1. HEALTHY FOOD HABITS IN
CHILDREN
HealthWise Homeopathy
Dr. Sapna Shah

2.  Dr. Sapna Shah
 M.D. (Homeopathy)
 C. C. H – Specialisation in Childrens Disease
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from Wadia Hospital
Lactation Consultant
Parasdham Homeopathic Centre, Ghatkopar
Mohit Hospital
Jain Sarvajanik Clinic, Borivali
Manav Kalyan Kendra, Dahisar

3. What does your child love to eat???
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Maggie?
Lays?
Kurkure?
Kinder Joy?
Instant Noodles?
Instant soups?
Pizza?
Mac Donalds?
Burgers?
French fries??

4. Does Your Child have the
correct Food Habits???

5. Why eating habits are important in
children
 In childhood, Physical growth is
at its peak. The increase in
height and weight is the most.
 Development of various organs
taking place
 Mental Growth peak – the brain
grows and develops maximum
upto age of 6 years.
 Development of Immunity

6.  Kids who eat properly are more
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attentive at school and have high
energy levels
Help kids grow with their full
potiential
Prevent malnourishment
Making smart nutritional choices
during childhood can reinforce
lifelong eating habits
Thus, Prevent Life style related
Diseases like Obesity in future
Food Habits also have an
influence on behavioural patterns
of children

7. Health Food Habits
 Food Habits during Normal Healthy State
 Food Habits during Different Disease State

8. Different nutritional requirements
 Macronutrients
 Micronutrients

9. Macronutrients
 Carbohydrates
 Proteins
 Fat

10. carbohydrates
 Role – 1st source of energy
 Sources – Whole Grains
 Potatoes
 Whole Rice
 Bananas

11. Proteins
 Role – Building blocks of the body & Repair of
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wear and tear
Sources – Banana
Pulses
Milk , cheese, Paneer
Beans
Eggs
Poultry products

12. Fats
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Role – Temperature Regulation of the body
Fat soluble Vitamins
Insulation
Sources –
Oil- Olive oil, groundnut oil, sunflower oil,
Nuts – walnuts, cashew, almond
ghee

13. Micronutrients
 Vitamins
 Minerals

14. Vitamins
 Fat Soluble Vitamins – A, D, E, K
 Water Soluble Vitamins – B complex & C

15. Vitamin A
 Essential for Color Vision & Vision in low light
 Deficiency - Night Blindness
 Sources – Carrots
 Cord Liver Oil
 Shark Liver Oils
 Pumpkin
 Yellow orange fruits
 Ripe mango

16. Vitamin D
 Role -Regulation of calcium- and phosphate
household, structure of bone, assits
admission of calcium
 Sources -Cod-liver oil, liver, milk, yolk, butter,
sea fish, avocado
 Deficiency – Rickets

17. Vitamin E
 Role - Stabilization of the immune system, antiinflammatory, cell replacement, protection from
radicals, modulates cholesterol level and
hormone household, important for blood
vessels, muscles and reproduction organs
 Sources - Sunflowers -, corn -, Soya and wheat
germ oil, nuts, flaxseed, peperoni, avocado
 Deficiency - amblyopia, tiredness, reproduction
problems

18. Vitamin K
 Role- Necessary for formation of the blood
clotting factors
 Sources - Eggs, liver, green collard, green
vegetable, oatmeal, kiwi, tomatoes,
 Deficiency – Clotting disorders

19. Vitamin B1 -Thiamin
 Role -Important for the nerve system, liver
damage, pregnancy, production of energy,
affects the carbohydrates metabolism,
important for the thyroid function
 Sources -Wheat germs, whole meal cereals,
peas, heart, pork, barm, oatmeal, liver, brown
rice
 Deficiency - Heavy muscle- and nerve
disturbances, tiredness, dyspepsias, dropsy,
cardiac insufficiency, cramps, paralyses

20. Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin
 Role -Important for body growth, untilization of
fats, protein and carbohydrates, well being for
skin, eyes and nails, important energy
production, oxygen transport
 Sources- Milk products, Meat, wholemeal cereal,
cheese, eggs, liver, sea-fish, green leafy
vegetables, whey powder
 Deficiency  skin inflammation, brittle nails, anaemia, callus
attrition

