Studying and eating well

By Cherice Bronte-Tinkew, RD

Do you know a young student who will be sitting an important examination this year? It can be a crazy time for him or her so it’s best to show as much support as possible to help them do well. One area, of course is nutrition. Are they eating well? It’s important we support children with healthy foods especially within the young adolescent stage 10 to 14 years. They are growing and developing, which requires more energy and more nutrients. The focus should be on nutrient-dense foods from the six Caribbean food groups.

The Staples food group contains foods rich in a nutrient called carbohydrate that converts to energy in the body. Foods such as bread, fortified cereals, oats, and ground provisions are great options. These are foods which contain B vitamins. B vitamins help with releasing energy from foods.

Of course we have the foods rich in protein, another nutrient needed for growth and there are options for the ‘picky eaters.’ The Legumes food group will have peas, beans and nuts, and the food from Animals group will have chicken, tuna, fish, milk, cheese and yogurt. Meats and legumes like these provide iron too for both females and males.

Females need more as they start to menstruate and males need for growing lean body mass in the young adolescent stage. Milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium and protein so this is excellent for both bones and muscles.

The Fruits and Vegetables groups are very important too. Vitamins and minerals are found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Having them daily can support their immune system which ensures less downtime being sick and more time learning well.

Don’t forget the healthy fats, too. This is needed in small amounts. Yes, small amounts of butter or margarine or avocado can be added to toast. Fried foods should be limited. Many of the frozen meals like patties and nuggets do contain higher amounts of fat and salt so it is best to do homemade ones which can be baked with less oil and salt.

High fat, high sugar and high salt foods would be low in vitamins and minerals. Fried chips, sweetened juices, candy, cookies should not take up the majority of a young adolescent’s diet. They have negative impacts on a child’s health. Children can be at a higher risk for chronic non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes and hypertension which can impact their learning and development of their bodies.

Helpful tips to maximise nutrition in your child’s meals and snacks:

1. Replace sugar in pancakes and muffins with the use of bananas.
2. Add in dried fruit or nuts (if they are not allergic) to cereals or oatmeal.
3. Make burger patties with seasoned, cooked lentils and channa.
4. Blend in vegetables like carrots, sweet peppers or spinach into spaghetti sauces.
5. Limit juice drinks and sweetened milk drinks. Encourage them to have fresh fruit and plain milk instead. Vanilla essence and cocoa powder can be added to plain milk for variety.

Cherice Bronte-Tinkew has been a registered dietitian for over nine years. She is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians.

For more information: Facebook and Instagram pages @JustCherNutrition.

Email- justchernutri@gmail.com

References:

Nutrition during Adolescence sub chapter from Whitney E. Rady Rolfes S., Crowe T. Walsh A., Understanding Nutrition, Cengage, 2019