Well-being and fitness
Why do you need these extra nutrients during different phases of your life
Thursday November 30, 2023
Eating healthy is always important. But did you know that your age reveals what additional nutrients you need? Dietitian Sanne Mouha explains how it works. “Each age group has different nutritional needs. This does not mean that you have to completely change your diet from one year to the next. The sooner you start eating healthily, the better it will be for your body. Basically, our diet consists of three groups: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. These three groups are important throughout our lives, but to different degrees,” explains Mouha.
Babies
It is important that babies grow, their brains develop well, and their organs and eyes function properly. Their diet must therefore support these three elements. The basic diet for babies consists of feeding from the breast or a suitable bottle. Regularity is very important here. Do you want to introduce solid food? It is then important to get used to the taste. Babies still need to learn all the flavors. So try to let them taste lots of different things. This way, your child will be more likely to enjoy it more later. After all, babies need enough energy. So, low-fat foods are not necessary at all and are even harmful. It is not recommended to add salt or sugar to meals.
Toddlers
Toddlers can eat everything on the table, but adding salt or sugar is still not done. Children also need a lot of energy at this age, so snacks are important. Ideally, these snacks contain vitamins or calcium.
Vitamins are found in fruits and vegetables, calcium in products made from cow’s milk (whole). Toddlers can be picky eaters and are usually more likely to opt for a cookie over a piece of fruit as a snack. Try to choose cookies with lots of fiber and little added sugar whenever possible. Also give your child a maximum of three snacks per day and at set times. After all, eating continuously is bad for your teeth.
Toddlers
From this age, your child goes to school full time, which gives their life a whole new structure. Here too, healthy habits are important. Teach your child to eat fruits and vegetables. Not only with the main meal, but also as a snack. Also listen to your child. Has he eaten enough?
So don’t push him to finish his plate. At this age, bottle feeding and breastfeeding cease to exist. So make sure your child gets enough calcium, as it strengthens bones and bones. Whole grain products are also a healthy choice. However, children are generally not very fond of it. This is why you should start with light brown bread and then later switch to the wholemeal version.
Children
Primary school children learn new things every day and are constantly playing and frolicking. They therefore need a lot of energy in the form of carbohydrates. For breakfast, choose a wholemeal sandwich, oatmeal or unsweetened muesli. You can also put complete sandwiches in the lunch box, which you can, for example, garnish with a vegetable spread. Divide your child’s plate – and yours – into three parts in the evening. Fill half of your plates with vegetables, a quarter with potatoes or wholemeal pasta, rice, quinoa or couscous and the last quarter with meat, fish or a meat substitute such as tofu, quorn and seitan. As a parent, eat with your children and introduce them to the different colors, flavors and combinations of fruits and vegetables. This way, they are encouraged to make healthy choices later in life.
Teenagers
Adolescents experience a strong growth spurt and therefore eat more. The basics remain the same: vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates and proteins. Consider how much your teen moves. There are teenagers who play five different sports, but there are also those who much prefer games. Based on this, you can see how much energy and fat your teen needs. Around the age of 18, the growth spurt is usually over and the appetite also declines.
However, teenagers often make unhealthy choices at this age. They are old enough to decide their own diet and eat more outside the home.
There’s nothing wrong with eating a bag of fries or a pizza every now and then, as long as they generally opt for a healthy diet. Additionally, adolescents acquire a more sedentary lifestyle around this age. Hours playing outside are exchanged for hours in front of the computer or watching Netflix. Additionally, 18-year-olds no longer grow as quickly as they did at fourteen. If they continue to eat a lot and in an unhealthy way, they will gain weight.
18-40
Little change between 18 and 40 years old. Here again, it is important to eat enough vegetables, fruits and whole grain products and to ensure their regularity. Additionally, try to get enough protein, but don’t overdo it with meat and fish. So choose eggs, legumes, milk or soy products and meat substitutes regularly. Drinking enough water daily and avoiding carbonated drinks is also important. And try to exercise every day.
40-60
From the age of 40, your muscle mass decreases and your metabolism drops. No matter how you look at it, you are getting older and so is your body. From the age of 45, your bones also become more fragile. This process is accelerated by menopause. Many people notice at this age that they are gaining weight, even though they are not doing anything different than they did a few years ago. This is why it is important to reduce your consumption of sugars and fats and ensure a regular and healthy diet, combined with an active lifestyle.
60+
Typical age-related ailments appear. For example, from this age you have an increased risk of heart problems and high cholesterol. Your metabolism also decreases and your thirst decreases, so you drink less. So try to pay special attention to it and drink at least one and a half liters of water per day. From the age of 80, we also feel much less hungry, because our body’s need to keep all processes running is no longer as great.”
Always good!
There are of course foods that are good for our bodies at every stage of life. Sanne Mouha: “It may sound boring, but if you make healthy choices, you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life. So drink water instead of soda. Choose fruits and vegetables and avoid ultra-processed foods.
Think candy or cereal with chocolate and/or sugar. Too much added sugar is always a bad idea. Fish and meat are also part of a healthy lifestyle, but don’t overdo it.
Try to eat no more than 500 grams of red or processed meat per week. Also choose a meat substitute. These days, there are so many choices that even the biggest meat lovers will find what they’re looking for.
A small change that has a big impact: ditch the salt shaker.
The content first appeared on The Content Exchange