Superfood - Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes are wonderful for the autumn. Not only for their wonderful warm, orange colour and natural sweetness but also for their ´superfood´ qualities.

It has been noted that they contain huge amounts of Beta Carotene that the body converts into vitamin A, essential for healthy eyes, strong immune system as well as acting as a powerful antioxidant. Good stuff!

They are especially great for children as they are naturally sweet, helping to nourish the spleen and pancreas, relaxing the body and helping to reduce cravings for sweets and candy in between meals.

Try out the sweet vegetable bake recipe here

Enjoy!

Superfood - Broccoli

Broccoli is great, full of chlorophyll (if lightly boiled for 3-4minutes) and vitamin C, bringing a wonderful freshness to help cleanse the liver. Especially useful to include in daily meals if you find your kids are grumpy in the mornings (can sometimes be a sign of a liver trying hard to process too much fatty, salty foods).

Children love the sweet and sour taste too so if you are struggling to get them to eat broccoli, try serving it with the following dressing...

• 1 teaspoon of umeboshi paste, few drops of toasted sesame oil, 1-2 teaspoons of rice syrup, a little water and some orange or lemon zest.

Broccoli can also be added to minestrone soups (add in the last 3 minutes before serving so to retain the green colour, ie the vitamins).

Enjoy!

Food Types

What should we be feeding our children?

Here are a few essential food types to be included in children’s diets for overall health and well being…

Complex Carbohydrates: Help nourish the nervous system, strengthen the brain, stabilise blood sugar levels and provide long lasting energy. Essential for studying school children.

Examples are…wholegrain brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, rye, barley and wholegrain oats.

Fats and Oils: Good quality fats and oils are essential for overall health, helping to keep joints supple, provide insulation and protection around vital organs as well as improving brain function. Good quality fats and oils provide nourishment and warmth to the body especially during winter months and colder climates.

Examples are…omega oils found in oily fish, as well as nuts and seeds.

Vitamins: Found in fresh fruit and vegetables. Green vegetables that have been lightly cooked for 3-4 minutes retaining the rich green colour have large amounts of chlorophyll and vitamins essential for overall health and healthy liver function. Light, freshly cooked vegetables help to bring balance to the body when consumed alongside cooked proteins especially during the spring and summer months and warmer climates.

Examples are…broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, spring greens, and green beans.

Minerals: One of the food groups with the highest amount of minerals is sea vegetables. Widely consumed for centuries in Asia where some of the lowest osteoporosis levels in the world are found. Minerals are essential for bone growth and creating good quality blood. This helps to strengthen and nourish the body, especially during winter months and colder climates.

Examples are…sea vegetables such as Wakame, Dulse, Kombu and sea salt.

Protein: The building blocks of the body. Essential for growing children to help build body mass, strong muscles. This provides nourishment, helping to feel fuller and satisfied for longer, helping to reduce some food cravings.

Examples are…eggs, fish, vegetable proteins such as tofu and beans.

Natural Sugars: Sweet foods needn’t be sugary sweets or deserts. Naturally sweet vegetables can help relax the body and nourish the spleen and pancreas. Root and round vegetables strengthen and ground the body providing ´roots´ which are often much needed in hectic modern lifestyles.

Examples are…sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin.

 

The Nitty Gritty

Ok so what should we include in a Lunch Box? What are the essential components?

Try to include some of each food group...

• Complex Carbohydrates - Whole grains such as wholegrain rice, millet, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, good quality wholemeal or sourdough breads. These will provide steady energy needed through the school day as well as nourish the nervous system. If your children aren't familiar with these products then slowly adapt the food at home and start substitute first the bread by using the best quality you can afford.
• Vitamins and Fibre - As mentioned in previous posts, vegetables can be added to sandwiches, used with pates etc. Essential for vitamins and fibre keeping the body and digestive system working healthily. A small amount of fruit can be added to lunch boxes as a snack or dessert for some added vitamins. You can always add some 100% fruit juice cartons, fruit slices, grapes, dried fruit pieces, mini fruits such as baby pears and bananas, fruit compote etc. However emphasise more on vegetables as too much fruit can have a relaxing effect on the body after the initial sugar rush which is not what children need during maths lessons!
• Fats - When I say fats, I mean good quality. A handful of nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds etc or some natural peanut butter or tahini (sesame paste) in sandwiches (works both well for sweet and savoury sandwiches).
• Minerals - If you are serving soup in a flask then be sure to blend in some cooked Kombu or Wakame sea vegetables for essential minerals and high calcium levels (higher and more easily absorbed than in Dairy). The main sea vegetable intake is recommended during home meals as children love to fit in with their peers and whilst lunch boxes should be healthy they should also be and socially friendly.
• Protein - as I have mentioned before, protein is very important for growing children. Their bodies are changing and growing constantly and the protein acts as the building blocks of their bodies.