Monday, February 17, 2014

The Importance of Iron for Children's Nutrition

Why is iron so important? A major function of iron is the creation of both the hemoglobin protein, responsible for carrying oxygen to the body, and the myoglobin protein, responsible for storing oxygen in the muscles. When infants, children and teenagers grow and mature, they need iron in order for the process to occur properly. Iron is a component of many enzymes in the body and is also key in the development of the brain, vital in the first 2 years of life.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Vegetarian and Vegan Diet – Is it Good for Children?

Vegetarian diet (based on avoiding meat) has long been fashionable among many people in the world, and veganism (avoiding any kind of animal product, including dairy products) enjoys a quick growth rate in recent years. Parents who support either way of life sometimes aspire to bring up their children in the same fashion, and both vegetarian diet and veganism often become trendy among teenagers. Questions regarding the nutritional implications for vegetarian and vegan children often come up, and this article attempts to address some of them.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Where Children Eat Like Adults: The Secret of French Children's Nutrition

For many years, people have regarded French eating habits as an enigma – a country where people can devote a lot of time of thought to eating without gaining significant weight. However, in recent years, France has started struggling with obesity and overweight, especially among children, much like other western countries. The popularity of fast-food is constantly on the rise, and child obesity has grown by 17 percent each year.