Benefits Of Nuts In Children
Did you know that nuts have numerous benefits in children? They contain a lot of energy and are also rich in healthy fats, fiber, antioxidant vitamins and minerals. Therefore, they are the ideal snack for your health and school performance. However, they hardly consume them, so we want to take advantage of them to enhance their presence in the diet.
First of all, keep in mind that up to 3 years it is preferable to give them crushed or ground to avoid the risk of choking, as advised by the Spanish Association of Pediatrics. Another aspect to take into account is that they are raw or toasted and avoid those that have added salt or honey, or that are fried.
Next, we are going to see the advantages of consuming a handful of nuts (15-20 grams) daily on the metabolic, cardiovascular and cerebral health of children.
Reduction of cardiovascular risk, the greatest benefit of nuts in children
Do you know which are the diseases that cause the most deaths? They are those related to the heart whose prevention is achieved through food. In addition, the evidence shows that nuts are key given their richness in mono and polyunsaturated acids.
Both fats reduce LDL cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and lipid oxidation. They also cause an increase in HDL. These effects are achieved by phenolic compounds, whose function is antioxidant, and omega 3 fatty acids.
In addition, an improvement has been observed in children with overweight or obesity and subclinical atherosclerosis after substituting nuts for unhealthy snacking. They have the advantage of reducing the thickness of the carotid, which is the most reliable indicator of early vascular lesions. They even help lower blood pressure, thus reducing the development of metabolic syndrome.
Diabetes, obesity and consumption of nuts in children
As for blood sugar values, they help reduce them, as does insulin resistance. Therefore, they reduce the risk of developing diabetes as long as their overall diet is healthy, low in added sugars and trans fats.
In turn, they do not involve any increase in weight or abdominal girth, despite the fact that they are very energetic. They contain 160-180 kilocalories per 100 grams, but they are not fully absorbed due to the expense of metabolizing them.
In addition, they are very satisfying due to their high fiber content, which allows you to go several hours without eating and are beneficial in reducing constipation and the risk of colorectal cancer.
Increased school performance and immune system
The consumption of nuts has been linked to improved brain function, since 60% of the brain is made up of fat. Therefore, it is essential to include foods rich in fats such as nuts in the day to day to reduce cognitive decline in adulthood. In addition, they are known to increase memory, learning and the speed of cognitive tasks.
As for the immune system, they are rich in vitamin E, selenium and magnesium, which contribute to the fight against infections caused by viruses, bacteria and external aggressions such as cold.
Why are the benefits of nuts in children?
It is also good to know that fiber and polyphenols are fermented by bacteria in the intestine. Therefore, they act as prebiotics, increasing the diversity of the microbiota and maintaining the integrity of the digestive mucosa. In addition, they are anti-inflammatory, which would explain their protection against obesity and other metabolic pathologies.
In summary, nuts are a very healthy food to include in children’s breakfasts and snacks as a complement. As you can see, they are a great help for your concentration. They also serve to reduce the appearance of the most prevalent diseases today. They are even useful to avoid the progressive neuronal deterioration that occurs as age increases.
Although the best way to take them is whole, we currently have spreads free of added sugars in the supermarket. They look great on bread with a few slices of banana, apple or pear and cinnamon, even as a topping on yogurts! Do you dare to try it?
