Omega 3 EFAs are also found in these oils but additionally include vital substances which come almost solely from fish oils. Vegetarians may get small amounts from flax and pumpkin seeds and leafy green vegetables, although recent evidence suggests that the type of fatty acids found in vegetable sources may not have the same benefits as those in fish. Omega 3 EFAs help to support healthy brain development and there is evidence that they may influence a child’s ability to learn and concentrate. Scientists are still studying whether omega 3 can help with conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other mental illnesses such as depression. Try to make sure that the whole family eats oily fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines at least once a week. If someone in your family doesn’t like fish, there are plenty of polyunsaturated spreads and yoghurt drinks enriched with omega 6 and omega 3.

      Sugar

      Most of us enjoy sugary foods and eating them occasionally causes no real harm. When children grow older, outside influences will make themselves felt and you will no longer have complete control over what is eaten. In fact, a staggering 80 per cent of children eat more added sugars than the maximum level recommended for adults. But while sugars occur naturally in foods such as milk and fruit, it’s the food containing added sugar that you should try to reduce in your family’s diet, including sweets, cookies, cakes and pastries, fizzy and juice drinks. Not only do they contribute to tooth decay, high-sugar foods raise blood sugar levels quickly, causing peaks and troughs of energy. A sugary snack may give you instant energy, but this will be followed by a dip and these fluctuations in blood sugar levels cause mood swings and affect attentiveness. When checking food labels, watch out for other words for sugar, including sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, corn syrup, hydrolysed starch and invert sugar.

      Ways to cut down on sugar

      • Eat fewer sugary sweets and snacks. If your children can’t avoid the sweet shop, encourage better choices

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