Children's growth and development is something that parents must pay attention to. The age of 0-18 years is an important age for growth, where in this age range children can still continue to develop or if parents are late in paying attention to their child's nutrition, if they are still at that age then the child's growth and development can still be improved.
The intake consumed by children greatly affects their growth and development. Unfortunately, many parents do not really understand about balanced nutrition. Finally, most of them just assume, "the important thing is that my child wants to eat." In fact, not all foods and drinks are good for the body.
Here are some unhealthy foods or drinks that are often consumed by children and it is best to avoid consuming too much of them:
1. High in sugar
Foods with high sugar content are very dangerous for children. Sugar has no nutrition other than carbohydrates in large quantities. Unfortunately, the carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates so that the energy provided only lasts very briefly and is at risk of addiction and malnutrition due to the delicious taste of sweet foods and drinks. Consuming high sugar can also make children obese and even diabetic at a young age which can threaten their future.
2. High in Oil
Very oily foods are also dangerous. Oil is a very large calorie because the content of oil is fat and cooking oil makes it saturated fat which has the potential to cause obesity and cardiovascular disease. Consuming high levels of oil during growth and development will inhibit nutrient absorption and disrupt children's growth.
The use of nutritious food is rarely implemented at home. This is related to the assumption that balanced nutritious food will require a lot of money to prepare. Moreover, in Indonesia the average family only has a middle income and many are lower middle class or already below the poverty line.
In fact, sources of nutritious food and drinks are very easy to obtain in Indonesia at affordable prices too. The following are several complete nutritious foods that parents need to prepare to support children's growth and development:
1. Eggs
Eggs contain almost all the nutrients the body needs, both macro nutrients and micro nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, sodium, potassium, iron, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, biotin, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and many more. Consuming 4 eggs a day is enough to meet most of the body's nutritional needs. With a relatively cheap price, eggs are a source of nutritious food that can be consumed every day by families.
2. Tofu and Tempeh
These two high sources of vegetable protein are also very healthy with relatively affordable prices. Rather than making fried foods like bakwan which are mostly filled with flour, it is better to provide fried tempeh and tofu as a substitute.
3. Chicken
Chicken meat is also high in protein. This animal protein is relatively affordable for most Indonesian families. Protein is really needed by a child's body so that muscle and brain development can be maximized.
4. Fruit and Vegetables
All kinds of fruit and vegetables are good for the body. There are many vitamins and minerals that can maximize children's growth and development, such as vitamins A, B, C, D, K, Iron, Calcium, and many more.
5. Pure Milk and Coconut Water
As an alternative to nutritious sweet drinks, only pure milk with 100% cow's milk content and coconut water are full of nutrition and also provide a delicious sweet taste. Milk can support the growth of children's height, and coconut water can also be a neutralizer of toxins in the body due to consuming harmful substances that are not realized in consumption.