Why Your Kids Should Eat Real Food

The fast modern world is turning more and more to fast processed foods. It is also becoming way more prone to deficiencies in micronutrients. You can fix that by eating natural, whole, unprocessed foods.

Deficiencies in micronutrients affect over a quarter of the world’s population. It may especially be a problem for children. And it’s a real problem because micronutrient deficiency is an important risk factor for disease.

Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals that, though they are crucially important for health, are needed only in small amounts. But even those small amounts are not being met by our processed modern diet.

Ultra-processed foods are lousy because much of the good stuff is taken out while much bad stuff is put in. They are low in fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals and pumped full of bad fat, refined carbohydrates, salt and refined sugar. Our processed food obsession is associated with obesity, cholesterol problems, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, asthma, gastrointestinal problems and cancer.

A new study of 806 children has found that the more ultra-processed foods they eat, the less they get of 15 out of the 20 micronutrients tested. Children who ate the most ultra-processed foods had 2.57 times the risk of not getting enough of 3 or more micronutrients.

 Eur J Pediatr. 2023 May 19. doi:10.1007/s00431-023-05026-9.

For the latest research to keep you and your family healthy, get The Natural Path delivered to your inbox each month for only $29.99 a year: Subscribe!

For much more on healthy, whole food eating, see Linda’s book The All New Vegetarian Passport Cookbook, a comprehensive cookbook and health book all in one.

For comprehensive natural help with your health and diet, make an appointment to see Linda Woolven now. Linda’s clinic is now open for virtual appointments.

The Natural Path is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. For health problems, consult a qualified health practitioner for a comprehensive program.