Smart Parent

What foods are included in the protein food group?

All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group. Protein is also found in plants such as legumes, dry beans and peas

Most meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat. Fish, nuts, and seeds contain healthy oils, so choose these foods frequently instead of meat or poultry.

Some commonly eaten choices in the protein food group are:

CATEGORY	ITEMS	REMARKS
Meats	Beef, ham, lamb, pork, veal, ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb
Game meats	Bison, rabbit, venison
Processed meat	Sausages, Burger, Ham, Bacon, nuggets	Processed meats such as ham, sausage, frankfurters, and luncheon or deli meats have added sodium and salt, not needed and good for babies and toddlers.
Ovals	Liver, Giblets, brain, others	Liver and other organ meats are high in cholesterol.
Poultry	Chicken, duck, goose, turkey, ground chicken, ground turkey
Egg	chicken eggs duck eggs	Egg yolks are high in cholesterol, but egg whites are cholesterol-free. Make sure that your child eats fully cooked eggs.
Finfish	Catfish, cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, herring, mackerel, Pollock, porgy, salmon, sea bass, snapper, swordfish, trout, tuna	Select fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring, more often Choose non-boney fish for your toddlers.
Shellfish	Clams, crab, crayfish, lobster, mussels, octopus, oysters, scallops, squid (calamari), shrimp
Canned fish	Anchovies, clams, tuna, sardines
Dry beans and peas	Black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), falafel, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans (mature), navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu, tempeh, white beans
Nuts and seeds	Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnut	Sunflower seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts (filberts) are the richest sources of vitamin E in this food group. To help meet vitamin E recommendations, make these your nut and seed choices more often.

Nutrients and Health Implications

Foods in the protein food group provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. However, choosing foods from this group that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol may have health implications.

Nutrients

• Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans and peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds supply many nutrients. These include protein, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
• Proteins function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. They are also building blocks for enzymes, hormones, and vitamins. Proteins are one of three nutrients that provide calories (the others are fat and carbohydrates).
• B vitamins found in this food group serve a variety of functions in the body. They help the body release energy, play a vital role in the function of the nervous system, aid in the formation of red blood cells, and help build tissues.
• Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that helps protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation.
• Iron is used to carry oxygen in the blood. Many teenage girls and women in their child-bearing years have iron-deficiency anemia. They should eat foods high in heme-iron (meats) or eat other non-heme iron containing foods along with a food rich in vitamin C, which can improve absorption of non-heme iron.
• Magnesium is used in building bones and in releasing energy from muscles.
• Zinc is necessary for biochemical reactions and helps the immune system function properly.

Health implications

• Diets that are high in saturated fats raise “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood. The “bad” cholesterol is called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol, in turn, increases the risk for coronary heart disease. Some food choices in this group are high in saturated fat. These include fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb; regular (75% to 85% lean) ground beef; regular sausages, hot dogs, and bacon; some luncheon meats such as regular bologna and salami; and some poultry such as duck. To help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy, limit the amount of these foods you eat.
• Diets that are high in cholesterol can raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Cholesterol is only found in foods from animal sources. Some foods from this group are high in cholesterol. These include egg yolks (egg whites are cholesterol-free) and organ meats such as liver and giblets. To help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy, limit the amount of these foods you eat.
• A high intake of fats makes it difficult to avoid consuming more calories than are needed.

MEATS

When your baby reaches the 7 and 8 month old mark, you may think of the need to introduce Meats into the diet. One of the most important reasons that parents begin to introduce Meats is for the protein factor. Meat is one of the best sources of “complete” protein available. Along with Meat, some excellent sources of protein are eggs, nuts, and dairy products. Protein is also found in plants such as legumes (like beans, peas, lentils), some vegetable, grains and fruits though these sources of proteins comprise “incomplete” proteins.

