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COOKING WITH
KIDS
With intense media focus on
increasing rates of juvenile diabetes and childhood obesity,
it's important to instill in children at a young age healthy
attitudes about food and eating.
The Ontario government has
recently initiated a campaign, focused on changing perceptions
and habits, that includes a website called
notgonnakillyou.ca.
At stratfordscooking.com, I
want to promote awareness of childhood issues concerning diet
through the provision of tools, information, tips and recipes.
My hope is that these things can be used to help you get your
kids involved in the preparation of meals while having fun and
having a say in what the family eats.
The following is a wonderful
link to the
Today's Parent site that provides a searchable "Cooking
With Kids" database of recipes. I've simply provided the link
but will list any recipes that we try and enjoy. Likewise, if
you try some of these (or other) recipes and would like to
recommend them, please
send me an email and I'll be sure to post them.
Dr Alan Greene's
Daily Dose (9 parts)
Part 1 - Brain Food For Your
Kids: How Do You Score
Part 2 - From Backyard
Gardens to Kindergarten
Part 3 - Brain Building
Part 4 - How is Your Food
Grown?
Part 5 - Antioxidants -
Extra Credit
Part 6 - Additives
Part 7 - Refined Sugars and
Flour
Part 8 - School Fuel -
Homework for Parents
Part 9 - How Much Do Kids
Need?
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Part 1 -
Brain Food
For Your Kids: How Do You Score
Each day at school, millions of children are faced with
a lunch that actually works against them. Unhealthy versions
of French fries , chips, hot dogs, burgers, and pizza fill
school cafeterias; partially hydrogenated, high fructose corn
syrup-sweetened snacks fill lunch bags brought from home. The
crusts and buns of the more popular options are likely to be
made from over-processed white flour. The vegetables are likely
to be over-cooked and under-appetizing. The beverages are even
worse.
Each day, a growing number of other school children
enjoy delicious lunches that help put them ahead. Their school
cafeterias may feature healthy items they will actually choose
to eat, while keeping junk foods and beverages where they
belong-out of arm's reach. Or, their parents might send them to
school with a tasty, healthy lunch that nourishes their bodies
and their brains.
What's on your child's plate today?
It is my strong conviction that children deserve a healthy
breakfast to start the school morning right and a healthy school
lunch to fuel their growing and their learning. I have come to
believe that nutrition plays a key role, not only in children's
short and long term health, but also by providing them with a
critical physiological foundation to help them succeed in
school. Behavior and academic performance are affected (and
significantly over a lifetime) by the quantity and quality of
the foods we provide children during the school years.
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Greene's Daily Dose list
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Part 2 -
From Backyard
Gardens to Kindergarten
When I was growing up, my father grew tomatoes in our back yard.
These carefully tended, vine-ripened tomatoes were absolutely
delicious -- far better than most others I can remember - and it
was all thanks to the rich, organically managed soil. All of the
tomato plant's growth is made from materials taken from the
soil, and nothing can be incorporated into the plant unless it
is available in the soil. This is why plants grown in depleted
soils are just not the same. Commercial fertilizers can add back
nitrogen and the basic required minerals, but they cannot
replicate the rich spectrum of nourishment in soil that is
organically maintained. The plant will just do the best it can
with whatever materials are available.
When my daughter Claire was born, she weighed 7 pounds 6 ounces.
Today, she is 16 years old and weighs over 100 pounds. All of
the materials for Claire's dramatic growth have come from the
food she has eaten. Like the tomato plant, my daughter's body
does the best it can with what's available.
Food is the building block for every part of a child's body,
from bones and skin and muscles to organs, including the brain
and its complex, ever growing network of neural connections.
Children's bodies are very forgiving-but why not offer them the
best building blocks during the school years? And why not
protect them from chemicals and junk ingredients in what
they eat and drink, or from foods that have the nourishment
processed out of them?
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Part 3 -
Brain Building
Today in the United States, 1 in 6 children suffers from a
disability that affects their behavior, memory, or ability to
learn. More than $80 billion dollars are spent each year in the
U.S. to treat neurodevelopmental disorders. Diagnoses
of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD ) alone up are
up 250% since 1990. How much of a role does modern food play in
this increase?
Children's brains are built differently depending on what they
are fed when they are rapidly growing. Healthy brains are about
60% structural fat (not like the flabby fat found elsewhere in
the body). As the brain grows, it selects building blocks from
among the fatty acids available in what the child eats. The most
prevalent structural fat in the brain is DHA (docosahexaenoic
acid), one of the omega 3 fatty acids. DHA is also a major
structural component of the retina of the eye. A large number of
studies have suggested that low DHA levels are associated with
problems with intelligence, vision, and behavior.
