Children & LCHF! Do kids need carbs?

Do children and LCHF go together?

  • Kan kids eat LCHF?
  • How strict should kids be?
  • Do they never get candy or ice cream?
  • How about fruit and berries?
  • What happens in school?
  • Bread, cereals, snacks - popular 'kid-friendly' foods?

These are the most common questions that I get asked, all the time, about kids and LCHF.  Does LCHF work for kids or is it 'only' for adults or fat kids?

LCHF and kids in the same sentance has been a bit of a 'no no'.  LCHF has been more conected with dieting, overweight, diabetes, etc. and not so much about children.  But times are changing.  People are realizing more and more the health benefits of LCHF, the great lifestyle and the simlpleness of it all.

 

I have lots of experience with children.  I am a Montessor teacher and part-owner of a private Montessori school in Sweden.  Been working with kids for 20 year.  I also have 3 of my own, of which 2 are teenagers.

 

When it comes to the topic, children and food, I could write forever.  This is MY big interest!

 

Firstly children should be fed food of natural and good quality.  Children are to eat fat, lots of it!  Fat is needed for the development of the brain and body.

 

Protein and fat are essential, carbs are not.  That just about says it all, right there!

 

LCHF is not an extreme diet, it's a life style which is about natural, nourishing food - and it suits the whole family. 

  • Kan kids eat LCHF?

Yes of course.  It's natural food with as little additives as possible.

  • How strict should kids be?

We are all very different in our bodies, as are children.  Some are very sensitive to what they eat, others are less sensitive.  It's important to find out how your child works.  What and how foods affect him or her. 

 

Personally I am very strict with my body.  I am a sugar addict.  I have no 'sometimes' or 'if's' - for me sugar does not work. At all.  This means that if I eat carbs it triggers my addiction instantly.  And I am soon right back where I was, eating the wrong things for my body. All the time.

 

It's the same with kids.  Depending on how sensitive their bodies are to various foods.  A child that suffers from hyperactivity, ADHD, concentration defecit or weight issues - they need to be careful with their diet, and the more strict these kids are able to eat, the easier life will be for them.

For the kids themselves, however, it can be very difficult to eat 'strictly'.  Therefore I recommend a compromise at times.  For instance on Saturdays they can have a small amount of candy/chocolate/ice cream.   Or at party's, celebrations, etc.

 

Most adults know that sugar can get any child speeded.  Sugar is also carbs.  Juice and fruit is carbs.  So we need to find good and nice alternatives, that also the kids enjoy.  For eg. smoothies made from full fat youghurt, add heavy cream, berries and mix together.  A great breakfast or afternoon snack drink.

  • Do they never get candy or ice cream?

My experience is that forbidding never works.  Not in the long run.  But we can help the children by guiding them to better, or 'less worse' choices.  So when they are allowed candy try to avoid candy with all the colorants, or crisps with glutamate (E621).  Go for 'clean' products like chocolate, home-made ice cream, nuts.

Limit cakes, biscuits and sodas to special occasions only. Like birthdays, or other celebrations that don't occur on a weekly basis.

 

 
  • How about fruit and berries??

I call fruit and berries nature's candy.  It's sugar.  This also triggers children just as it does adults.  Forbid it? No, I don't think so.  Rather fruit than candy or cookies.  But then preferably together with protein, like a sausage, cheese, nuts.  To help keep the blood sugar levels a bit lower than if they only eat the fruit on its own.

Berries contain more nourishment than fruit.  Children can cope better with fruit and carbs in general, compared to adults.  They have a better metabolism.

  • What happens in school?

Hopefully they have options in school, that there is real butter and not margarines.  That the children can drink milk or water instead of juice or soda.

Allow for a good, fat-filled breakfast with lots of protein.  This will aid any child in school, concentration improves and agressive behaviour decreases.

 

Go for LCHF at home at all times, and even if there is a lack of support from school and the food is junk, they at least have a good basis to start on.  Fat is not bad.  Fat is necessary, especially for our growing and learning children.

 

  • Bread, cereals, snacks - popular 'kid-friendly' foods?

Lots of kids are fine with a good sandwich for breakfast but make sure it has lots of real butter and other good things on top.  Cheese, meat, liverpaste, etc.  Eggs are wonderful for breakfast, in any form.  Smoothies, kids usually love smoothies.  Cereals are all sugar! Avoid them if possible.

 

TIPS:

If they want bread, stick to it in the mornings only.  Sausages with high meat content, avocado, egg-pancakes (like omelett with coconut powder in them) with whipped cream and berries, smoothies, full fat youghurt mixed with cream and berries, cheese, cheese rolled into rolls with butt inbetseen...

Min absolut favoritbild! My favorite photo - kids LOVE butter!

 

We all want what is best for our young ones.  Diet and health are of great importance in their lives.  We provide them with what they need.

To help our children gain a healthy approach to food, diet, health we need to give them food that makes them full and satisfied.  Through satisfaction they too will have a healthy approach to food.

 

Chidlren choose fat, they love fat.  Children also choos sweet, they love sweet too. Fat they need.  Sweet is nice.  Children are not stupid.  They need guidance.

 

Children should be offered natural foods of good quality, in other words good and healthy food.  LCHF is only good and healthy food, and nothing else.

 

As simple as that!

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Etiketter: children and food, lchf

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