Many parents worry that not introducing Meat into an infants diet will harm the baby’s growth. This should not be a concern until baby hits age 12 months and older however. Consider this: a baby’s main source of nutrition comes from either breastmilk, formula, or both during the first 12 months of life. These food sources contain adequate amounts of proteins to sustain and allow your baby to grow and develop properly. Even at the 12 month age mark, your baby still does not require Meat in the diet. What your baby does need is Protein!

As mentioned earlier, there are 2 types of Proteins, Complete and Incomplete. There are 22 essential Amino Acids. Our bodies produce 13 of the essential amino acids however we rely on food sources to get the other 9 essential amino acids.

 Complete Proteins are those that contain all 9 of the essential Amino Acids. The best source of complete protein is Meat, Eggs, Dairy and Nuts and Seeds.

 Incomplete Proteins are lacking in 1 or more of the 9 essential Amino Acids. Plant foods such as legumes, grains, fruits etc.. are considered to contain the Incomplete proteins.

Whether or not you choose to introduce meat into your baby’s diet prior to 12 months of age, if at all, is entirely a personal decision. Rest assured however that Meat itself is NOT a necessity in an infants diet – Protein is!! Your child can receive all the Proteins needed by combing the foods that contain both the complete and the incomplete proteins without ever having to eat Meat. An example; peanut butter and bread, black beans and rice, cottage cheese and avocado, milk and a grain cereal.

FISH AND SHELLFISH

Fish, specifically shellfish and “boney” fish, are known allergens for an infant. It is often recommended to introduce fish only after a baby has reached 1 year of age. Many sources suggest waiting until after 3 years old. Still, other sources say that introducing fish to a baby at 9-10 months old is perfectly safe. Shellfish should not be introduced to a child who may be allergy prone until around 3 years old or even older. Shellfish such as lobster, oysters et al. can induce deadly allergic reactions. Another reason it is suggested to wait to introduce fish to an infant is due to the levels of mercury that fish may contain. When first introducing fish, it is important to select one of the “white flesh” fish types. Be sure to discuss introducing fish, especially shellfish, with your pediatrician prior to serving it!

Fish are highly nutritional and eating fish 2 times a week is recommended for both adults and children. Fish contain protein, are low in “bad” fats and contain Essential Fatty Acid (EFA’s) – Omega-3 fatty acids. The Omega 3 fatty acids that fish have are DHA and EPA. These EFA’s are not found in any other protein source, not even in meat or plants.

EFA’s found in fish and fish oil products help fight off both physical and mental diseases. It has been suggested and some studies show that fish oil (or other foods that contain Omega 3’s) may even help alleviate ADHD or eczema. Getting these EFA’s from fish itself is better than consuming fish oil supplements. However, if you are not a fan of fish, fish oil is the next best source available. Adding fish oil to your baby’s diet is a possibility and should be thoroughly discussed with your pediatrician!

Flounder, Haddock, Cod, and Sole are the white flesh fish and are considered some of the safest to introduce. They are the most easily digestible and lowest on the allergen list and as such, are best to use when first introducing baby to fish. It is VERY important that you ensure the fish is entirely de-boned!! Be mindful of the fact that some fish contain tiny bones so take great care when de-boning. You may poach, bake or steam the fish and then puree as you would any other meat. Some fish is so tender when cooked that you may be able to simply fork mash it. Don’t be afraid to blend it with veggies or even fruits! Remember, your baby is not aware that flounder mixed with pears is really not a nice mix (for adults anyway!)

Mercury levels in fish has been and will remain a large health concern for women who are considering getting pregnant, who are currently pregnant, who are breastfeeding and also for infants and young children. It is very important that those falling into the above groups do not consume fish with high levels of mercury!! It has been found that fish species such as swordfish, king mackerel, shark and tilefish contain the highest amounts of mercury. Mercury can do severe damage to developing nervous systems should consumption of mercury tainted fish be commonplace. Salmon, contrary to popular belief, has lower levels of mercury than one typically thinks as does tuna. Cold water fish have lower levels of mercury and also contain higher levels of Omega 3’s.

