Strawberries : Lovely Fruit, have lots of Health Benefits

Strawberries are like nutritional gems, choc-full with health benefits! These little red berries have been prized for their medicinal benefits since the likes of Julius Caesar walked the earth... So lets check them out!

Firstly, strawberries are a fantastic source of vitamin C. While oranges get all the publicity, 1/2 a punnet of these quiet achievers can provide you with 55mg of vitamin C, thats more than a days worth! Research also suggests that vitamin C may lower the risk of cancers in the gastrointestinal tract.

Folate is a nutrient that is getting more and more focus these days, as it is super important for pregnant women and foetus, so to avoid birth defects such as spina bifida. 1/2 a punnet of strawberries will provide you with 10% of your daily requirements of folate so get munching!

Phytochemicals, or anti-oxidants as they are commonly known. Anti-oxidants neutralize free radicals which are harmful particles in our bodies which encourage damage and ageing. Strawberries contain antioxidants , and one in particular called Ellagic acid. Ellagic acid helps combat carcinogens, free radicals which are linked to cancer. It also turns out that strawberries are better at fighting free radicals than many other fruits like oranges, grapes and kiwi fruit.

Fibre. Well we all know how important in is to stay regular and this is what Strawberries will help you do. The seeds are a good source of insoluble fibre which helps prevent constipation. The strawberry flesh contains soluble fibre and pectin which has been found to help with lowering cholesterol.

But wait there's more! On top of all this there are 3 more great health benefits that can be gained from eating strawberries:

• strawberries may help lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.
• Strawberries have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities which help maintain kidney and bladder health.
• Strawberries are low GI at only 40 points which means they are a great food option for diabetics.

 Well there you go, 7 reasons for why Strawberries are really nutritional gems...so what are you waiting for? Go get into 'em!

Source : DesiDieter.Com

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Can you provide sweeteners to children?

Sweeteners are increasingly used to replace sugar and in recent years there is an explosion of products labeled "sugar free" (light soda, yogurt, sugar substitutes, chewing gum ....). They are very tempting for children especially if parents use them. But these products are they recommended for toddlers? Are they useful in cases of child overweight?

A short guide to best practices for products sweetened and children.

No sweeteners before 3 years
Many experts have argued that the current state of knowledge, taking intensive sweeteners allowed on our territory (aspartame, sucralose, saccharin ...) does not present a health risk. However, they are not properly authorized in the preparation of foods for infants under 3 months, and they are also not recommended for children under 3 years. Indeed, it already exists for aspartame at risk of certain childhood diseases intolerance to certain amino acids (called a hereditary disease, phenylketonuria) present in the sweetener. But as it is young children, the authorities also prefer to hide behind the famous principle of precaution to all other sweeteners.

Sweeteners for the larger question of weight
For older children, sweeteners are not a problem but it should be noted that there is for each of them an acceptable daily intake (ADI) that we must avoid exceeding. This ADI is based on body weight of the consumer. It is for example 40 mg / kg / d for aspartame, 5 mg / kg / d for saccharin, 15 mg / kg / d for sucralose or 9 mg / kg / day for acesulfame K . By their lower weight compared to adults, children may therefore meet or exceed the ADI faster. It is better to give them time to time that sweet food products sweetened "at will" under the pretext that they provide fewer calories. Nor should we forget that the energy needs of a child are considerable and it is important to provide all necessary nutrients all throughout their growth, "sugar" including.

Sweeteners for children scheme
However, compared to sugar, sweeteners have the advantage of not being cariogenic, that is to say they do not favor the occurrence of dental caries. Moreover, when children or adolescents are actually attracted by high consumption of sugary products such as soft drinks or dessert creams for example, it may be desirable to reduce their contributions. This decrease is obviously gradual, as in a "withdrawal", which allow sweeteners because they do not upset too much the taste of the product (soda or light homemade desserts based sweetener) without causing overconsumption of sugar.

Similarly, in cases of diabetes or overweight, sweeteners can also be used in children, preferably after a medical consultation or supervision of a dietician who will always consider the weight of the child.

