Contents:
- Medical Video: Nutritional Calculations : How to Read a Food Label for a Low-Carb Diet
- Can a child have a low carbohydrate diet?
- What happens when children undergo a low-carbohydrate diet?
- Choose healthy carbohydrates for children
- Don't forget, adjust the portion of carbohydrates for children
- Children's carbohydrate needs
- Carbohydrate needs of boys
- Carbohydrate needs of girls
Medical Video: Nutritional Calculations : How to Read a Food Label for a Low-Carb Diet
At present, low carbohydrate diets are popular and carried out by many people for health reasons or even want to lose weight. In fact, there are those who apply it in the family, until the children also do the same diet. But actually, may or not, still, children on low-carb diets? Will it affect the growth and development?
Can a child have a low carbohydrate diet?
Initially, this low-carbohydrate diet is believed to be able to lose weight quickly. With the principle of this diet, carbohydrate intake in a day should not exceed 30 percent of daily needs. Even though you should, you need about 50-60 percent of your calorie needs per day.
The amount of carbohydrates decreases far enough if you apply this low carbohydrate diet. Of course the application of this diet is not healthy for the body. Moreover, if applied to children.
It's best not to try a diet that is popular with your child. The reason, wrong-wrong implementation of the diet, it actually makes the growth and development of the child disturbed.
Yes, actually everyone needs carbohydrates in his food, whether he is on a program to lose weight or not, he still needs these nutrients. Moreover, children, who are indeed in their infancy.
What happens when children undergo a low-carbohydrate diet?
There are several direct effects that occur when you reduce your child's carbohydrate intake, namely:
- Decreased thinking ability. Carbohydrates are food from the brain, so if your child does not have enough carbohydrate intake, the work of the brain will also decrease.
- Drastic weight loss. This will also cause your child to experience other nutritional deficiencies and ultimately malnutrition.
- Tired and inactive like other children. Carbohydrates are also the main energy source, when there is no substance, the body will have difficulty producing energy.
If you apply this diet to children because they experience it obesity or obesity, then you should consult your pediatrician and nutritionist first. That way, you can find out your baby's condition and the right menu for him. Of course, it will not reduce the nutritional needs he needs for growth and development.
Choose healthy carbohydrates for children
Children with low carbohydrate diets are not a good thing for growth and development. Instead of reducing or not giving carbohydrates at all, you should be picky about the type of carbohydrate that is right for your little one.
Carbohydrates derived from sweet foods, sugar, cakes, sweets, or other snacks, are not needed by children. This type of carbohydrate like this is called simple carbohydrates, which is one of the main causes of obesity in children. So you can reduce or even stop it from eating food like that.
Meanwhile, give it high-fiber complex carbohydrates, for example for daily staples, give it brown rice and whole wheat bread. Getting your child to eat fiber early will form a good diet for him.
Don't forget to give it fruits and vegetables which are also one of the sources of carbohydrates. So, if the child has a low carbohydrate diet, then this will make the portion of fruits and vegetables also limited, because both of these foods also contain carbohydrates (in the form of fiber).
Don't forget, adjust the portion of carbohydrates for children
Do not just just choose the type of carbohydrate, but also adjust the portion according to the needs of your child. According to the Ministry of Health, the average carbohydrate needed by children is based on age groups, namely:
Children's carbohydrate needs
- 7-11 months: 82 grams
- 1-3 years: 155 grams
- 4-6 years: 220 grams
- 7-9 years: 254 grams
Carbohydrate needs of boys
- 10-12 years: 289 grams
- 13-15 years: 340 grams
- 16-18 years: 368 grams
Carbohydrate needs of girls
- 10-12 years: 275 grams
- 13-18 years: 292 grams
If you are confused about dividing your baby's meals in one day, you should consult with a nutritionist, so you can make a special meal menu according to your child's needs.