EGGS

General dietary recommendations from the American Heart Association are that adults eat no more than 3-4 eggs yolks each week. There aren’t any formal recommendations for children, but like adults, it is recommended that children limit their intake of cholesterol to 300mg each day. Since an egg contains about 213mg of cholesterol, eating eggs too often can cause your child to have a diet that is high in cholesterol.

Eggs can be a healthy part of your child’s diet though and shouldn’t be avoided altogether. In addition to being high in cholesterol, eggs also have a lot of benefits, including being high in protein, iron, minerals and B vitamins.

Instead of worrying about how many eggs your child eats, it is more important to look at and plan his overall diet by trying to follow the Food Guide Pyramid.

In the Food Pyramid, eggs are a part of the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans and Nuts food group. Younger children, aged 2-6, should get two servings from this food group each day, while older children can have 2-3 servings.

In addition to recommended daily servings from the Meat food group, it is important to look at how much cholesterol your child is getting from other foods. If he already has a diet that is high in cholesterol, with large amounts of whole milk, cheese, yogurt, processed meats or ice cream, then eating eggs on a regular basis is probably not a good idea. If his diet is low in cholesterol and saturated fats and he eats a lot of foods with fiber, then routinely eating eggs is probably okay.

It is also important to keep in mind that the general recommendations for eating 3-4 eggs per week include eggs that are eaten as an ingredient of other foods, such as cakes. For example, if you use 4 eggs to bake a cake and your child eats 2 of the 8 pieces of the cake, then that is equal to eating one whole egg.

And the relationship between dietary cholesterol and how or whether or not it influences your blood cholesterol level is controversial. Many critics of the American Heart Association’s recommendations think that it is much more important to limit the amount of saturated fats in a person’s diet, instead of limiting cholesterol.

BEANS, NUTS AND SEEDS

Many people do not make varied choices from this food group, selecting meat or poultry everyday as their and their children main dishes. Varying choices and including fish, nuts, and seeds in meals can boost intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Most fat in the diet should come from MUFAs and PUFAs. Some of the PUFAs are essential for health—the body cannot create them from other fats.

Some nuts and seeds (flax, walnuts) are excellent sources of essential fatty acids, and some (sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts) are good sources of vitamin E.

Tips to help you make wise choices from the meat & beans group

Go lean with protein:

1. Start with a lean choice:
• The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
• The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
• Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least “90% lean”. You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.
• Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.
• Choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches instead of luncheon meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.
2. Keep it lean:
• Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking.
• Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying.
• Drain off any fat that appears during cooking.
• Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying.
• Prepare dry beans and peas without added fats.
• Choose and prepare foods without high fat sauces or gravies.

Vary your protein choices:

• Choose fish more often for lunch or dinner. Look for fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring.
  Some ideas are:
• Salmon steak or filet
• Salmon loaf
• Grilled or baked trout
• Choose dry beans or peas as a main dish or part of a meal often. Some choices are:
• Stir- fried tofu
• Baked/boiled beans
• Rice and beans
• Choose nuts as a snack, on salads, or in main dishes. Use nuts to replace meat or poultry, not in addition to these items:
• Use pine nuts in pesto sauce for pasta.
• Add slivered almonds to steamed vegetables.
• Add toasted peanuts or cashews to a vegetable stir fry instead of meat.
• Sprinkle a few nuts on top of low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Keep it safe to eat:

• Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat foods.
• Do not wash or rinse meat or poultry.
• Wash cutting boards, knives, utensils and counter tops in hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to the next one.
• Store raw meat, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so juices don’t drip onto other foods.
• Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms. Use a meat thermometer, which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat and poultry, to make sure that the meat is cooked all the way through.
• Chill (refrigerate) perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two hours.
• Plan ahead to defrost foods. Never defrost food on the kitchen counter at room temperature. Thaw food by placing it in the refrigerator, submerging air-tight packaged food in cold tap water, or defrosting on a plate in the microwave.
• Avoid raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs and raw or undercooked meat and poultry.

