Kids need fat
New, not so shocking research, says that kids need more fat than adults because they burn it more rapidly. To grow and develop properly children need fat in their diets. Families should stay away from low-fat menus. What does this mean for families who are trying to lose weight? I’m not a licensed nutritionist but I do have some common sense. Here’s my advice.
When you go to the grocery store stock up on the foods on the outside aisles, like fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and bread. Give your kids foods with healthy fats in them, like nuts, avocado, yogurt and real (not processed) cheeses. When you cook, stay away from margarine and use healthier fats like olive oil. Small amounts of butter, while not necessarily good for you, will add more flavor to your food and strike me as being better than chemical sprays or spreads.
Stay away from fat-free junk foods. Prepackaged processed junk food may not have fat in it but that doesn’t mean it’s low in calories or good for you. Instead, bake your own cookies, muffins and cakes. That way you can control what goes into them and make healthy substitutions, like applesauce for some of the oil. If you prefer salty snacks, read labels. If you don’t recognize the ingredients, don’t buy the food. Your foods shouldn’t have partially hydrogenated anything in them. Try and get whole grain, whole wheat crackers. Sometimes they’re higher in fat and calories than the regular versions, but it’s usually the good for you fats and you’ll get more fiber as a trade off.
My last bit of advice? Exercise! Get out and take a walk after dinner instead of sitting in front of the TV. Play catch with your kids while the meatloaf is in the oven. The more you exercise the less you’ll have to worry about weight gain. If you really need an ice cream cone after dinner walk to the ice cream shop instead of driving and you can call it even.
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August 21st, 2007 at 9:42 am
And fish! Don’t forget our scaled friends.
One of the best fats out there!