Schools have entered the semester break, and nutrition and physical activity in children are changing, even if only for two weeks.
Experts point out that there may be an increase in weight due to increased inactivity and carbohydrate consumption, especially with the cooling of the weather, and recommend snacks consisting of healthy carbohydrates to families.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Nutrition and Diet Specialist Gizem Köse gives suggestions to families about the nutrition of children during the holiday period with the schools entering the semester break. First of all, Nutrition and Diet Specialist Gizem Köse emphasizes that children should consume 3 fruits a day to protect them from the flu epidemic, and recommends consuming these fruits in the form of two fresh and one dried fruit.
For the constipation problem that may occur due to inactivity, she states that dried fruits such as dried apricots and dates should be consumed for breakfast in the morning, and that the immune system of the child can be strengthened with snacks to be made at home instead of using ready-made products in snacks. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Gizem Köse, who makes recommendations for the daily nutrition system, lists the recommendations for other meals as follows;
1. The long break between lunch and dinner can be spiced up with a meal rich in carbohydrates and protein.
2. Options such as cheese sandwiches made with grain bread, milk with banana, milk with homemade fruit cake, homemade milk desserts can be evaluated.
3. Milk desserts can be prepared at home by using starch instead of pre-packaged powdered mixtures. For example: 1 liter of milk, 2 tablespoons of starch, 1 tablespoon of rye flour, 1 packet of cocoa, you can prepare a healthy snack and turn your child's sweet craving into an advantage with a meal containing calcium.
WATER CONSUMPTION IS IMPORTANT...
Nutrition and Diet Specialist Gizem Köse emphasizes that water consumption is the most forgotten thing during the winter months and that digestive and circulatory problems may occur due to decreased water consumption in children during this period. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Gizem Köse for water consumption in children; "Consuming water before and during meals helps control appetite. To make water fun, you can add mint, orange peel, cinnamon to make it slightly flavored and consume it. The important thing is that you can consume at least 1 liter of water a day."
MOVEMENT IS A MUST...
Stating that increased inactivity will cause weight gain, Gizem Köse recommends plenty of movement during the semester break. Gizem Köse; "It is useful to make the day more active. Although the weather is cold, there are many activities for children. It is now very easy to reach parks in shopping malls, game halls, centers designed for children. Whenever possible, it is useful to spend active time without sitting at home. If you want to spend time at home, you can choose more mobile activities rather than in front of the TV or computer. If your child does not like movement, you need to keep their food consumption under control. Completely eliminating fast-food style foods from your life will help your child's eating habits to be healthy. For this reason, instead of ordering food from outside, go out together, move and have a social and healthy holiday by staying away from fastfood-style foods."