Functional Foods for Healthy Kids

by Kristin Derrin October 25, 2018

The terms functional medicine and functional foods are relatively new words in the field of holistic medicine and healthy eating. With a growing awareness of how diet can influence our wellbeing, most of the food we buy in the supermarkets are still over-processed, full of sugar or other unhealthy ingredients. If you do not have a health shop nearby, healthy grocery shopping in the local supermarket could be a nightmare.

What are functional foods for children

Functional foods for children are foods which support health and wellbeing in kids. Foods that provide naturally occurring vitamins and minerals for optimal health with an abundance of absorbable nutrients with no potentially toxic ingredients. Therefore their nutritional value provides benefits beyond their basic nutrition.

Finding Functional Foods at the Grocery Store

One easy way is to find function foods amongst the many aisles of colourful packaging at the grocery store, is to shop around the outside of the store. 

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Superfoods

Superfoods you can buy at the grocery store

Superfoods are foods that are higher in nutrients than normal foods. You basically get a larger amount of vitamins and minerals compared to other normal non-superfoods. But what superfoods do best is provide a high amount of antioxidants which help prevent disease while keeping our bodies functioning efficiently. Most superfoods are found in dense jungles of the Amazon, but some are found conveniently in our grocery stores. 

• Spinach
• Kale
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Beetroot
• Broccoli
• Chia Seeds
• Walnuts
• Dark Chocolate (Cacao)

Kids’ health matters to parents

As mentioned above, the term functional food is relatively new. There are still many studies done, to discover the functional characteristics of functional foods in our “traditional” grocery basket. At the same time, nutritionists are eager to develop new foods with those beneficial components to classify them as functional foods. 

The advantage of seeing groceries as functional gives parents a new outlook for healthy kids. Knowing, which superfoods and functional foods promote optimal health, returns more control to parents regarding their kids’ health.

Functional foods and healthcare

By increasing kids diets with functional foods with added superfoods not only are you preventing health ailments but naturally decreasing behaviour and emotional problems. Research is showing a lot of childhood behavioural issues are stemming from the added artificial ingredients in processed/packaged foods. But with natural functional foods, parents can drastically reduce the number of toxins added to their kids' diets. The entire system gets a boost as well as a chance to rebalance.

As a parent, you can do much for the health of your kids with the food and beverages you serve at home on a daily basis. If you are concerned about your kids’ health, try to find a practitioner who is trained in traditional and functional medicine. This practitioner will build a detailed case history, undertake the necessary tests and develop a care plan with the parents and child in mind. Or simply eliminate as much packaged foods as possible and increase natural unprocessed foods and see how everyone feels. 

Using superfoods and functional foods daily will give you and your family increased energy and vitality. You will feel more clear-headed with a strengthened immune system from all the added nutrients in your diet. Less sick days and more days enjoying life to the fullest. 

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