DHA is the most prevalent long chain fatty acid in human breast
milk , which suggests that it's intended for babies to consume a
lot of it. Studies have shown that babies who have not gotten
DHA in their diets have significantly less of it in their brains
than those who have.
My point (at the moment) is not about the superiority of breast
milk, but that growing children quite literally are what they
eat. When you think about this, you begin to feel differently
about “cheap” food.
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Part 4 -
How Is Your Food Grown?
We've established that kids develop differently depending on how
they are nourished. Now let's return to how the food they eat
is, in turn, affected by what materials are available to grow
it.
For instance, cheese, milk, and meat can provide high levels DHA
and other of omega 3's (as well as providing high levels
vitamin E and beta carotene) if it's produced from
pasture-fed organic cows, but not from grain-fed confinement
cows. Simply put, fresh grass provides the building blocks for a
different quality of product.
Iron is another nutrient that is essential to optimal brain
function. We know from a large body of previous research
that school-aged children who are iron deficient don't learn as
well. School performance is worse; memory is weakened. Girls are
more likely to suffer from anemia, but many non-anemic girls are
seriously affected by slightly low iron levels. Today in the
U.S., we are seeing iron deficiency at a level that impacts
intellectual growth in as many as 1 in 6 girls at some point in
their school careers. Other studies have shown that teen girls
who have low iron are more than twice as likely as similar girls
with normal iron levels to score below average in mathematics
achievement tests.
Here's a very interesting study reported in the December 2004
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine - the first to
connect children's iron levels and ADHD.
ADHD has become a major problem, increasingly affecting school
classrooms in recent years. Between March 2002 and June 2003,
110 children from the same school district in Paris, France were
referred to a university hospital to be evaluated for
school-related problems. Fifty-three of these children met the
criteria for a definite diagnosis of ADHD. Researchers analyzed
blood samples from these children and from 27 of the other
children who did not turn out to have ADHD. The average ferritin
(iron) level in the non-ADHD kids was normal, but the average
level in the children with ADHD was about half that of the other
children. Fully 84 percent of the children with ADHD were iron
deficient, with ferritin levels less than 30 ng/ml. And the
lower the serum ferritin was in this study, the worse the ADHD
symptoms - worse hyperactivity, worse oppositional behavior, and
worse cognitive scores.
The stunning part of this study was that none of the children
had iron levels low enough to indicate anemia. The iron
deficiency was subtle enough that all tested normal on the
hemoglobin or hematocrit blood tests used in doctors' offices to
screen for iron problems. I suspect that inadequate iron in the
diet is also affecting the attention, focus, and activity of
many children who don't meet the full definition of ADHD.
When other researchers fed appropriate iron to children with
ADHD, their test scores and ADHD symptoms improved.
The amount of iron children get from foods depends not just
on what types of food they choose, but on how that food is
grown. Recent evidence has shown that conventional, chemical
farming has resulted in depleted nutrients in common food crops.
Levels of vitamins and minerals (including iron) have fallen
over the last fifty years, as this type of agriculture
prevailed.
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to Dr. Greene's Daily Dose list
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Part 5 - Antioxidants – Extra Credit
Kids need more than isolated, individual nutrients to boost
their brains and school performance. There are big-picture
benefits to eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and
vegetables, whole grains, and fiber. Antioxidants include a
large variety of compounds found in a large variety of whole
foods. Antioxidants in foods have been linked to improved memory
and brain function.
Even in the same food, antioxidant levels can vary depending on
how the food is grown. Organic foods , on average, are about 30%
higher in antioxidants than are their non-organic counterparts9.
That means each organic serving may be packed with more valuable
nutrients. Talk about extra credit!
Avoid Organophosphates
Organophosphates are the most commonly used insecticides in
conventional, chemical agriculture. These chemicals act as nerve
agents, and have been linked to neurodevelopmental problems10.
Organically-grown foods are produced without the use of toxic
pesticides such as organophosphates. Choosing organic foods for
children can immediately and significantly decrease their
exposure to organophosphate pesticides11. That's good protection
for the developing brain-it's elementary.
