Harmful Foods We Often Give to Our Children

Many children start eating foods that contain a lot of sugar at a very young age. This causes a child’s taste buds to reduce their sensitivity, so normal food doesn’t seem appealing anymore. There are also foods that children shouldn’t eat because of the physiological characteristics of their body.

We at Bright Side decided to find out how to teach a child to eat healthy food and which seemingly healthy foods they shouldn’t eat at all.

1. Grapes

Juices are popular among children of different ages. They are convenient and come in bright packages. But this is where the advantages of packaged juice end. A glass of juice contains 5-6 teaspoons of sugar. The dissolved sugar immediately gets absorbed into the bloodstream which is bad for the metabolism of carbohydrates.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends eating fruit instead of drinking juice. Thanks to the fiber in fruit, the juice is absorbed gradually. You could also try to get them to drink fresh-squeezed juice or a smoothie.

2. Yogurt

In order to choose a healthy yogurt, you need to read the ingredients. First, don’t buy the most dangerous yogurt products that are not stored in the fridge, but on open shelves. Second, buy natural yogurts instead of sweet ones.

Yogurts with fruit contain a lot of sugar, fat, and calories which leads to children becoming overweight and increases their risk of getting diabetes.

3. Cereals

Flakes, muesli, and other similar foods look very healthy in commercials which claim that they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. In fact, these foods don’t contain any healthy elements. But what they do contain is a lot of sugar. All of the healthy elements of corn, wheat, and oats are removed during production and only carbohydrates are left.

It’s very hard to satiate hunger with this food, so just a few hours later, the child will be hungry again. A good replacement is an oatmeal. You can add fruit and nuts to make it more attractive for children.

4. Honey

Children before the age of 2 shouldn’t eat honey. This is not only about a possible allergic reaction but sometimes honey contains bacteria that can lead to a serious infectious disease called botulism.

5. Juice

rapes contain vitamins and minerals that children need. But there is a reason why children shouldn’t be allowed to eat them: they are big and slippery and a child can choke on them.

Also, grapes are very difficult for a child’s digestive tract to process. Bananas are a great replacement for children younger than 2.

6. Multivitamins for children

Vitamins are a pretty controversial topic. The thing is, parents often rely on their knowledge and experience instead of consulting an expert which is completely wrong and can even be dangerous. No matter how harmless animal-shaped vitamins look, they should only be prescribed by doctors.

Children should get their necessary vitamins from food, there is no need to give them any supplements.

7. Milkshakes

Faced with a choice between a soda and a milkshake, any parent would most certainly choose the milkshake. But as it turns out, they are just as dangerous as soda and contain a lot of fat and sugar.

The latest research says that drinking such a fatty drink regularly can lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases. This product is dangerous even for adults, let alone children.

It’s impossible to not let children eat sugar at all and it’s not necessary. What’s really important is to shape the correct attitude toward sweet foods. Explain to children that sweets are desserts and they can’t replace normal food. If a person has good dietary habits as a child, there is a high probability that they will eat healthy food when they are adults.