21. Vitamin B3 - Niacin
 Sources
 Fish.
 Meat., Liver.,
 Whole wheat.,Cereals., Egg.,Dates,Figs.
 Peanut Butter.
 Nuts.
 Deficiency -Pellagra, which is characterised
by Diarrhoea, Dermatitis &
 Dementia

22. Vitamin B5
 Role- relieve pain of burns, cuts, abrasions & to
reduce skin inflammation.
 It speeds up wound healing.
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Sources
Meat.
Whole grains.
Green vegetables, Yeast,Nuts.Sweet Potatoes.
 Deficiency causes:
 Tingling Numbness..

23. Vitamin B6 Pyroxidine
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Sources:
Egg Yolk., Fish, Milk. Cabbage
Whole grain.
Bananas.Nuts., Corn.
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Deficiency can cause:
Skin problems - Acne.
Insomnia. Muscle weakness.
Nausea.
Irritability.
Depression.
Fatigue.
Anaemia.
Mild convulsion in babies.

24. Vitamin B12 -cyanocobalamine
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Sources:
Non vegetarian food only, like
Fish.
Eggs.
Dairy Products.
Sprouts
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Deficiency causes:
Anaemia.
Sore Tongue.
Weakness.
Tendency to bleed.
Abdominal Pain.
Depression.
Irritability.

25. Hydration
 Having enough water and other fluids
throughout each day is important for
good health and physical well-being.
 Water makes up 40 to 70 per cent of
our body mass, depending on the age,
sex and body composition. 65 to 75 per
cent of our muscle weight is water.
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26.  Our body needs water for transporting
nutrition, various chemical and enzymatic
reactions taking place in the body, lubrication
of joints along with other proteins,
maintaining body temperature, protecting
lungs, heart, eyes, intestines, etc
 Dehydration can cause fatigue, cramping,
and reduce your ability to function physically,
so preventing it is key.

27. Balanced Diet
 A diet which is able to provide all the
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nutritional requirement
Caloric // Energy Requirement
Prevents constipation
Prevents anemia
Adequate water requirement

28. Balanced Diet

29. Let your diet be as colorful as a
rainbow

30. Food Pyramid

31. Foods that increase Physical Growth
 Height
 Weight

32. Foods to increase Physical Growth
 Banana + Milk
 Peanuts
 Almonds
 Dates + Milk
 Cashew Milkshake

33. Foods to increase Height
 Banana
 Gum
 Milk and dairy products
 Ragi
 Carrots
 Raddish

34. Foods to increase Mental Growth
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Walnuts
Apples & Plums
Milk & Milk products – paneer, cheese
Ragi
Pumpkin Seeds- zinc – enhance
memory and thinking skills
Broccoli
Fish- Essential Fatty Acids
Blueberries – Memory
Tomatoes – prevents Dementia
(antioxidants)
Whole grains – for energy production

35. Foods to increase the immunity power
 Ginger Paste + Honey –
1tsp full daily
 Lemon juice –rich in
vitamin C and increases
immunity.
 Turmeric Powder + Honey
helps to increase the
immunity power
 Amla Juice

36. Diet to be followed during various disease
states
 Anemia
 Constipation
 Diarrhoea

37. Diet During Diarrhoea
 Lots of fluids
 Water Salt and Sugar Solution
 Rice Cunjee

38. Diet for Anemia
 Black Dates
 Black Raisins
 Dry fig
 Sprouts- Vitamin B12 deficiency
 Jaggery
 Green Leafy vegetables
 Beet , Tomatoes

39. Diet for Constipation
 Lots of fluids and water
 Children who generally have constipation is due
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to less intake of water
High Fibre diet
Oatmeals, Corn Flakes
Fruits- Papaya, Sweet Lime, Oranges
Lots of green vegetables
Over-night soaked dry fig
Avoid food items like complan, horlicks,
bournvita, maggie, etc