Some are afraid school children would have to eat unfamiliar or
unappetizing foods in order to make a difference. Not so! A
February 2006 study12 conducted by Dr. Chensheng Lu and
colleagues demonstrated an immediate and dramatic ability to
reduce organophosphate pesticide exposure by making simple diet
changes in elementary school children.
The researchers conducted this study using typical suburban
children. They collected morning and evening urine samples daily
from each child. Pesticide breakdown products appeared routinely
in the urine samples.
Then the researchers made a simple change: the elementary school
kids began eating organic versions of whatever they were eating
before. For example, if they typically ate apples, now they
got organic apples. Only if there was a simple organic
substitution available for what the kids were already eating,
did they make a switch. The kids didn't have to learn to like
any new foods.
Within 24 hours, pesticide breakdown products found in the urine
plummeted! They continued this way for five days, with clean
urine samples morning and night. Then the kids went back to
their typical suburban diets. The organic foods were taken away.
And immediately the pesticides returned. These elementary school
children went back to a chronic low-level exposure to
organophosphate pesticides from the diet.
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to Dr. Greene's Daily Dose list
Part 6 - Additives
Researchers at the University of Southampton studied over
1800 three-year-old children, some with and some without ADHD,
some with and some without allergies. After initial behavioral
testing, all of the children got one week of a diet without any
artificial food colorings and without any chemical
preservatives. The children's behavior measurably improved
during this week. But was this from the extra attention, from
eating more fruits and vegetables, or from the absence of the
preservatives and artificial colors?
To answer this question, the researchers continued the diet, but
gave the children disguised drinks containing either a mixture
of artificial colorings and the preservative benzoate, or
similarly colored drinks from natural, food sources. The results
were published in the June 2004 Archives of Diseases in
Childhood. The weeks that children got the hidden chemicals,
their behavior was substantially worse. This held true whether
or not they had been diagnosed with hyperactivity, and whether
or not they had tested positive for allergies - good news
for parents everywhere!
Removing artificial colors and preservatives from the diet was
dramatically effective at reducing hyperactivity-somewhere
between the effectiveness of clonidine and Ritalin, two
prescription ADHD drugs. How much better to support children's
mood and behavior with healthy food, than with drugs! Some
children may still need medicine, but with a healthy diet, we
may be able to use lower doses. And it stands to reason that
this diet would be better for all children, whether or not they
have behavior problems.
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to Dr. Greene's Daily Dose list
Refined Sugars and Flour
Food processing can have other negative effects on kids' brains.
In the 1800s the average American consumed 12 pounds of sugar
per year. Due to the overwhelming success of the refined-food
industry, however, by 1975 sugar consumption had jumped 1000%
to 118 pounds per capita, and continued increasing to an average
of 137.5 pounds for every man, woman, and child by 1990.
Where are all these sugars coming from? It's not just cookies,
candies, and other sweet treats! Sugars - and more recently,
high fructose corn syrup14 show up astonishing variety of food
labels , and high on the list of ingredients in the sweetened
beverages that kids guzzle. They are ubiquitous in
many convenience foods and fast foods , and you will find them
in much of the processed food served in school lunches.
The effect of sugar intake is a hotly debated topic in
pediatrics. Parents and educators often contend that sugar and
other carbohydrate ingestion can dramatically impact children's
behavior, activity and attention. However, physicians looking at
controlled studies of sugar intake do not find hypoglycemia or
other blood sugar abnormalities in the children who are
consuming large amounts of sugar.
The Journal of Pediatrics15 reported that there is a more
pronounced response to a glucose load in children than in
adults. In children, hypoglycemia-like symptoms (including
shakiness, sweating, and altered thinking and behavior) may
occur at a blood sugar level that would not be considered
hypoglycemic. The authors reason that the problem is not sugar,
per se, but highly refined sugars and carbohydrates, which enter
the bloodstream quickly and produce more rapid fluctuations in
blood glucose levels.
Serving a breakfast with complex carbohydrates (like oatmeal,
shredded wheat, berries, bananas, or whole-grain pancakes) and
packing a lunch with delicious fiber-containing treats (such
as whole-grain breads and fresh fruit) will help keep your
child's adrenaline levels more constant, which may increase
their ability to pay attention in school.
Overcooking
When foods are cooked, their nutrient profile changes. For
instance, overcooking can destroy beta-carotene, an important
antioxidant. Overcooked carrots have significantly lower
antioxidants overall than do raw or gently cooked carrots. The
same is true for broccoli and asparagus. Baked or boiled russet
potatoes have higher nutrient levels than do raw potatoes-but
frying the potatoes destroys important nutrients. Peeling some
foods (such as apples, potatoes, or cucumbers) can also decrease
antioxidant power16.
