12:29 PM
Tuesday 27 September 2022
Books – Karim Hassan
Vegetables are among the foods that must be included in the children’s diet, as they contain important and necessary nutrients to maintain the health of their bodies and complete their growth. Therefore, mothers are advised to make sure to include them in the lunch box for the school day.
In the following lines, “Consulto” explains the benefits of vegetables for children’s health, and the right amount of them daily, according to the “Healthy” website.
The benefits of vegetables for children’s health
Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and many phytonutrients. These nutrients are naturally present in plants, helping to maintain a healthy body.
And since vegetables are low in kilojoules (energy) compared to many other foods, including them daily can help prevent excessive weight gain.
In addition, eating vegetables may also help protect against chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.
Therefore, it is recommended to be careful to eat different types of vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, and others.
Read also: Put it in the lunch box – fruits useful for children’s health
How much vegetables does a child need per day?
2-3 years old: two and a half lessons for boys and girls.
– 4-8 years old: 4 and a half lessons for boys and girls.
From 9-11 years old: 5 lessons for boys and girls.
From 12-18 years old: 5 and a half classes for boys and 5 classes only for girls.
Please note that this number varies with activity levels and health status.
One serving of vegetables equals the following:
One cup of fresh, cooked, dried or canned vegetables.
One cup of green leafy vegetables or salad.
A medium-sized potato or other starchy vegetable.
A medium-sized tomato.