A Healthy Diet for Children
Nutrition and children 6-12 years
Children's nutrition is important and lays the
foundation for eating habits later on. Diet affects their well-being and health
both in the short and long term. Healthy food is also essential for normal
growth and development.
The Act on Compulsory and Upper Secondary Schools and the National Curriculum Guide stipulates that a health-promoting environment must be created in schools and that a healthy diet must be offered in accordance with the recommendations of the Office of the Medical Director of Health.
In health-promoting schools, the goal is to create conditions that promote a healthy lifestyle, the health and well-being of everyone in the school community, thereby promoting a healthy diet.
The food circle reflects the diversity
The food circle shows six food categories. The
basis of a healthy diet is to eat a variety of foods from all food groups. It
is also important to eat a variety of foods from each category because each
food type has its own specific composition of nutrients.
Cereals
Cereals include oats, rye, wheat, barley, rice,
maize, and other cereals, as well as products from these products, such as
bread, cereal porridge (eg porridge), pasta, and breakfast cereals. Potatoes
belong to two food categories, cereals, and vegetables. Potatoes are high in
carbohydrates and are therefore a good source of starch, just like the cereals
rice and pasta.
What and how diet?
Choose whole-grain products more often than fine
products because then fiber and other cavities are still present.
Choose brown rice (brown rice) and whole wheat
pasta more often than white rice and traditional pasta, but also broken wheat
(bulgur) and other whole grains.
It is best to choose bread made from whole grains,
such as wheat, rye, barley, or oats.
Crispbread, biscuits, pretzels, bagels, and bread
can be a good change from traditional bread and can, for example, replace
biscuits for afternoon refreshments.
Eat porridge from whole fiber-rich grains. Brown
rice, broken wheat, or barley can be added to soups and salads.
Breakfast cereal is a convenient breakfast. There
are many types of breakfast cereals and it is necessary to choose carefully.
Choose types that are low in sugar and high in fiber.
Why is it important to eat whole grains?
Cereal products, especially whole-grain products,
are healthy food. They contain a number of nutrients that are important for
health, such as fiber, various B vitamins (vitamin B1 and vitamin B2), vitamin
E and minerals (potassium, iron, magnesium, and selenium) as well as other
nutrients.
High-fiber foods, such as whole grains, are
important for good digestion.
Fiber-rich products, such as whole-grain products,
can help keep your weight within normal limits as they provide a feeling of
satiety and fullness.
Those who eat high-fiber foods, such as whole
grains, along with other healthy foods, are less likely to get chronic diseases
such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes), and
some types of cancer.
Vegetables
All vegetables and pure vegetable juices belong to
the vegetable part of the food cycle. Potatoes belong to both bowls of cereal and
vegetables in the same way as beans belong to both vegetables and
fish/meat/beans because the composition of the nutrients is similar to both
categories.
What and how diet?
It is recommended that adults eat at least five
servings or 500 grams of vegetables, fruits, and juice per day, of which at At least 200 g of vegetables and 200 g of fruit as well as potatoes.
It is advisable to eat vegetables in as many meals
as possible.
It is best to eat a variety of vegetables, both raw
and cooked. If vegetables are cooked, it is best to use a little water and boil
for a short time so that cavities are not lost.
It is desirable that vegetables fill 1/3 of the
plate.
Vegetables can be added to casseroles, pasta
dishes, pizzas, or grills.
It is best to have vegetables between meals to
nibble on and on top of the bread.
Vegetables are also good for bread and even cakes.
Potatoes are best boiled or baked or use other
cooking methods that do not require a lot of fat.
It is desirable to boil potatoes in the skin so
that cavities are less likely to be lost to the water.
Beans and lentils can be used as a side dish, added
to soups and meat dishes, or in salads.
Why is it important to eat vegetables?
Vegetables are rich in vitamins, such as folate,
vitamin C and beta-carotene, minerals, fiber, and many other nutrients that are
important for the body to maintain good health. Vegetables are almost
invariably low in energy and fat.
High-fiber foods, such as vegetables, can help keep
your weight within normal limits as it provides a feeling of satiety and
fullness but provides relatively little energy (few calories).
Vegetables and fruits can be helpful in maintaining
normal blood pressure.
Those who regularly eat vegetables and fruits along
with other healthy foods are less likely to develop chronic diseases such as
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes), and some types
of cancer.