A balanced diet for kids!
Although the sweeteners may be useful for children, however, attention to nutrition education that you give them. It does not put them in mind that there are forbidden foods or to avoid, on pain of undermining their future behavior and foster psychological pathologies heavier than overweight in themselves (anorexia, bulimia ... ). Thus, ideally, it is simply best not to accustom children to consume large quantities of sugar products. Just for example whether they simply provide water when thirsty and not a soda or drink a light which would only maintain their preference for sweet taste and disrupt their true feelings ( hunger, thirst, satiety ...). Similarly, a preparation as milk may well be sweeten with fresh fruit (grapes, bananas ...) or dried fruit (pruneaux. ..) that will bring in more of a sweet flavor, fiber, vitamins , minerals, discovered taste ... Perhaps therein lies the real victory against the overweight child and then later that of the adult!

Obesity in children experiencing a staggering increase

Consecrated epidemic last three decades, obesity affects more children, jeopardizing their health. The real disease is the subject of much research. If salaries are so far disappointing, we know better and better the mechanisms of onset and risk factors of obesity. Therefore, doctors, parents and teachers are increasingly mobilized to prevent childhood obesity, and that the earlier in life...

For three decades, obesity rose steadily and rapidly in the world but especially in America, Europe and Japan. If the United States beat the record of obesity for both adults and for Children in Europe England and Germany are the countries where adults are most affected. However obesity in children is more prevalent in the South and Eastern Europe - Hungary, Spain, Italy, Greece, reflecting both the rapid economic changes that factors cultural.

Three to four times more obese children than in the 1970s
Surveys conducted in the 1990s show that obesity is reaching more than one child in 10 in 5-12 years, the percentage varying between 10 and 12.5% across regions. We also know that this percentage is increasing very rapidly past ten years: over 28% in Lorraine in 10 years, over 145% in the Central West over a period of 16 years in children of 10 years.

Children on TV in quite a few activities
Wearing overall, despite the diversity of food supply, the average calorie intake of children in industrialized countries has not increased significantly in recent years. Although the size and average weight of children increased their calorie intake reduced instead. Thus the factor most implicated in the increase of obesity in children is declining level of physical activity with reduced outdoor play in favor of video games, the use of computers and television.

A present and future risk
We now know that obesity is an immediate risk to child health, including the cardiovascular system. But it is also a risk to their future health (impact of obesity on health) and chances of developing diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and respiratory disorders.

But for the obese child, suffering the most acute is probably psychological, with the mockery and rejection as obesity, a real social handicap, causes, things going to get worse in adolescence when the 'body image becomes so important to self esteem ...
Salaries: poor results

The treatment of obesity installed child has bad results. Specialized consultations throughout the world show only 15 to 30% of success, despite expensive treatments and expensive. The treatments are more successful if overweight is moderate and if the environment is actively involved in healing.
Prevention first

The epidemic of obesity must be fought primarily in children. Especially since it is easier to prevent than in adults, children are more receptive to changes in lifestyle, diet and exercise. This is where the family model and the support of loved ones take their place. All surveys show that the majority of nutritional information and lifestyle are taken from parents, especially mothers, and school.

On the other hand, a better understanding of the mechanisms of onset of obesity has shown that it was essential to better monitor the growth curves and body size of children.

So parents be careful if your child is overweight ... it's really the best service to him!

What basically is Childhood Obesity???

Obesity is an excessive increase in body fat in the body, to an extent it may affect health status.

Obesity is defined by exceeding the standard BMI curves. These curves are expressed as percentiles, standard deviation, or standard deviations. The 50th percentile represents the median. Changes considered normal range of 10 to 90. Between the 90th and 97th percentile may have about overweight zone. Beyond 97, there is talk of obesity.

New values
An international definition of childhood obesity based on BMI curves drawn from different countries, will soon be proposed. Two degrees of overweight are defined by the percentiles curves reaching values of 25 and 30 to 18 years. This new international definition for child maintain continuity with the adult and will mainly compare the incidence of obesity compared to the total population between different studies and between different countries.
 

Variations with age
In the French study reference to growth, where a reference population has been followed longitudinally (over several years) from birth to 20 years, it was observed that the majority of children 1 year does not stay in the same group of corpulence. In particular, 60% of children roughly 1 year will no longer be in adulthood. Hence the importance for young children interested in the dynamic evolution of their corpulence and their adiposity rebound to identify children claiming support or prevention.