Dirangkum oleh: Dian Safitri

Sumber:

 www.mypiramid.gov

 www.wholesomebabyfood.com

 www.keepkidshealthy.com

 www.pediatrics.about.com

GRAINS/CEREAL

What foods are in the grain group?

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products.

Grains are divided into 2 subgroups, whole grains and refined grains.

Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel — the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples include:

• whole-wheat flour
• bulgur (cracked wheat)
• oatmeal
• brown rice

Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are:

• white flour
• white bread
• white rice

Most refined grains are enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber is not added back to enriched grains. Check the ingredient list on refined grain products to make sure that the word “enriched” is included in the grain name. Some food products are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains.

How much is needed?

6-12 month: 2 – 3 small servings per day

1 – 3 years old: 6 servings or more per day

How much is 1 small serving?

6-12 month: 2 – 3 small servings per day

1 – 3 years old: 6 servings or more per day

1 porsi kecil = ¼ genggaman ibu; roti ½ potong

1 porsi sama dengan 1 iris roti, ½ cangkir nasi/pasta, 1 cangkir cereal

Grains as infants’ first foods

Grains, especially rice and oatmeal cereal, are the least of the allergenic grains and easy to digest for infants’ developing digesting system thus most babies are started out with those cereals.

Do we have to start giving solid food with cereal?

Do You CAN skip cereals altogether if you want to! Starting with a fruit like avocado or banana or a veggie like sweet potato is a great alternative to cereal(s)! There is no medical need to start baby out with cereals; unless your pediatrician has indicated your baby may need extra iron due to less than overall good health or due to being pre-term. In this instance, you should use a fortified commercial infant cereal and consult with your pediatrician on the best foods to offer as “first” foods.

How to introduce cereal?

Begin with one- fourth teaspoon of cereal and advance to a tablespoon, and so on. Mix it with breastmilk or formula to the desired consistency. Cereal alone is very bland and may be refused by your baby.

Don’t serve a mixed cereal until you’ve tried each of the ingredients separately to be sure baby is not allergic to any of them. Once you know your baby is not allergic to different fruits and cereals, you can experiment by combining various fruits with cereal in various consistencies.

What is the best way to make homemade cereal?

The easiest way to make your own cereals is to grind up the grains on your own. You may take Rice, Oatmeal, pasta etc and use a blender or food processor (or even a coffee grinder) to grind the grains into a powder. This powder then becomes your baby cereal. Cook this powder for 15 minutes until a thin soupy consistency is achieved.

What type of Rice do I use for Homemade Rice Cereals?

The type of brown rice that you would want to use for cereals would ideally be a short-grain brown rice.

Short-grain rice cooks up more soft than does long or medium grain rice. The only caveat is that it may become sticky and “pasty” when pureed so keep an watch over the rice when cooking and pureeing/blending it.

You may use a blend of any type of rice that you like; ensure that it is whole grain however. Brown jasmine rice and plain brown rice make a nice blend for cereals as do basmati and plain brown rice.

If you find that your baby does not like this blend, then consider switching to the plain brown rice type until the palate has become used to solid foods!

What about iron fortification in Homemade Baby Cereal?

You will not be able to “fortify” homemade baby cereals the way commercial cereals are fortified.

There are many things you may add to the cereals that will give an “iron boost” such as formula, breast milk, wheat germ, and brewer’s yeast. Once you have introduced fruits and veggies along with the cereals, you will get Vitamin C which helps to aid in the absorption of iron.

Many infants have been raised on homemade cereals/baby foods – they have never suffered iron deficient anemia nor have they needed additional vitamin/mineral supplements. This is something that you should discuss with your baby’s pediatrician as there may be a medical need for iron fortified cereals and/or supplements.

Can I use quick cook or instant cereal (rice, havermut)?