40. How frequent should a child eat???
 A child needs at least 3 heavy meals and 2
snack meals

41. Healthy Menu for your child
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8am – Milk or Milk shake
Khakhra or Paratha
(Use Pure Ghee while preparing Parathas )
You can experiment with the stuffings of the paratha
and also shape of the paratha to add creativity and
variety on the dining table.
 Idli Sambhar is a good option .Idli- takes care of
Caloric requirement of the child and is rich in Vitamin
B12. Sambar is rich in proteins
 Bread Toast (whole wheat) or Sandwitch full of
vegetables
 Oatmeals or Wheat Flakes or Corn Flakes

42.  1oam – Fruit or 100% fruit juice without
added sugar
 Dry fruits – almonds, apricots , raisins,
walnuts, prunes can also be given.
 Always Substitute Processed sugar with
healthier options like jaggery, Honey and
Dates

43.  12noon- 1pm – Lunch Time
 Indian Meal is an ideal balanced diet
 Salads should be a important ingredient of the
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meal
Salads – Cucumber, Tomatoes, Salad Leaves,
Raddish, Carrots, Sprouts.
Make a Pasta Salad to make salad attractive to
your child
Vegetables, Dal and Rice or Chapati
“one grain at a time” .
Vegetables – Make sure you make variety of it.
From Bhindi, Peas, Cauliflower, Egg Plant,

44.  4pm Snack Time – Milk or Milk shake
 Fruits – Banana, Papaya, Musk Melon
 Biscuits (whole grain biscuits)
 6pm – Brunch- Vegetable soup
 Variety of Soups – Tomato, Pumpkin, Bouttle
Gourd, Spinach, Mix Vegetables
 Add bit of Rock Salt and Pepper for taste
 You can even add whole corn , peas , cheese to
the soup for the child to like it

45.  8pm- Dinner time –
 Make sure your child eats at least 2 hours before he
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goes to sleep
Make a variety of food(which was not made for
lunch)
Make a colorful and lively dinner
You can always make a pasta (whole grain) , pizza ,
Rice , etc with full of veggies
Pizza base can also be made at home and out of
wheat flour
Strictly avoid using refined flour (maida ) . Instead
use whole grain or mixed grain flour
So children enjoying eat it and also get the adequate
nutrition.

46.  Make sure your childs water intake is
adeuqate. Encourage your child to drink
water frequently.
 Make sure your child gets adequate Physical
Activity to utilise his calorie intake
 Make sure your child gets adequate sleep as
maximum growth takes place during sleeping
hours

47. Healthy Tiffin Box tips
 Do not give any outside ready made food
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items
Do not give waffers and dry snacks
Give home made fresh food stuffs
You can give Dhokla
Sandwitch
Cutlets
Fruits
Upma

48. Is your child a fussy eater??

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How to develop your child’s interest in
eating?
Involve your child in cooking
Involve your child in food shopping
Children's food preferences,
an opportunity to teach your children
about nutrition,
 provide your kids with a feeling of
accomplishment.
 In addition, children may be more willing
to eat or try foods that they help prepare.
 Name the food your child helped create,
and make a big deal of serving "Tania's
Thai Salad" or "Henry's Corn and Avocado
Tacos" for dinner

50. Concept of “Chocolate Bank”
 It’s like a piggy- bank . Child collects all the
chocolates he recieves. Then he cannot eat
them all together
 The child has to “earn” the chocolate to eat
one
 It avoids over-eating and also inculcates the
value of earning .

51. Creativity to the plate
 Make the dish as colorful as possible. If all the colors are
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present in the plate , means that you are adding
maximum nutrition in the plate.
Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Top a bowl of whole grain cereal with a smiley face:
banana slices for eyes, raisins for nose, peach or apple
slice for mouth.
Create a food collage. Use broccoli florets for trees,
carrots and celery for flowers, cauliflower for clouds,
and a yellow squash for a sun. Then eat your
masterpiece!
Make frozen fruit kabobs for kids using pineapple
chunks, bananas, grapes, and berries.

52.  Try fruit smoothies for a quick healthy
breakfast or afternoon snack.
 Add extra veggies to soups, stews, and
sauces, grated or shredded to make them
blend in.
 Keep lots of fresh fruit and veggies washed
and available as snacks. Apples, pears,
bananas, grapes, figs, carrot and celery sticks
are all easy to eat on the run. Add yogurt, nut
butter, for extra protein.

