Foods To Increase The Defenses Of Children
Eating food to increase the defenses of children is often vitally important to ensure that children do not relapse easily from school viruses. In addition, it will allow them to grow healthy.
Nutritional deficiencies in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats — such as those in olive oil, fruits, and vegetables rich in vitamins A, C, E, and D — lead to a child’s defenses being impaired. capable of counteracting diseases.
Taking this into consideration, we will provide you with a complete list of foods to increase the defenses of children; Some very effective and easy to make recipes are also included.
Balanced diet
Eating a balanced and healthy diet ensures that children are in excellent health; thus, the immune system can effectively fight any disease. This is especially true for common school viruses.
When it comes to a balanced diet, nutritionists say that consuming all food groups is imperative. Of course, the exceptions will be present in children with particular pathologies or allergies or food intolerances.
However, a frequent question that usually appears is the following: What are the consequences for children’s defenses when they do not consume products that contain the main groups of nutrients?
Regarding proteins
When children do not eat enough protein – meat, chicken, fish – they show decreases in the formation of lymphocytes. These are responsible for the immune system working optimally.
Absence of carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are present in products such as rice, pasta, flour, cereals or potatoes. These foods are responsible for providing energy, so necessary for the body’s defenses.
About fats
When nutritionists recommend that children eat fat, they always clarify what type of fat they can eat. Although the absence of a food can damage the child’s defenses, eating a poor quality product can also harm them.
This is what happens with respect to this group. If what the child eats are trans fats that come from pastries, sausages, or trans fats, there will be an almost immediate and considerable decrease in the child’s defenses. It will also increase inflammation, according to a study published in Progress in Lipid Research.
The only recommended fats for children will be those that contain omega 3. This is found in olive oil or in fruits such as avocado.
The absence of vitamins from fruits and vegetables
Of all the food groups, those that provide the most vitamins and minerals are fruits and vegetables. When the child does not ingest them in quantity, their health fails in all aspects and the cells of the immune system oxidize.
Some vitamins such as C have proven to be essential in order to prevent the appearance of infectious diseases.
Foods to increase children’s defenses
The foods that most contribute to increasing the defenses of children are all those that contain vitamin A, E, C, D, minerals, iron and zinc. Some of the most prominent are:
- Carrot.
- Broccoli.
- Chard.
- Auyama or pumpkin.
- Avocado.
- Orange.
- Apple.
- Lemon.
- Kiwi.
- Milky or papaya.
- Pink grapefruit.
- Oatmeal.
- Lettuce
- Honey.
- Nuts.
- Eggs.
- Vegetables.
- Salmon.
- Tuna.
- Prawns.
Recipes to raise children’s defenses
Getting children to eat the amounts of fruits and vegetables necessary to maintain good health can be difficult. However, we can prepare drinks that, with the help of the intense flavor of your favorite fruit, manage to integrate several beneficial ingredients for your health.
The most powerful juice mixes to boost children’s defenses are:
- Strawberry, orange and guava.
- Apricot, orange and grapes.
- Gooseberries, spinach and oranges.
- Gooseberries, lemon and apple.
- Pumpkin and carrot.
- Orange with carrot.
- Hot or cold lemonade with honey.
- Apple, ginger and parsley.
- Apple, lettuce and sesame.
- Pineapple and almonds.
- Strawberry and mango.
Monitor diet to improve immune function
As a final recommendation, remember that the child should consume at least two servings of fruits and vegetables a day, especially citrus fruits such as orange, lemon and tangerine that are rich in vitamin C. It is also important that they consume nuts, yogurt, honey, cereals, meats and legumes at least twice a week.
