Why Whole Foods Can Help Your Child Avoid Childhood Obesity
You’ve heard it before – you are what you eat. And while this is just a statement, it is surprisingly true. What we feed our children will impact them for the rest of their lives. If we feed our children healthy foods, they will grow to be healthy. If, however, we feed our children fatty foods, they will grow to be obese. If your child is on their way to childhood obesity, start changing the way they eat now! A whole foods diet can help your child to avoid childhood obesity. To find out how, continue reading this article. Throughout the article we will discuss the many ways that a whole foods diet can keep your child at a healthy weight and in a healthy state.
If we want to know how a whole foods diet can help prevent childhood obesity, we must first understand what factors contribute to weight gain. Let’s speak about some of these factors, beginning with calories.
As we all know, when we are on a diet, we are supposed to count our calories. This is because if we eat too many calories, they will turn into fat. How? Calories are used by our bodies to create energy. But when we consume too many calories, the excess calories that are not used for energy are turned into fat, causing us to gain weight.
Carbohydrates are another thing that we want to avoid if we are trying to lose weight. Like calories, carbohydrates are also used to fuel the body with energy. When eaten in excess amounts, the body cannot turn all carbohydrates into energy, and the remaining ones get turned into calories, once again causing us to gain weight.
Finally, if we want to avoid weight gain, we also want to avoid eating fatty foods, especially those that are high in saturated and trans fats. Foods that are rich in fat cause a redistribution of fat tissue in the abdomen, leading to increased body weight. This redistribution occurs even if we are controlling our calorie intake!
So, if we want to control obesity, we want to avoid foods that are high in calories, carbohydrates, and fats, but are there any foods that we should eat that contribute to weight loss? Yes! Foods that are rich in fiber are the best foods to choose for weight loss solutions. Fiber is a food component that aides in weight loss because when it enters our stomachs, it expands. This expansion causes us to feel fuller, quicker and for longer periods of time, allowing us to eat less and thereby intake less calories.
What foods are high in fiber, as well as low in calories, carbohydrates, and fats? Whole foods! Whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain all of the vitamins and minerals that you need for a healthy body, while at the same time containing fiber to help you lose weight. The best part? Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are low in calories, carbohydrates, and fats, so you can eat as many as you want without having to deal with the consequences!
Begin learning more about how a whole foods diet can help your child today and send your child on a healthy path to adulthood!