53. Warn Kids to Drink Calories
 Outside drinks , chocolate shakes and fruit
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shakes contain umpteen no. of calories.
Warn your kids from having them.
To help kids develop a healthy liquid calorie
habit from an early age, give your toddler
plenty of water and plain milk to avoid
getting them used to sugary juice or
chocolate milk.
If you do give them juice, give them 100
percent fruit juice and water it down,
mixing equal parts water and juice.
Encourage your children to drink more
water. Over consumption of sweetened
drinks and sodas has been linked to
increased rates of obesity in children.

54. Don't Ban Junk Food Outright
 Once kids get their first taste of
crunchy, sweet or salty, it's hard to get
them unhooked.
 Still, it is recommended that parents
limit the number of treats that kids are
allowed to eat each day, rather than
ban these foods completely. That way,
kids won't be as tempted to want
what they can't have.
 if the food becomes available to your
child outside your home, he or she
might eat it despite feeling full. This
can lead to a habit of overeating.

55. Discourage eating meals or snacks while
watching TV.
 Try to eat only in designated areas of your home,
such as the dining room or kitchen. Eating in
front of the TV may make it difficult to pay
attention to feelings of fullness, and may lead to
overeating.

56. Encourage your children to eat slowly
 A child can detect hunger and fullness better
when they eat slowly.
 Before offering a second helping or serving,
ask your child to wait a few minutes to see if
they are truly still hungry. This will give the
brain time to register fullness.

57. Eat meals together as a family as often
as possible.
 Try to make mealtimes pleasant with conversation
and sharing, not a time for scolding or arguing.
 If mealtimes are unpleasant, children may try to
eat faster to leave the table as soon as possible.
 They then may learn to associate eating with
stress.

58. Set a Good Example
 It may seem that your kids — especially
teenagers — often do the exact opposite of
your healthy-eating advice
 your opinion and actions make a big
impact on how they view nutrition.
 Preschoolers especially love to copy what
their parents do, and are likely to mimic
your meal preferences and willingness to
try new foods.
 Take advantage of this “monkey-see,
monkey-do” behavior and make healthy
eating choices in front of them.

59.  Eat snacks and meals with your
child whenever possible, so they
see how much you enjoy eating
fruits and vegetables, and make
mealtime fun by trying new foods
together.
 If you have older kids, discourage
them from making a "yuck" face
when eating vegetables or
talking negatively about a certain
dish around a younger child at
the dinner table.

60. Start with Small Portions
 Use smaller plates , bowls and utensils for your
child to eat with, and allow them to serve
themselves when they are old enough to safely
do so.You can begin this practice when they are
3 to 5 years old, and start with allowing them to
take a serving of salad or some other non-hot
food from small bowl that you hold for them.
 This will make them feel "like a grown-up,"
while helping them learn to measure out how
much they want to eat and understand portion
size.
 Encourage them to take one serving at a time
and go back for seconds only if they are still
hungry

61. A “weighty” problem: children, weight
and self esteem
 Children who are substantially
overweight or obese are at greater risk
for cardiovascular disease, bone and
joint problems, sleep apnea, and poor
self-esteem, as well as long-term
health problems in adulthood.
 While childhood obesity doesn’t always
lead to obesity in adulthood, it does
raise the risks dramatically. The
majority of children who are
overweight during preschool or
elementary school are still overweight
as they enter their teens.

62.  Addressing weight problem in
children requires a coordinated plan
of physical activity and healthy
nutrition.
 The goal should be to slow or halt
weight gain, thereby allowing your
child to grow into his or her ideal
weight.

63. Kids and junk food
 No matter how well parents promote healthy
eating, it can be difficult for any kid to avoid
the temptation of junk food.
 Instead of eliminating junk food entirely,
which tends to increase cravings even more,
try substituting some healthier alternatives.

