Carbohydrates are a significant source of the body's fuel and come in two forms: simple and complex.  Simple carbohydrates are sugars such as fructose (found in fruit and corn syrup), lactose (found in milk), and sucrose (table sugar).  Dairy and fruits and vegetables are better sources of simple carbohydrates than processed sweets because they also contain other needed nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. 

Complex carbohydrates are starches and fibers.  Starches are an important source of energy because they release energy more evenly and over a longer period of time.  Fibers aid in digestion because they cannot be broken down into sugars and, therefore, pass through the body undigested.  Complex carbohydrates are found in bread, cereal, and rice.

Half of your daily carbohydrate intake should come from simple carbohydrates (ideally from nutrient-rich sources like fruits and vegetables) and half should come from complex carbohydrates (ideally from minimally processed sources like whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals, brown rice, oatmeal, and legumes).

 

from Summer 2006

The typical healthy child does not need vitamin and mineral supplements.  A well-balanced diet that includes a good variety of grains, proteins, fruits and vegetables will meet your child's nutrition needs.  In this issue, we are focusing on iron.  Iron is a metal found in many proteins and enzymes and plays an important role in moving oxygen through the body and is also important for cell growth and differentiation.  Children need 7-11 milligrams/day depending on their age. 

Good sources of iron are foods that contain more than 10% of the Daily Recommended Amount (based on the adult recommendation) in a single serving.  These include 3 ounces of the following meats: beef, chicken liver, or turkey, 1 cup of the following: fortified oatmeal, soybeans, lentils, kidney, black, lima, navy, or pinto beans and ½ cup of the following: tofu or spinach. 

Iron absorption is increased when the iron is eaten with meat proteins or Vitamin C.  Vegetarians need to consume more iron-containing foods because the body does not absorb iron as efficiently from non-meat sources.  For more information, we encourage you to visit the website of the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (www.ods.od.nih.gov)  

 

from Spring 2006
 

 

from Fall 2005