If you cannot access the video above, please click here to watch it on YouTube.
What are some ways that you incorporate protein into your picky eater's diet? Please share your comments and suggestions below! The next video in the series will be up next week :)
If you cannot access the video above, please click here to watch it on YouTube.
Do you give your child probiotics? Have you experienced any benefits or even drawbacks? Please share your comments and suggestions below! The next video on protein-rich superfoods will be up next week :)
If you can't see the video above, please check it out on YouTube HERE.
This is the first post of...well, many...about superfoods and supplements. As promised, I'm going to detail different things we give our son to fill holes in his nutrition that his diet might leave to be desired. There's also benefits to mommas including most of these in their own diets as well!
This post is dedicated to COCONUT OIL.
Coconut oil has been demonized in the past because it contains saturated
fat. In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it being saturated. It contains so-called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – which are fatty acids of a medium length (duh LOL). Most of the fatty acids in our diets are so-called long-chain fatty
acids, but the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized
differently. They go straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they
are used as a quick source energy or turned into so-called ketone
bodies, which can have therapeutic effects on brain disorders like
epilepsy, autism and Alzheimer’s.
Also of interest is the fact that another great source of Medium Chain Fatty Acids is… breast milk!
Breast milk is rich in Lauric acid, the same fatty acid found in coconut oil...and it’s there because, in addition to easily digestible nourishment, it provides immunity against infection. the Medium Chain Fatty Acids in coconut oil are believed to help with the body’s absorption of vitamins and minerals from other foods.
According to the research, when a lactating woman adds foods rich in
lauric acid to her diet, the amount of lauric acid available in her
breast milk increases substantially to levels three times the original
level and nearly double the amount of capric acid. A single meal of
coconut oil can significantly affect the breast milk fatty acid
compositions for 1 to 3 days with the maximum increase occurring during
the first 10 hours. This data supports the hypothesis that diet directly affects the quality of human milk and possibly the womb environment.
Also, coconut oil can be used to ease dry skin, diaper rash, cradle cap, even to moisturize nipples after breastfeeding or pumping!
This is my favorite way to use coconut oil, because it stays liquid even when cold or blended into smoothies...although Costco sells HUGE tubs of organic coconut oil for about $15...much cheaper than I've found organic coconut oil anywhere, even Trader Joe's. It's important to try to get organic or at least cold-pressed or virgin, because the cheaper stuff is usually extracted with chemicals.
If you cannot see the video above, please click here to see it on YouTube.
This is not to be taken as medical advice, as I am not a medical professional. I am only sharing what I do with my family, and what we find works for us. Please share in the comments what your own experience has been with picky eating, due to sensory sensitivities or otherwise, and what you do to help overcome any "holes" in your child's nutrition.
I recently read an article about how a very popular children's vitamin (actually, the one I always took as a kid) is actually full of GMOs, aspartame, and a slew of other really nasty stuff that I wouldn't ever knowingly give my child.
My son is a very picky eater (he only willingly eats fruits, veggies and cheese) so I worry about his protein and fat intake. Every morning, I make Bu "tremenda mezcla" ("a huge mixture" in Spanish, that's what my dad calls it) of stuff, but it works out for us and he loves it. I mix 1 fruit, 1 vegetable and 1 protein baby food/puree (all organic) with 2 teaspoons of Michaels Pediavites (a lemon flavored liquid multivitamin), 1 tablespoon of Blue Ice infused coconut oil (organic coconut oil that has fermented cod liver oil in it) and 1 teaspoon of Baby Bifidactyl Probiotics, with just enough water to make it all drinkable.
It always looks and smells NASTY, but Bu loves it and I know once he drinks that, he can eat any sort of baby snack or stuff off Daddy's (not usually health-focused) plate the rest of the day and I won't worry whatsoever because he got so much nutrition first thing in the morning.
Lately, I've started making him smoothies with frozen organic produce and experimenting with fat/proteins/grains. I find that not only have I saved money (DIY is much cheaper than 3 jars of baby food a day) but it justs feels nice that I know exactly what Bu is getting. The only real drawback is that he's a stickler for texture and even temperature (he likes his drinks room temperature! LOL), and flavor combos are sometimes not as successful as I foresee.
Do you give your babies/toddlers/kids any supplements? Why or why not?