64. Eating out with kids: fast food and
restaurant nutrition for children
 It might be challenging to persuade your youngster to order a
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salad instead of a cheeseburger, but you can steer them
towards healthier options. Some important tips to remember
about fast food and restaurant dining for kids:
Avoid sodas – Kids should drink water or milk instead.
Skip the fries – Consider taking along a bag of mini carrots,
grapes, or other fruits and vegetables to have instead. This will
add vitamins and fiber to the meal.
Order the kid's meal with some substitutions – Children often
love the kid's meal more for the fun box and toys than for the
food. Ask to substitute healthier choices for the soda and the
fries if possible.
Opt for vegetables or spaghetti with tomato sauce in a sitdown restaurant, rather than a big plate of macaroni and
cheese

65. Try not to use food to punish or reward
your children.
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Withholding food as a punishment may lead
children to worry that they will not get
enough food. For example, sending children
to bed without any dinner may cause them
to worry that they will go hungry. As a result,
children may try to eat whenever they get a
chance. Similarly, when foods, such as
sweets, are used as a reward, children may
assume that these foods are better or more
valuable than other foods. For example,
telling children that they will get dessert if
they eat all of their vegetables sends the
wrong message about vegetables.
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Parents should also avoid restricting
desserts or other treats as punishment for
bad behavior, because this can lead to an
unhealthy relationship with food.

66. Limiting salt
 One teaspoon of salt contains about 2,300 mg of sodium. Some
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guidelines for the maximum salt intake for children:
If a child is
They should eat less than…
1 to 3 years old
1,500 milligrams a day
4 to 8 years old
1,900 milligrams a day
9 to 13 years old
2,200 milligrams a day
14 to 18
2,300 milligrams a day
Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant, and fast food. Processed
foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that
quickly surpasses the recommended limit. Many fast food meals are
also loaded with sodium.
Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.

67. Limiting sugar
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The American Heart Association recommends that sugar intake for children is
limited to 3 teaspoons (12 grams) a day. Cutting back on candy and cookies is
only part of the solution. Large amounts of added sugar can also be hidden in
foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, frozen dinners, ketchup, and
fast food.
Don’t ban sweets entirely. Having a no sweets rule is an invitation for cravings
and overindulging when given the chance.
Give recipes a makeover. Many recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more
than three times the daily recommended limit for children! Try adding a splash of
fruit juice to sparkling water instead.
Cut down on processed foods, such as white bread and cakes, which cause
blood sugar to go up and down, and can leave kids tired and sapped of energy.
Create your own popsicles and frozen treats. Freeze 100% fruit juice in an icecube tray with plastic spoons as popsicle handles. Or try freezing grapes, berries,
banana pieces, or peach slices, then topping with a little chocolate sauce or
whipped cream for an amazing treat.

68. Don’t forget about physical activity
 It is also important to ensure your children include
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physical activity in their day. Children need to be
active for at least an hour every day.
Reduced sedentary behaviours by setting up limits
for time spent in front of TV, computers or video
games.
Increase incidental exercise such as walking to
school or the shops, sweeping the path or doing
some gardening.
Be a role model and make physical activity a family
event by going for a bush walk, playing family
cricket, playing in the park or kicking a ball around.
Choose activities that your children like and
encourage play that involves moving.
Choose “active” presents such as balls or volleyball
kits rather than sedentary presents such as DVD’s,
play station games

69.  To encourage physical activity, play with your
kids - throw around a football; go cycling,
skating, or swimming; take family walks and
hikes; and help your kids find activities they
enjoy by showing them different possibilities.
The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant
and regular excercise can even help motivate
your kids to make healthy food choices.

70. Help Them Recognize When They’ve
Eaten Enough
 Remind your children to stop eating once they begin to feel
full. Do not urge them to finish all the food on their plate,
and do not praise them for completely clearing their plate.
 Instead, tell them that it's best to only eat as much as they
want at that time, and that the leftovers can be finished
later when they become hungry again.
 Allow your child to stop eating when they feel that they are
full, even if you sometimes feel that they have not eaten
enough. Making them eat when they are no longer hunger
can lead to unhealthy overeating habits.
 To help your young child learn to listen to their body's
fullness cues at mealtime,ask them questions such as "Is
your tummy telling you that you’re full?" or "Is your
stomach still making that hungry growling noise?"

71. Nutritious New Foods: Try, Try Again
 Don't be discouraged if your toddler
stubbornly turns away from mashed broccoli
or strained peas. It takes time for children to
learn to like a new food's taste and texture.
Offer a new food many times, as it can take
up to a dozen tries for a child to decide they
like a certain food.

72.  Thank you
 Have a Healthy Yummy Day!!