Alternative substitutes for meat in your child's food menu

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Medical Video: Meat Lovers Get Pranked With Plant Burgers

You can spend day after day persuading your child to eat something healthy. Children are known to be picky about food, and they avoid whole food or food groups from certain colors.

Because it contains several important nutrients, meat is an important part of a balanced diet for your child. Add it to your child's diet, help prevent them from lacking vitamins and minerals that can endanger health. Here are the ingredients in meat:

1. Iron

Iron is a nutrient that your child needs to get energy, as well as for its growth and development. This substance carries oxygen through the blood to its internal organs. Lack of iron, as in anemia, can cause fatigue and reduce the immune system. Your child needs 8-10 milligrams of iron every day.

Meat and seafood is the main source of iron. Serving meat or seafood for your child is a simple way to make sure it gets enough iron. Beef contains about 2 milligrams of iron per serving, chicken has about 1 milligram, and most types of seafood contain between 0.5 and 1 milligrams.

2. Protein

Protein has an important role in the growth and development of your child. Protein is also a source of energy. Meat is a healthy source of protein that supports your child's bones, muscles, blood, skin and hormones. 10% -35% of your child's daily calorie intake must come from protein. Serving 3 ounces of meat from most types contains around 20 grams of protein, making it an easy way to help your child reach the goal of his protein intake.

3. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is very important for the development of your child's nerve and cell growth. These nutrients are only available in animal foods, so meat is an ideal way to ensure that your child gets recommended daily levels; 1.2-1.8 micrograms; what he needs for good health. Salmon, trout, and tuna contain between 2.5-5 micrograms of vitamin B12 per serving. Beef contains about 1.5 micrograms and chicken with almost 1 microgram.

Alternative meat substitute

Many children choose to refuse to drink milk, milk products, eggs, nuts or almond butter, baked bean bread, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, green leafy vegetables, dried beans and beans, all of which are alternatives to meat. How to make lentil burgers with hummus, salads, and home-made chips as a pleasant alternative?

The better you consider, however, is that animal and plant proteins differ in what is given.

You can meet your protein needs through plant sources, but there is no doubt that meat is the richest source of protein, iron and vitamin B12 (a nutrient that makes vegetarians at risk of deficiency). Animal protein is considered to have complete protein, which means it gives all 9 essential amino acids, while some vegetable proteins may lack one or more essential amino acids.

BUT, it is possible to get all the essential amino acids by combining various vegetable proteins together. Remember, they don't need to be combined with every meal. Whether at one meal session a day or even once a week is okay.

  • Lentils with nuts or seeds
  • chickpeas with grains

Another thing to remember is that the absorption of iron from these foods is not as good as meat, so keep on trying to include meat if possible.

  • Keep offering a small amount of minced chicken, steak, beef, lamb or fish when eating.
  • Using chopped creatively can sometimes be better - you can try it by making pizza, or pasta.
  • Some children love the entertainment value of chewing bones, so take advantage of this. Try giving them chicken wings that are fun to eat away.
Alternative substitutes for meat in your child's food menu
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