Fruits and vegetables are the foods that naturally
have the most folate (one of the B vitamins) and therefore there is reason to
encourage everyone to consume them. All women who may become pregnant are
advised to eat folate-rich foods as well as take a 400 microgram folate tablet
(folic acid tablet) daily to reduce the risk of fetal harm.
Fruits and berries
All fruits, berries, and pure juices from these
products are included in the fruit and berry category.
What and how diet?
It is advisable to eat at least five servings or
500 grams of vegetables, fruits, and juice per day for adults, including at At least 200 g of vegetables and 200 g of fruits, as well as potatoes.
Fruits and berries are suitable between meals and
you can also use fruit in cooking, such as in various dishes, in salads, and as
desserts.
Fruits and berries can be placed on bread, such as
banana or apple slices, or used in cakes, bread or pies.
Fruit can be cut into sour milk products or
porridge.
Fruits and berries can replace sweets.
Choose drinks and fruit products that do not
contain added sugar.
Choose fresh whole fruits and berries more often
than pure fruit and berry drinks to keep the fiber with you.
Why is it important to eat fruits and berries?
Fruits and berries contain similar nutrients as
vegetables. They are rich in vitamins (eg folate and vitamin C), minerals (such
as potassium), fiber, and many other nutrients that are important for health.
Fruits and berries are low in sodium and generally low in energy and fat. Dried
fruits, however, contain much more energy than the same amount of fresh fruit.
Fiber-rich foods such as fruits and berries can
help keep weight within normal limits as they can provide a feeling of satiety
and fullness but most provide relatively little energy (few calories).
Fruits and vegetables can be helpful in keeping
your blood pressure within normal limits.
Those who eat fruit and vegetables regularly along
with other healthy foods are less likely to get chronic diseases such as
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes), and some types
of cancer.
Fruits and vegetables are the foods that naturally
have the most folate (one of the B vitamins) and therefore a reason to
encourage everyone to consume them.
Fish, meat, eggs, beans, and nuts
This category includes fish, meat, eggs, and beans
and dishes from these foods. Nuts and seeds also belong to this food category.
Beans are included in this food category in addition to the vegetable category
because they have in part similar nutrients to fish and meat.
What and how diet?
It is advisable to eat fish at least twice a week,
often sometimes fatty fish such as salmon, trout, halibut, or catfish. Also,
use fish salad and fish salad on bread.
Choose low-fat meats and meat products with less
than 10g of fat in a 100g serving. Cut visible fat from the meat.
Salted meat and meat products should be on the
table as rarely as possible.
When cooking fish and meat, it is advisable to
oven-fry or boil as often as possible and use oil for cooking rather than
butter or margarine.
Eat a bean dish because beans are high in protein
and rich in fiber. Various beans can also be used in hot dishes, such as meat
dishes or salads.
Use nuts and seeds in food, for example in a vegetable
buffet, in hot dishes, on salads, or as a snack. Nuts and seeds contain various
cavities, but these products are high in energy and therefore the amount should
always be set in moderation.
Why is it important to eat fish, meat, eggs, beans,
nuts, and seeds?
Fish, meat, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds provide
various nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fish, meat, and
eggs, for example, are good sources of B vitamins (vitamin B1, vitamin B2,
niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12). Fatty fish is rich in vitamin D and vitamin E
is found in seeds, almonds, and nuts. Meat is a good source of iron, zinc, and
selenium and fish contains selenium as well as iodine. Fish, especially fatty
fish, and many types of nuts and seeds also contain healthy oils such as
omega-3 fatty acids.
Fatty meats, such as lamb, beef, are relatively high in saturated fat. A diet
high in saturated fat can raise LDL-cholesterol in the blood (bad cholesterol)
but it increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Edema, bacon, and various
sausages are both fatty and salty, but high salt intake can raise blood
pressure.
To keep blood fats and blood pressure within
healthy limits, people should consume plenty of fatty and salted meat products
in moderation. Excessive consumption of red and processed meats is thought to
promote colon cancer. If people often eat fatty foods, it is difficult to
prevent the energy they ingest during the day from exceeding their energy
needs, and then the risk of overweight and obesity increases.
Milk and dairy products
This category includes milk, dairy products, and
cheeses, but not butter (and butter products) which are classified as fatty.
What and how diet?
It is advisable to get two servings of milk or milk
food a day. One serving corresponds to a glass of milk, a small can of skyr or
yogurt, or cheese on two slices of bread.