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to Dr. Greene's Daily Dose list
School Fuel – Homework for Parents
Kids brains are high-performance engines, and if we want them to
do their best in school, we need to provide them with clean,
high-quality fuel. For growing children this means a balanced
diet of delicious whole foods, grown in a nutrition-enhancing
way without toxic pesticides, and prepared in an appealing
manner that also preserves nutrients.
As a pediatrician, it is my strong conviction that kids need and
deserve a healthy breakfast before school. Several studies have
shown that a good breakfast can result in better academic
performance in the classroom and higher standardized test scores
in math, reading, and vocabulary17.
And the need for quality food doesn't stop when your kids leave
the house in the morning. Each child deserves to have a
balanced, nutritious lunch at school, each and every day.
Organic dairy products, proteins (beans, nuts, eggs, or lean
meat), whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables are all
recommended parts of the school lunch curriculum.
What can you do as a parent to make this happen? Here's your
homework:
·
Model healthy eating and drinking behavior for your kids
·
Start each day with a healthy breakfast with your family (and
when possible, end each day with a shared sit-down dinner )
·
Pack healthful lunches with less-processed, organic foods.
·
Ask and research what your kids are served at school. Take a
field trip to the lunchroom if you can, to observe and sample
the lunch options.
·
Show and Tell - Share your concerns about school food with
administrators, school boards, politicians. They need to hear
from you to make healthy food a school policy priority. Use your
voice and your votes to make a difference.
Solid science has shown that food affects kids' memory,
attention, and cognitive skills. Even whether or not they eat
breakfast changes their test scores. What they eat, how their
food is grown, and how their food is processed can all help
their brains to operate at their very best. Let's give our kids
the edge they deserve.
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to Dr. Greene's Daily Dose list
How Much Do Kids Need?
Kids can benefit from dietary improvements at any age. Quality
foods make a difference when they are young, and their brains
are growing most rapidly. It also makes a huge difference for
teens, whose brains are restructuring for adult life.
For most kids, about 80% of adult height is gained before 6th
grade is over, but the need for quality nutrition doesn't stop
there. About 20% of adult height and 50% of adult weight are
gained during adolescence. Most boys double their lean body mass
between the ages of 10 and 17. Because growth and change is so
rapid during this period, the requirements for all nutrients
increase.
You can use these guidelines to help make nutritious choices and
create balanced meals for your kids. And remember that organic
foods may provide a nutrition bonus from healthy mineral
content, higher antioxidant content, as well as lowering your
child's exposure to developmentally disruptive pesticides.
Girls from 4-8 years old
Whole grains - 4 oz
Vegetables - 1 cup
Fruits - 1.5 cups
Beans, nuts, eggs, or lean meats - 3 oz
Milk, other dairy, or other source of calcium and protein - 2
cups
Boys from 4-8 years old
Whole grains - 5 oz
Vegetables - 1.5 cups
Fruits - 1.5 cups
Beans, nuts, eggs, or lean meats - 4 oz
Milk, other dairy, or other source of calcium and protein - 2
cups
Girls from 9-13 years old
Whole grains - 5 oz
Vegetables - 2 cups
Fruits - 1.5 cups
Beans, nuts, eggs, or lean meats - 5 oz
Milk, other dairy, or other source of calcium and protein - 3
cups
Boys from 9-13 years old
Whole grains - 6 oz
Vegetables - 2.5 cups
Fruits - 1.5 cups
Beans, nuts, eggs, or lean meats - 5 oz
Milk, other dairy, or other source of calcium and protein - 3
cups
Girls from 14-18 years old
Whole grains - 6oz
Vegetables - 2.5 cups
Fruits - 1.5 cups
Beans, nuts, eggs, or lean meats - 5 oz
Milk, other dairy, or other source of calcium and protein - 3
cups
Boys from 14-18 years old
Whole grains - 7 oz
Vegetables - 3 cups
Fruits - 2 cups
Beans, nuts, eggs, or lean meats - 6 oz
Milk, other dairy, or other source of calcium and protein - 3
cups
Dr. Greene's Recommendations are adapted from the 2006 American
Academy of Pediatrics/American Heart Association guidelines.
If you have
recipes or suggestions you'd like to submit for the Cooking with
Kids section, please contact me at
info@stratfordscooking.com.
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