Kids’ Nutrition Do Your Children Need to Eat Meat?

Not sure whether your child is eating enough meat? The surprising truth is that most kids do not eat enough meat. The diet for many children today is comprised of starches, and that can affect your child’s nutrition. Meat is important to an overall healthy diet for your children because it is an excellent source for complex proteins. While many other foods may contain some proteins, they do not contain the same complex proteins as meats.

Meats provide your children with an easy source for obtaining the complex proteins they need for important processes such as building muscle. Keep in mind that your children are growing at a rapid rate. Every day they need the right combination of nutrients to ensure they are able to grow properly. Meat provides your children with the nutrients they must have for that high level of growth. Studies have even shown that children who eat more meat suffer from fewer deficiencies than children who eat lesser amounts of meat or who are vegetarian. Eating meat can also help in the absorption of iron from cereals and vegetables. When your children eat a properly balanced diet, it assists their bodies in absorbing iron. In addition, meat is a good source of B-complex vitamins that your children need, such as riboflavin and thiamine.

Concerned that your kids are eating too much red meat? Encourage them to eat healthy portions of lean meat such as chicken, turkey and fish. Remember that the healthy eating decisions you encourage your children to make today will last them a lifetime.