#MomLife: Kids Health-Should You Buy Organic and How
Price doesn’t present that big of a problem for parents when they decide about their children’s diet. They place emphasis on healthy and nutritional foods and organic is at the top of their list. Organic food used to be limited to certain grocery stores, but now it’s available in most of the regular ones - which is great. However, food labels, claims and benefits are often confusing. You need to do serious research before shopping organic, so let’s cover some crucial standing points.
Less toxic pesticides
Based on research, people who eat organic have less pesticides in their blood. Many of the chemicals used for fertilising also contain harmful substances which can affect their metabolism. Pesticides and fertilisers are linked to numerous health conditions like various cancers, for example.Children are especially sensitive because of their young bodies. That makes them susceptible to the toxicity of certain chemicals used in agriculture.
Focus on Dietary Habits
Organic food doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay attention to the nutritional value of your food. You can still gain weight, high cholesterol levels and other conditions caused by bad eating habits. It only gives you healthier ingredients, while preparation and diet are all up to you.However, most people who switch to organic food become more aware of their lifestyle.
They start paying attention to calories, cook nourishing meals and start some kind of physical activity. Additionally, they include their children in this new mission, too, and we all know how they can be picky when it comes to food. But, if appropriately thought through, you can still make pizza, pasta and French fries by using healthy cooking methods and more beneficial ingredients.
Educational for children
When they hear the word healthy, children mostly think it’s not tasty. So they either don’t eat it or cheat by buying some carb- and fat-loaded lunch at school. In order to prevent them from doing that and help them understand what organic food is, you should teach them about the healthy growing of vegetables and fruits. If you want to radically change your family’s dietary habits, don’t do it overnight. Cook the same meals as before only with different, healthier ingredients.
For example, you can make oven-baked sweet potato chips with olive oil and sea salt. Or, use whole grain bagels for burgers made from organic cow meat and cooked on the grill. Soon, your children will start being curious about other healthy options they can try. Organic food is a good start to educate your children on the proper dietary habits and lifestyle.
Accepting the Healthy Way
As a parent, you can influence what your child eats either by appealing to the school board, or by preparing them lunch to take with them. Obesity among young children is a real and worrisome issue today and many schools are already aware of this, as are the children. In order to eat properly, the children have to start accepting the healthy lifestyle. And that is something which starts at home.
There is a saying, “You are what you eat”. This means that in order to be healthy you have to eat good foods. Switching to organic may not solve your problems, like obesity in children, but it’s a good starting point to change your dietary habits. The sooner your children start with organic food, the better their bodies will develop.