If you have children you might have experienced one or two “table confrontations”. Children do not like healthy meals or perhaps they do not have the hearty appetite parents would like them to have. But if there is a meal parents should be firm about, it is breakfast.

Why breakfast?

Breakfast is a very important meal for everybody, but especially for children. Breakfast is the first meal after a long fast during the long night hours. In the morning the body is in need of nutrients again.

Not to have breakfast has two serious implications. On the one hand you are prolonging the night-time fast, thus creating a greater need for nourishment as the day goes on, and on the other hand the morning is the time of day when kids are more active.

In children, not to have breakfast means to face the school day without nourishment. That has a direct effect on school performance and on their attention span. Studies have been made that link the lack of breakfast with poor school performance.

On the other hand, when children finally have breakfast, they might overeat due to the amount of fasting time since their last meal the evening before.

Breakfast: A pleasant moment.

Due to the hectic lives many Latino families lead, it is difficult to get together during the day to share lunch or even dinner. That’s why breakfast is the perfect time to make it a pleasant family gathering to start the day.

Prepare a hearty breakfast for your family which will help them start the day with the energy they need. If you add to this a midmorning snack, you can be assured that they will be well nourished and will perform better in school. Much better than on an empty stomach.

A healthy breakfast for a child (and also for a grown-up) should include:

• A dairy product: Not milk necessarily and for a change you may offer yogurt, liquid yogurt, or cottage cheese.
• A serving of fruit: Natural citruses such as orange juice or melon, cantaloupe, guava or any fruit your child likes.
• Cereal: Here you can include breakfast cereals or any whole-grain cereal such as toasted bread. Make sure that the chosen cereal does not have high sugar content or coloring, but rather high fiber content.
• A small serving of protein: It can be scrambled eggs, some cheese, a low-fat sausage, a slice of ham, or even a tuna sandwich.

Help for your child’s breakfast.

The U.S. Government recognizes the importance of a good breakfast, and that’s why it has a national program which includes school lunches and breakfast. These programs are aimed at low-income families, and breakfast, along with lunch, are provided to public and non-profit schools which comply with Nutrition Assistance Programs. Even if you have an average income you can take advantage of this program, although you must pay for breakfast and lunch.

You will find the necessary information on the USDA web page on nutrition assistance programs.  

One of the reasons that your cells deteriorate is because of the action of one of the chemical components called “free radicals”. The way to combat the effects of these components is by means of substances known as antioxidants, and that may be found in many foods. A diet rich in antioxidants protects you from cellular deterioration and its effects, such as illnesses or aging.  

Free radicals and antioxidants

These are components that are sometimes formed naturally in the body and other times they come from the exterior. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing an electron. In order to stabilize, they steal that electron from another molecule that then turns into a free radical, and so on and so forth until they destroy the cell that contains all those molecules. This deterioration process is known as oxidation, something similar to when a metal oxidizes.  

However, there are certain components that do not turn into free radicals even if they are robbed of an electron. For that reason, these components stop the oxidation process in the cell, preventing it from deteriorating and preventing illnesses.  

The best antioxidants

Vitamin E is one of the most effective antioxidants. It is a fat soluble vitamin (which can be found in fats), and may ge found in vegetable oils, especially in wheat germ oil, and in nuts such as almonds, sunflower seeds or peanuts. Broccoli and spinach are also a good source of vitamin E.  

Vitamin C is also an excellent antioxidant. It is very important to include vitamin C in the diet because our organism cannot manufacture it.  Vitamin C is especially effective to combat free radicals that cause environmental pollution. Guava is one of the fruits that has the highest content of vitamin C, just as strawberries, kiwis and citruses such as lemons or grapefruit.

Selenium is a mineral that also has antioxidant properties and also protects against heart conditions and it stimulates the immune system. Selenium may be found in whole-grain cereals and in fish and mollusks. Beta-carotenes belong to the vitamin A family. They are good anti-oxidants and they turn into vitamin A in our bodies. Dark fruits and vegetables such as red pepper, spinach, broccoli or tomatoes have a lot of beta-carotene.

Fruits and veggies.

Taking the vitamins mentioned above in big quantities is not considered a good solution to combat oxidation caused by free radicals. The best way to absorb these vitamins is through foods that contain these vitamins in their natural state.  

Some of the foods that are considered to be the most antioxidant are: cranberries and other berries (blackberries and strawberries), prunes, oranges, cherries, apricots, broccoli, tomatoes, grapes, garlic, carrots, whole-grains and soy.  

In general, to make your diet not only antioxidant but beneficial for your body, eat five servings of fruits and veggies that include as many colors as possible (dark green, red, orange, yellow). These fruits and veggies of intense colors are rich in nutrients and in vitamin C.  

