Tag Archives: health diets for children
Organic Superfoods | Some inspiring foods to add to the children’s menu
#1 Organic Avocado
It is not easy to persuade kids to eat avocado but try grilling it and adding a squeeze of lemon. Otherwise make your own guacamole at home to spread on rice cakes as a snack.
#2 Hemp oil
This is not available in the UAE but for those in the UK, US, and other countries use this as a salad oil which is a great source of protein.
#3 Organic Spinach
I usually buy a whole organic bulk for the freezer and if I can get it fresh locally, even better. I chuck it into soups and stews for the children. The list of goodness is just endless including iron, Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, and also has anti-oxidants that helps with ageing.
#4 Organic Walnuts
Great brain food. They say that most foods look that the part of the body they are suppose to help the most. It is a great source of protein, anti-oxidants and much more. If your children don’t like it, add it to their freshly homemade pesto sauce, or grind it up and sprinkle over their cereal or salads or even soups.
#5 Organic Cinnamon
It is important to purchase quality cinnamon because there is a lot of poor quality spice on the market that makes little or no difference if you add it to your food. Cinnamon is great for regulating your blood sugar and has a long list of health benefits such as lowering cholesterol. We sprinkle it on everything. Best to grind up your own cinnamon for full effect.
This month’s organic superfoods I am adding to the children’s food
#1 Goji berries
You can just throw a handful in stews and soups. The children won’t even notice it but it adds a good amount of Vitamin C into the broth. It has been used in Chinese receipes for hundreds of years.
#2 Cauliflower
Usually, I mash 50% of cauliflower with 50% of potato – a great way to disguise the cauliflower. This can be thrown on top of a shepherds’ pie or just served with oven baked organic salmon or chicken.
#3 Chia Seeds
One of the latest (although Chia seeds have an ancient history) supercharged foods that is beneficial for the body and brain. It is a great source of magnesium, calcium, phosphrous and many other nutrients. I throw them into the children’s home made pesto sauce, or sprinkle it onto salads.
#4 Chickpeas
The only way I can get the children to eat chickpeas is to make homemade hummus by blending it with lemon, garlic, tahini and olive oil. Or if I am brave I blend it into their home made squash or carrot soup.
#5 Coconut oil
Most of my children’s food with the exception of pasta is cooked with coconut oil. It is a much healthier option with great health benefits for every part of the body. My husband even takes a tablespoon of coconut oil as part of his morning ritual every day.
The Dirtiest Fruits & Vegetables | The revised Dirty Dozen list 2014
The EWG has now updated its list for 2014. It creates a list every year by testing for the amount of pesticides that remain on a wide range of fruits and vegetables. If you think that going 100% in your household is too expensive, you can just consider making changes with the top 12 dirtiest fruits and vegetables.
I really believe that it is so important not to flood our children’s systems with unnecessary chemicals – especially the ones that are in our power as parents to avoid. This frees up their little immune systems to heal and repair itself and to keep them as healthy as possible.
Topping the list yet again this year are the APPLES. 99 percent of them tested positive for at least 1 pesticide residue. See the full list below – the higher up the list the higher the pesticide residue. Click here to see the full list on the EWG Website.
Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Celery
Peaches
Spinach
Sweet Bell Peppers
Nectarines (Imported)
Cucumbers
Cherry Tomatoes
Snap Peas (imported)
Potatoes