Eat meat and grow meat, but not too much!

Do your children love meat?

Do your children only eat meat and not vegetables?

Can you meet your daily nutritional needs by eating only meat?

What are the principles of daily diet?

Parents and children, the first thing we need to know is that according to the principle of "food diversity and reasonable combination" in the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)".

Regarding the types of food, we recommend 12 types of food per day and more than 25 types of food per week. This will allow for a better intake of rich food to ensure the daily nutrient needs of different age groups.

In terms of food sources, our daily food mainly includes grains (steamed buns, rice, noodles, etc.), meat dishes (pork, beef, chicken, fish, shrimps), vegetables, eggs, beans, milk, fruits, nuts, water, etc.

From the perspective of the three most basic nutrients for the human body, our carbohydrates come from grains and potatoes, protein comes from livestock and poultry meat, fish, soybeans, milk, etc., and fat comes from vegetable oils, animal fats, etc.

Why do children like to eat meat?

On the one hand, it is because parents believe that meat is rich in nutrients, eating more meat, less sickness, and stronger body. In fact, this view is one-sided. We ensure that meat intake can provide us with enough protein and lay a solid foundation for immunity, but we must also pay attention to the balanced combination of nutrition.

On the other hand, meat is rich in amino acids and fat. Although raw meat mostly has a fishy smell, it will produce a unique aromatic smell during the cooking process, which can stimulate children's sense of smell and taste, thereby increasing children's interest in meat. In addition, meat is more delicate and has a smoother taste than vegetables, and does not have the "bitter" or "astringent" taste of vegetables that children perceive, so for infants and young children who have just started to add food, they are more willing to choose meat.

Although children tend to choose meat, we still need to take in other nutrients every day, such as vitamins, dietary fiber and other substances, which can be better obtained from fruits and vegetables. In addition, excessive intake of meat will increase the risk of overweight and obesity.

How much animal food do children need to consume every day?

The meat we eat should actually include animal foods such as fish, poultry, eggs and lean meat. According to the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022), in general:

Adults should eat about 120-200 g of fish, poultry, eggs and lean meat per day, at least 2 servings of seafood per week and one egg per day.

2-3 years old: 50-75 g/day of livestock and poultry meat and fish, and 50 g/day of eggs.

4-5 years old: 50-75 g/day of livestock and poultry meat and fish, and 50 g/day of eggs.

6-10 years old: 40g of livestock and poultry meat per day, 40g of aquatic products per day, and 25-40g of eggs per day.

11-13 years old: 50g of livestock and poultry meat per day, 50g of aquatic products per day, and 40-50g of eggs per day.

14-17 years old: 50-75 g/day of livestock and poultry meat, 50-75 g/day of aquatic products, and 50 g/day of eggs.

What should we pay attention to when cooking animal food?

Considering that animal food itself tastes delicious and contains more fat, it only needs simple cooking to retain nutrients without increasing energy intake too much. To this end, we can pay attention to the following aspects:

Pay attention to the choice of cooking utensils. You can use non-stick pans, steamers, air fryers, ovens, etc. to reduce the use of cooking oil.

· Cooking methods should mainly include stir-frying, steaming, boiling and stewing. Avoid deep-frying, pan-frying and braising.

Properly cooking meat dishes with vegetables can complement each other and increase vegetable intake.

When stewing soup, the nutrients are still in the meat, but you should avoid consuming too much meat soup.

Reduce the intake of smoked and highly processed foods, thereby reducing the intake of oil and salt.

Adults and children, do you have any questions about meat intake?

Of course, in the case of different diseases, we have certain requirements on the intake of meat and the source of meat. For specific requirements, you can come to the nutrition department to consult doctors and nutritionists!

References:

1. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022).

2.The pictures are from the Internet.

National Nutrition Week, registered dietitians take action

Author: Niu Yang, Zhao Xuan, Zhang Yajie

Instructors: Cai Wei, Tang Qingya, Feng Yi

Department of Clinical Nutrition, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Project source: Shanghai Health Science Popularization Youth Talent Project (JKKPYC-2022-06)