It is best to choose low-fat products for both
drinking and cooking.
It is best to choose unsweetened or low-sugar
products.
Sour dairy products, such as yogurt and skyr, go
well with fresh fruit or fruit salad.
Dairy products are suitable for vegetable dips and
sauces.
Those with lactose intolerance (lactose
intolerance) can choose solid cheeses and possibly yogurt. Others who do not
want milk (eg those with milk allergies) can get calcium-fortified soy milk and
other calcium-fortified products or take calcium tablets.
Why is it important to consume milk and dairy
products?
Milk and dairy products are nutritious foods. They
contain, for example, a lot of protein, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, calcium,
iodine, selenium, and potassium.
If people regularly consume milk and dairy products
as well as other healthy foods, it contributes to bone building and maintenance
and thus reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
Consumption of milk and dairy products is
especially important for bone formation in childhood and adolescence.
Various dairy products, such as many kinds of
cheese, fresh milk, and cream, and products made from these products contain a relatively high amount of saturated (hard) fat.
A diet rich in saturated fat raises LDL-cholesterol
in the blood (the bad cholesterol) but it increases the risk of coronary heart
disease.
Therefore, people should consume fatty dairy
products in moderation.
Excessive lactation is not desirable as it can lead
to a monotonous diet.
Fitment
This category includes all types of fatty foods,
such as vegetable oils, fish oil, frying fats, butter, and other additives,
margarine, tallow, and butter.
What and how diet?
Choose oil or soft fats instead of hard fats
(saturated and trans fats) such as margarine or butter, tallow or butter.
It is advisable to use oil or soft fats when
cooking in moderation.
It is desirable to spread a thin layer of soft
additive on the bread if it is greased.
It is advisable to take fish oil or fish oil pills
at least during the winter.
Choose different types of oils and soft fats as
each type of oil gives different cavities.
Serve fatty sauces as rarely as possible, but use
tomato, sour milk, or sour cream sauces (10%) and thick sauce sauces. If sauces
are baked, oil or soft fats should be used.
If salad dressings are served with salad, they
should be made from oil together with vinegar or lemon juice or from low-fat
dairy products such as sour skim milk or yogurt.
Why is it important to consume fats, especially
oils and soft fats?
Edible oil is high in vitamin E and fish oil is a
very good source of vitamin D. Edible oils are usually high in monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated fatty acids but relatively low in hard fats.
Preferably, most of the fats that people consume
are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Since monounsaturated fats have
an even better effect on blood fats than polyunsaturated ones,
It is
recommended that people consume more monounsaturated fats than polyunsaturated
fats, although it is important to consume both. Olive oil and rapeseed oil are
rich in monounsaturated fats, while corn oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil
are examples of high-polyunsaturated fats.
Certain types of polyunsaturated fatty acids are
essential for the body, such as omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids,
and are found in various vegetable oils, for example. Fish oil and other fish
fats contain long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
Hard fats (fats that are hard at room temperature)
contain more saturated fats and trans fats than edible oils and fish oils. Hard
fats raise LDL cholesterol in the blood, but this type of cholesterol increases
the risk of coronary heart disease. Therefore, the consumption of hard fats
should be limited.
Trans fatty acids are formed, for example, by the
hardening of vegetable oils and fish oil and are found in industrially produced
products, such as margarine, biscuits, cakes, various sweets, french fries, and
snacks. Tran’s fatty acids are considered particularly undesirable for the body
and should therefore be restricted as much as possible.
Fat is a vital nutrient. However, it is important
to keep in mind that all fats are high in energy, both oils, and hard fats.
Therefore, the consumption of fat must be tailored
to the energy needs of each individual. If a diet is high in fat, it can be
difficult to prevent the energy that is ingested during the day from exceeding
the energy requirement, and then the chances of overweight and obesity increase.
The endpoint - the circle closed
There are no sweets, cakes, biscuits, ice cream,
sugary soft drinks, or juices in the food circle, as these products are not
necessary for the growth and maintenance of the body.
These
products are mostly fatty (often hard fats) or sweet (added sugar) and some
both. They often contain a lot of energy but little or no essential nutrients,
which is why they are unfortunate. Sweets also damage teeth. Studies also
suggest that consuming sugary drinks, such as soft drinks, may increase the
risk of obesity.
These products are therefore not part of a healthy
diet but can come in small amounts from time to time. Some people choose a
sweet day for sweets to learn to control their intake.
