Health Benefits Of Dates For Kids
Kids are really selective about nearly everything. They are fussy eaters, and giving them the right amount of nutritious food is a task that moms seldom accomplish. They often love foods that are sweet, like candies and chocolates; however, we as adults know that these food items are not safe for children as they are loaded with preservatives and harmful chemicals. Thus, avoiding these things and substituting something better for them is the prime responsibility of mothers.
If this is not enough reason for kids to eat healthy, we need to understand that the pandemic is not over yet. And by allowing our kids to consume candy or junk food that is loaded with harmful chemicals, we are indirectly making our kids vulnerable to infections and disease. Now you might be wondering what the solution to this problem is. As somewhere the happiness of our child comes first and we unwillingly neglect the health, we by no means want to deprive our children of the delight they attain while eating the food they love. So, is there a solution? Well, the answer is a big yes—there is a super-food that is delightfully caramel-like and so sweet in taste that it makes us love it. And we crave more and more. And yes, you guessed it right—the food is a date.
You can substitute dates for sugar, and trust us, they taste so good that your kids will love them, even if you are not sure what good they can do for your child. We are going to share with you the health benefits of dates for kids.
1. Dates Help Give Your Kids A Good Tummy Time
Kids become cranky and grumpy when their gut is not healthy. There can be a lot of reasons for this, but the prime among them are the unhealthy eating habits of kids that lead to their being bloated and constipated. Incorporating dates, specifically organic Medjool dates, has an abundance of fibre in it. And hence, they are the best and least harmful tasty delight that you can give your kids in case you want to promote their gut health by reducing constipation due to the abundance of high-fibre content in them. They also enhance the production of good bacteria that lead to better metabolism.
2. Improves Iron Levels In Children
As we have already stated above, kids are fussy eaters, and thus providing them with a balance of essential nutrients is a tough task. Many children do not get an abundance of nutrients, which leads them to have severe nutrient deficiencies. However, among the numerous deficiencies that children have, iron deficiency is the most common and most prominent nutritional deficiency among children. children, This can be supported by the finding that the preponderance of anaemia globally in 2010 was 32.9 percent, which was highest in children under the age of five.
The reason for such a huge number is obvious: kids do not get enough iron-rich meals, which results in them being fatigued and having a poor appetite. which are definitely heartbreaking and a nightmare for the parents. Hence, along with providing our children with green, leafy vegetables, dates must be incorporated into their diet. As dates are a natural source of iron, they help children overcome iron deficiency.
3. Help Strengthen Bones
The bones of children are constantly growing. And during this phase, they need an abundance of a material called calcium that strengthens their bones. Dates have a high percentage of calcium within them, and due to this, these dates help in maintaining strong and healthy bones. These dates act as natural bone strengtheners and can be used by children. Dates have an abundance of copper, selenium, and magnesium, which are considered crucial nutrients for bone health. They also prevent disorders that are related to bones. They are rich in vitamin K, which enables the coagulation of blood and helps in metabolising your bones.
4. Dates Have High Antioxidant Concentrations
There are a lot of products on the market that claim to be full of antioxidants, but as these are artificial and processed, they have high chemical concentrations and thus should not be given to children. However, if you replace these products with dates, you are in a win-win situation, as dates are known to be fruits with high antioxidant concentrations. These dry fruits have a higher concentration of antioxidants like flavonoids, phenolic acid, and carotenoids when compared with their counterparts, i.e., dry fruits of the same category. Antioxidants are crucial substances that prevent our cells from free radicals; these free radicals may lead us to heart disease, cancer, etc. Thus, integrating dates into the lifestyles of our children may play an important role in protecting them from heart-related issues and cancer-promoting free radicals.
5. They Can Eliminate The Need For Added Sugar
Enhanced sugars are common in snacks and foods targeting kids. Consuming too much sugar can put children at risk of developing potential health issues. That may range from cavities to obesity or even diabetes. Medjool dates provide a delicious alternative to these snacks. That too with zero added sugars (or flavours, or colours, for that matter). So next time, if your kids are insisting on candy, give them some dates, and they will love it.
6. Dates Are Nutritious
Unlike artificial snacks that increase risks and are known to do more harm than good, incorporating dates into the routine of your children provides them with a perfect balance of important vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that help their bodies grow and heal from the damage that artificial foods may have caused. Dates are high in calories, but these are healthy calories that have a low glycemic index and a lot of fibre.
Conclusion
These were some of the main health benefits of dates for kids. We hope you understand how dates are helpful for your kids. Hence, without giving it any further thought, we hope you incorporate this healthy, tasty superfood into the diet of your kids.