Also include lean meats, fish, dairy products and nuts and small amounts of healthy vegetable fats.  

You may have heard countless times that eating healthy is important but, have you asked yourself why? One of the main reasons is that there are certain foods that contain chemical components or elements, vitamins and minerals that are essential for our body to work properly. And the best way to absorb vitamins and minerals is in their natural state, through the vitamins that contain them.  

Functions of minerals

The functions of minerals in our body are essential so that bones can grow, for muscles to contract, or to maintain the balance of liquids in the body.   

The body requires some minerals in larger amounts, and smaller amounts of others. That is why they are called macro minerals and micro minerals. Before taking supplements of large amounts of minerals in supplements, you should always consult with your doctor, as some of them may be toxic.  

Macro minerals

These minerals must always be present in your diet. Choose daily foods that contain them.  

·     Calcium. The basic function of calcium is to regenerate and form bones and teeth. It is an especially important mineral in children because they are growing and also for expectant mom, for the baby’s growth.  Calcium also has other important functions such as participating in the process of blood clotting and muscle contraction. Besides finding calcium in milk and dairy products, you may find calcium in  green leaved veggies and in canned fish such as sardines and salmon (with the bones). Exercising outside favor calcium absorption because to regenerate calcium you need vitamin D that is synthesized thanks to the sun.  

·     Phosphorus. Phosphorus is very important for the regeneration of tissues because it participates in cell division. For that reason, kids need it especially, for their proper growth.  Phosphorus may be found in meat, eggs, milk and other dairy products, nuts and cola drinks.

·     Potassium. It regulates water control in our tissues and it is required for muscles to contract. One of the muscles that contracts for all your life is the heart. That is why the presence of potassium is essential. Bananas, fruits in general, fresh veggies and potatoes contain potassium.

·     Sodium. Along with potassium, sodium regulates the liquids in our body and participates in functions such as regulating our blood pressure. Sodium is in almost all foods and especially in those that are canned or processed.

·     Magnesium. Just as potassium is important to regulate muscle contraction, potassium is important to help muscles relax. Besides, magnesium maintains the bones, teeth and cartilage in good condition and help to transmit nervous impulses. Nuts, whole-wheat grains, green leaved veggies and cocoa contain magnesium.

Micro minerals

Although the body uses them to a lesser extent than macro minerals, they are also essential for the proper functioning of the body. There are many micro minerals, but following are some of the most essential ones.  

·     Iron. It is the most well-known of the micro minerals because without it, we can become anemic. Iron is necessary to make hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying the oxygen we breathe around the body. Green-leaved veggies, as well as legumes such as lentils, sardines or liver are all good sources of iron.

·     Zinc. It is an important mineral for Latinos, because of the high incidence of diabetes, because it participates in the creation of insulin. It is also necessary to build the body’s defenses against infection. Whole-wheat cereals, meat, fish and legumes are good sources of zinc.

·     Copper. Just like iron, it is necessary to manufacture hemoglobin that transports the air we breathe to cells. Shellfish such as oysters and liver and other viscera contain copper. You cannot eat large amounts because it is a very toxic metal that can cause irreversible damage.

·     Iodine. It is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid, and without it, the nervous and muscular tissues cannot function normally. The sea and the ocean have a lot of iodine and therefore the best sources of iodine are foods that come from the sea such as fish or shellfish.

As you may see, veggies, fruits, meat and fish are the basic foods that contain all these minerals that are so necessary for your health.  

There are many factors that may affect how healthy you feel every day when you get up, and how you face your day. But the quality of your diet is one of the most important factors. Eating right has many health benefits and eating poorly can have negative consequences that directly affect your quality of life.

Lack of nutrients and being overweight

In our society, being overweight is one of the most common consequences of a poor diet. Being overweight can turn into obesity, which is an illness that puts your health at risk.

If you are overweight, you may not yet be experiencing some of the more serious consequences of obesity such as cardiac problems, high blood pressure or others, but it is possible that your quality of life may have been affected. Being very overweight causes difficulties to walk, painful joints or social isolation. All this takes away from the life you could be living if you didn’t have those aches and pains.

On the other hand, even if you are not overweight, not eating a balanced diet could cause you to suffer from a lack of vitamins, minerals and other essential components that also affect how you feel throughout the day. A proper diet can set you on the path to feeling much better. 

