Identified Your Child Fat Diet
Children need fat with their meals to make the food taste good. If food is too plain, they won’t eat it. Children also need fat with a meal so they don’t get hungry right away. Fat gives the meal its stick-to-the-ribs quality. At times, children have growth spurts and need extra fat so they can get enough calories. Fat gives food flavor and texture, but it’s also high in calories and excess amounts of fatty foods (as with excess amounts of any food) can cause many health problems.
To help you figure out fats, here’s a look at the three major types:
Unsaturated fats: Found in plant foods and fish, these fats are seen as neutral or even beneficial to heart health. The types of unsaturated fats are:
• monounsaturated, found in avocados and olive, peanut, and canola oils
• polyunsaturated, found in most vegetable oils
• omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat found in oily fish like albacore, tuna, and salmon
Saturated fats: Found in meat and other animal products, such as butter, shortening, lard, cheese, and milk (except skim or nonfat), saturated fats are also in palm and coconut oils, which are often used in commercial baked goods. Eating too much saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.
Trans fats: Found in margarine (especially the sticks), commercial snack foods and baked goods, and some commercially fried foods, trans fats (also called trans fatty acids) are created when vegetable oils are hydrogenated (meaning that hydrogen atoms are added to the fat molecule so they remain solid at room temperature). Like saturated fats, trans fats can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease.
Food manufacturers must list trans fats on food labels, but may also refer to them as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils on the ingredient list.
Parents are often told to choose low-fat foods, but it may be easier to avoid some of the popular high-fat foods that your kids are likely already eating.
Common high-fat foods, which you can look for lower fat alternatives for or only eat in moderation, include:
• Chocolate candies
• Trail mix (especially varieties containing chocolate chips)
• Cheese sauce
• Ricotta cheese made with whole or part skim milk
• Chicken pot pie
• Pie (pecan, cherry, chocolate creme, for example)
• Condensed milk (sweetened)
• Homemade white sauce
• Ribs
• Macadamia nuts, pecans and cashews
• Potato salad
• Au Gratin potatoes
• Hash brown potatoes
• Cheesecake
• Spinach souffle
• Baked beans with franks
Beef, pork, lamb, turkey, and chicken can also have a lot of fat, although that can be reduced if you trim off visible fat before preparing and serving them. Also, instead of serving them fried or with extra breading — which will increase the fat content of the meal — serve them broiled, grilled, boiled, or roasted.
Healthy low-fat foods, in addition to those that are labeled low fat or fat free, include:
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Spinach
• Egg whites
• Baked potatoes
• Grapes
• Angel food cake*
• Oatmeal cookies*
• Breakfast cereals (most brands)
• Watermelon
• Air-popped popcorn (without added butter)*
• Light tuna fish (canned in water)
• Grean peas
• Wheat bread
• Pancakes
• Beans
• Rice
• Pretzels*
• Vegetable soup
• Chicken soup with rice
• Milk – 1% reduced fat and skim milk
In addition to the fruits and vegetables listed above, keep in mind that most raw fruits and vegetables, except for avocados and olives, are naturally low in fat.