Child Nutrition

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Child Nutrition

Fueling Growth

Children come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their genetic blueprints determine how fast and how big they will grow. Some children are destined to grow slowly while others make rapid leaps in development. Genetic, environmental, hormonal, nutritional and behavioral factors work together to determine a child's rate of growth. As the caregiver, your job is to provide the right materials for growth - a wide variety of nutritious foods.

Nutrition During Pregnancy

Proper nutrition during pregnancy plays a vital role in determining the health of the newborn child. Through the quantity and quality of what a pregnant woman eats, she provides the nourishment necessary to begin and maintain the growth and development of her fetus.

Guidelines for Daily Food Choices

For most women, a balanced diet during pregnancy will consist of three meals a day.

Meals should contain nutrient-rich foods from each of the following food groups: proteins, fruits, vegetables, grain products, and milk and milk products.

Protein-rich foods have the added advantage of containing iron and B vitamins. Two or three servings of protein foods a day will meet the requirement. Good choices are lean meats, fish, eggs, beans and tofu. Poorer choices, because they contain a high percentage of fat, are hot dogs, sausage, spare ribs, and especially bacon.

Three to five daily servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits are necessary to supply vitamins, particularly A and C. Recommended fruits include citrus (oranges, grapefruits) as well as apples, bananas, guavas, mangos and dried fruit. Vegetables may be dark green -- such as broccoli, spinach or kale -- or a variety of others including carrots, cabbage, ...

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... burgers, and even sweets if everything is in the right balance.

A good plan might include: a bagel, topped with peanut butter and sliced apples, an orange and a cup of skim milk for breakfast. For lunch--a sandwich of lean ham, turkey, or beef, low-fat cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts and onions, along with a piece of fresh fruit, graham crackers, and flavored low-fat yogurt. Dinner might be pasta mixed with black beans and low-fat cheese, or a Canadian bacon pizza, fruit salad, skim milk, and pudding for dessert.

For snacks,try bagels and low-fat cream cheese, instant soups, popcorn, pretzels, veggies and low-fat dip. Yogurt, pudding, graham crackers and quick English muffin mini-pizzas make easy, nutritous treats as well.

Bibliography:

· www.eatright.com Internet resource

· www.drblank.com Internet resource

· www.kootasca.com Internet resource

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