As my children entered the teen years they became very focused on their diet. My husband and I secretly hoped this would be a passing phase, much like their obsession with recycling in 4th grade. But, it seems to be a new way of life for our family. Over the years, my children have gone back and forth between vegetarian, gluten free and vegan. The upside is that my jeans finally fit, and the down size is my grocery bill (and my husband sneaking out late at night searching for red meat!)
My children do have some health issues so their motivation was to look and feel better. Naturally, I was always concerned that they were not getting the nutrition they needed. Together, we discussed their eating with their doctor and sought the advice of a nutritionist who encouraged them to eat at least 20 grams of protein with each meal to meet the requirements of their growing teenage brain needs.
Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan seem to be all the rage. Many people, whether they have a food allergy or not, believe that foods labeled vegetarian or gluten free are healthier than other foods. Chances are if it is packaged, processed, and contains more than about half a dozen ingredients on the label, it is still an unhealthy food, regardless of whether or not it contains wheat or animal-based products.
Why is this newest craze? Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Although there is an increase in people being diagnosed with the celiac disease, often people are finding that they just feel better if they eliminate gluten from their diet. I say “try it”. But, be wary of gluten free Junk Food. Anything highly processed and loaded with sugar is not a good replacement. Don’t assume a food or a product is nutritious simply because it is gluten free. Gluten-free foods commonly contain processed sugars and oils to improve their taste. Some gluten-free products even contain harmful ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and carrageenan, both of which are used to improve the texture of gluten-free products that would otherwise be dry and unappealing.
This is also true for vegetarian products. Although they leave out the meat, there may be something unhealthful in its place. Again, a good rule of thumb is the less ingredients the better.
And, of course, consult your doctor if you are making and major dietary changes.
Should you have any further questions or concerns about your child’s relationship with food, contact Susan Parmelee, the school mental health worker.
Free Nutrition Apps
Fooducate by Fooducate, LTD. fooducate.com
This app allows you to scan a product barcode to see product highlights, both good and bad. From there you can select better alternatives by comparing the nutrition information Fooducate analyzes and makes available to you including whether a product has excessive sugar, trans fat, additives and preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, food colorings, and confusing serving sizes. Better yet, the Fooducate app was developed by dietitians and concerned parents and has no influence from food manufacturers, supplement companies, specific diets, or any other agency.
Nutrition Tracker by Meuuha Apps
This app is a simple and intuitive tool to manage your nutrition. Calories are not everything … proteins, carbohydrates and fats are essential nutrients for a good diet! You can determine all of your meals nutritional and calorific contribution using the food database of over 1400 of the most consumed food. Build your food diary by saving your meals day by day, and then follow your progress at a glance thanks to the chart representation of the calories, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids consumed.
Restaurant Nutrition by Foundation HealthCare Networkhealthyandfitcommunities.com
This one is a great guide when eating out and can help you choose healthier options in a pinch. Users can look up nutrition information from over 100 popular restaurants and over 15,000 food items. You can also journal your eating habits to track your food items, calories, and other nutritional information. Some reviews mention outdated menus and inaccurate calorie counts for some food items but as a general guide to help you choose better options, even at fast food restaurants, it does the job.