Fruits and veggies: a basic need

One of the most popular public information campaigns about proper nutrition is that of “five a day”. The objective of this campaign is that people eat at least five vegetables and fruits a day, as the benefits for their health are big. Include a variety of fruits and veggies in your diet. Eat vegetables of all colors, especially dark green ones, red, orange or yellow, because of their high content in vitamin C and beta-carotene. Make sure your menu includes these foods in your diet: oranges, grapefruit, apricots, melon, squash, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, green, red and yellow peppers, spinach, lettuce, etc. 

Veggies and fruits naturally contain a series of vitamins and minerals that your body needs for your cells to carry out their functions and for them to reproduce adequately.  

Grains and cereals: necessary vitamins

Cereals are not only breakfast cereals, but also foods such as rice. Legumes, beans and corn are also cereals. Grains and cereals contain vitamins and minerals required for the body’s proper functioning as well as a lot of fiber (just like fruits and veggies) in order to regulate intestinal processes. 

Make sure you eat whole-wheat breads, grains, beans and other foods in this group daily.  

Proteins and fats

Proteins are foods such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products and so on, and healthy fats include vegetable oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil and corn oil. Proteins are necessary because they provide components, such as essential amino acids that our body cannot manufacture, just like fats.

Add a source of lean protein (with little or no fat) to your lunches and dinners, such as a serving of meat or fish, two eggs, cheese, nuts, etc. Use healthy fats as dressings and cook in ways that require little fat, such as steaming or grilling. Besides eliminating excess fats, it will keep the properties of the food.   

Make sure you drink up

Water is not a food, but it is essential to a healthy diet. Being well-hydrated enables the processes your body needs to function correctly.

Do your best to drink water and not sodas as a source of liquids. If water seems too boring to you, add natural fruit juices. Besides adding flavor, they will provide vitamins.

If you eat well and exercise a bit every day, and socialize with friends and family, you will have achieved a winner lifestyle.

Eating healthily is the foundation of good health. But amongst all the food choices we are faced with daily, what are the best choices? Eating fruits and veggies is vital, along with other foods that should be a part of a balanced diet.

The calories that count

Everything we eat ends up turning into the fuel that our body needs to function, which is glucose or sugar in the blood. But the different foods convert to glucose through different processes. Besides, not all foods contain the same vitamins or minerals. There are foods, such as refined sugar, that have a lot of glucose, but that hardly have vitamins or minerals. Nutritionists say these foods provide “empty calories”.  

It is a lot more efficient to choose other types of foods that have more or less the same number of calories, but that provide more vitamins, minerals or other necessary components for good health. For example, a medium-sized apple has more or less the same calories as two sugar cubes, but it has many more vitamins, minerals and fiber.   

The food-groups

Nutritionists classify food in several groups, depending on their properties. There are no “pure” foods, meaning that they all have a certain amount – however small – of other food groups (for example, meat is a protein but it also has fat):

• Carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are absorbed faster in the blood and they raise the blood sugar level (which is not recommended if you have diabetes or a tendency towards it) Examples of simple carbohydrates are sweets or foods that have refined sugars, although fruits are also included in this category because the body easily converts them to glucose. Complex carbohydrates take longer to be digested, because they don’t raise the blood sugar level so suddenly. Complex carbohydrates are fiber-laden or starchy vegetables and grains and cereals.  

• Proteins are found in meat, fish, dairy products or nuts. They are a very important component of the diet because they provide “essential amino acids” that are necessary for the cells in our bodies to reproduce adequately. Vegetarians obtain these amino acids by mixing certain cereals and grains (rice and beans, for example).  

• Fats are bacon, oil or butter. These foods are only recommended in small amounts, because of the large amount of calories they have along with other components that are not considered to be healthy if eaten in excess. However, even if it is in small amounts, fats must be a part of a balanced diet, because they contain essential fatty acids that can only be found in them as the body cannot manufacture them.

A healthy selection

The amount of food you must eat every day depends on your height, weight and level of activity. But as a rule, you must include at least five servings of fruits and veggies, along with an equal or greater amount of grains, proteins at lunch and dinner and a small amount of fats, used to cook or as a dressing.

Specific examples of the food groups mentioned above are:  

• Carbohydrates

– Simple carbohydrates:  Fruits – Grapes, apples, pears, bananas, melons, figs, mangoes etc.

– Complex carbohydrates: Vegetables – Tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, broccoli, etc.  

   Grains – Corn tortillas, rice, potatoes, yucca, pasta, lentils, etc.

• Proteins: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, nuts.

• Healthy fats: olive oil, corn oil, dressings, etc.

Eating simply

As a rule it is best to choose the least processed foods. A salad is a better choice, and it has less calories and more nutrients than a complicated pasta dish covered in sauce.

When you go shopping, be a label-reader. If the label is a maze of chemical products, you would be better of choosing something simpler.