– Farheen Shah
As a mother I believed that it is imperative for a child to eat anything, provided the baby’s stomach gets filled. Little did I know the notion of just filling their bellies with any kind of food has had adverse effects on their mind, body and soul. As parents, we need to have the shift from reckless feeding to conscious eating in ourselves foremost and then feeding our children. We need to feed the right food at the right time and in the right proportion.
Let alone think of approaching any dietitian to confide in the food products we must give our children. We have the treasures of all the prophetic foods that our beloved Muhammed ﷺ has mentioned for his Ummah. Starting with simple foods like berries, honey, figs, grapes, raisins, barley, and bread would be sufficient for kids. If the kids inculcate these on a daily basis, our war has been won.
Today, when every packed food has been having harmful effects on our family, it is important to get yourself first well educated with all the pros and cons of foods available in the market. It is horrifying to see the repercussions of packed processed foods that contain toxic added sugars, chemicals, and preservatives on the child’s mental well-being.
The intake of maida (refined flour) is horrible. Maida has high percentage of gluten which causes fatigue, bloating, malnutrition and intestinal damage to our immune system. It results in irritable bowel movements in the digestive system of toddlers. Let’s replace maida with whole wheat flour, oats, jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millets) or any other millets. Bakery items like pizza, croissants, and puffs can be made at home without using maida. Care should be taken to avoid using packed flours.
One should try to get the whole grains ground from scratch from the nearby hygienic mills. This will enhance the nutritional value of the flour you are pounding.
As a mother, I have tried replacing maida with other healthy sorts of flour. My kids have loved these new versions of healthier items. Other kids will definitely enjoy these scrumptious foods as well. If we believe the food we have cooked at home is healthy, the child will radiate the same energy and enjoy the food.
Processed foods, instant noodles and frozen foods cause nutrition deficiencies, morbid obesities, dental problems, psychological impairments and even chronic cancers in children. Furthermore, it spoils the pure essence of a child’s soul.