“Quick” cook grains are processed with enzymes that make give them the ability to be quick cooked. It is best to NOT use these types of grains especially when first introducing cereals to baby.

May Homemade Baby Cereals be frozen like Fruit/Veggie Purees?

Yes, you may freeze homemade cereal. You would use the ice cube tray method (or whatever method of freezing you currently use) as you would for other baby food purees. It tends to be easier to grind and then store the uncooked grains and simply cook a day’s worth as you go. It often happens that when you thaw the cereal, it becomes rubbery and does not reconstitute well. We do hear from parents who have great luck in freezing cereal. You may want to try freezing a few
portions and see how it works for you!

What about wheat?

Around 8 months old, your baby has probably had barley and oatmeal. Both barley and oatmeal contain gluten; gluten is the allergen in wheat. There are many “forms” of wheat and wheat based products.

Doctors generally recommend that baby not have wheat until at least 9 months to 1yr old. Wheat products may be introduced earlier with your pediatrician’s ok and will depend on your family history of food allergies.

Many pediatricians do say that starting baby on some wheat products around 8 months old is acceptable. Make sure to check with your pediatrician before introducing wheat in any form (i.e.. toast, pasta, cereals,

People say that giving cereal at night can help baby sleep better, is it true?

Cereals are often suggested as a way to fill baby up, lengthening the interval between feedings, and even sleeping longer at night. This “filler fallacy” is an unwise feeding pattern. Cereal is not nearly as nutritious as breastmilk or formula. Besides, this practice rarely works.

Why is it important to eat grains, especially whole grains?

Eating grains, especially whole grains, provides health benefits. People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Grains provide many nutrients that are vital for the health and maintenance of our bodies.

Health benefits

• Consuming foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains, as part of a healthy diet, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Consuming foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains, as part of a healthy diet, may reduce constipation.
• Eating at least 3 ounce equivalents a day of whole grains may help with weight management.
• Eating grains fortified with folate before and during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects during fetal development.

Nutrients

Food sources of the nutrients in bold can be found in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Click on the nutrient name to link to the food sources table.

• Grains are important sources of many nutrients, including dietary fiber, several B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate), and minerals (iron, magnesium, and selenium).
• Dietary fiber from whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as whole grains help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Whole grains are good sources of dietary fiber; most refined (processed) grains contain little fiber.
• B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate)play a key role in metabolism – they help the body release energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates. B vitamins are also essential for a healthy nervous system. Many refined grains are enriched with these B vitamins.
• Folate (folic acid), another B vitamin, helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folate, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
• Iron is used to carry oxygen in the blood. Many teenage girls and women in their childbearing years have iron-deficiency anemia. They should eat foods high in heme-iron (meats) or eat other iron containing foods along with foods rich in vitamin C, which can improve absorption of non-heme iron. Whole and enriched refined grain products are major sources of non-heme iron.
• Whole grains are sources of magnesium and selenium. Magnesium is a mineral used in building bones and releasing energy from muscles. Selenium protects cells from oxidation. It is also important for a healthy immune system.

Tips to help you eat whole grains

At Meals:

• To eat more whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product – such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice. It’s important to substitute the whole-grain product for the refined one, rather than adding the whole-grain product.
• For a change, try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Try brown rice stuffing in baked green peppers or tomatoes and whole-wheat macaroni in macaroni and cheese.
• Use cereal puree as thickening ingredient in your baby food recipes.

As Snacks:

• Snack on ready-to-eat, whole grain cereals such as toasted oat cereal.
• Add whole-grain flour or oatmeal when making cookies or other baked treats.
• Popcorn, a whole grain, can be a healthy snack with little or no added salt and butter.

Whole Grain Tips for Children

• Set a good example for children by eating whole grains with meals or as snacks.
• Let children select and help prepare a whole grain side dish.
• Teach older children to read the ingredient list on cereals or snack food packages and choose those with whole grains at the top of the list.

Sumber: www.mypiramid.gov