Playfulbee素食媽咪寶貝

『#我們如何介紹堅果給孩子』

How We Introduce Nuts to Our Children

我有一個偶像。
他是一個很有大愛的美國醫生,叫做Dr. Michael Greger。

當很多人在迷歐巴歐巴的時候,我在追蹤這個醫生的非營利組織每天寄出的時事研究分享(好啦...我承認看「愛的迫降」的時候有被玄彬圈粉了一下...哈哈哈!不過只有一下下哦~🤪)。我從他的分享學到好多我以前不知道的健康新知,而且全部都是有信譽的科學佐證(evidence-based, science-based)。

Dr. Michael Greger根據他所看到的研究,大膽的站出來分享我們是如何病從口入,如何透過全穀物植物性低油脂飲食(wholefoods plant-based low fat diet)成功預防及治療癌症糖尿病心血管等各類疾病。

第一次看到他的演講是看到他的一個2015年年度總結YouTube影片:針對全美前15大死因做的精闢科學分析(連結在最下方可參考),以及全穀植物性低油脂飲食的正面健康影響。他的講話風格很幽默風趣,是冷面笑匠型。講話非常快,通篇沒有廢話,全部是一個又一個近年各醫學組織機構的研究發現。🤠

我也在這個演講之中得知他成立了一個非營利組織,目的就是提倡人們最新的營養學知識。在他們的網站上面(連結在文章最下面)可以查詢到各種你可以想到的健康問題和營養的關係。看到這麼一個一心一意為大眾健康謀福祉而馬不停蹄的醫生跟義工團隊,我跟MIT覺得很感動👍。後來開始透過每月捐款希望能夠盡一點微薄之力。

回到正題,Dr. Michael Greger曾經分享過哈佛大學一個研究➡️「女性每星期吃兩手掌量的堅果,可使人更長壽。對健康的益處是相當於每個星期慢跑四小時」😳。

其他很多的研究更是歸結吃堅果的益處如下:
➡️延年益壽、減低癌症、心臟疾病及呼吸系統疾病
➡️發育期的女生每週吃一份量或更多的花生可減低日後乳癌的風險
➡️每日吃一手掌至兩手掌份量的堅果,不但不會變胖,還有減重的成效😉(70%是因為堅果很容易讓我們有飽足感,20%是因為堅果會讓我們新陳代謝變快,10%是直接經過我們的身體不被腸胃道吸收)

堅果益處這麼多,卻有很多孩子對堅果過敏。我來分享一下我們怎麼介紹堅果給孩子😊:
➡️首先,我們是在確認雙方家長都沒有遺傳性嚴重過敏體質的情況下進行
➡️兩歲以前我們沒有給孩子吃任何的堅果類食物
➡️一歲多出去外食的時候,我們會點一盤完全沒有堅果類的食物(西洋食物醬料比較多有堅果所以要事先問清楚)給孩子吃
➡️兩歲以後,(註 1)如一般介紹副食品不同食材的時候一樣,採用「一次少量的方式而且只介紹單一種類」:
(a)先試驗加了花生的湯,因為這樣已經將花生稀釋很多。餵一兩口湯,吃完觀察反應。如果有過敏反應,例如嘴巴旁邊紅紅的,或是更嚴重的出疹子,那我們會等幾個月之後才再試試看
(b)上述吃稀釋的花生可以了之後,我們開始給一點點的花生醬,一樣一兩口後觀察反應。一次不給太多。分天慢慢增加份量
➡️等到孩子咀嚼更成熟後,再慢慢介紹其他種類的堅果,例如:杏仁果(almond)、腰果(cashew)、山核桃(pecan)、核桃(walnut)和榛果(hazelnut)等等
➡️這樣循序漸進的介紹,小孩們在兩歲半後已經可以跟我們一起吃任何種類的堅果😊

小丫丫很喜歡吃堅果,他一天會吃一到兩手掌或更多份量的堅果。早餐時候、平常肚子餓或嘴饞的時候都會吃些堅果或是水果。這樣就大幅減少孩子們平常吃零食的機會。好處多多哦!😘

I have a role model.
He is a very devoted American doctor, Dr. Michael Greger.

When many people are obsessed with Korean dramas, I am following the latest research studies on nutrition facts shared by the doctor's non-profit organization every day (well... I admit that I was quite into Hyun Bin when I watched the "Crash Landing On You"...hahaha ! But only for a little while~ 🤪). I've truly learned a lot from his website, facts that I wouldn't have known otherwise, and all of them are evidence-based

Dr. Michael Greger has stood up to share how we get sick from our diet and how we can effectively prevent and reverse cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases through wholefoods plant-based low fat diet based on research studies.

The first time I saw his speech was his 2015 annual summary on YouTube: a brilliant scientific analysis on the top 15 leading causes of death in the United States (the link is at the bottom for your reference), and positive health impacts from the whole foods plant-based low-fat diet. He talks in a very humorous and funny way and he talks very fast. Throughout the speech, it was all about research findings from various medical institutions and organizations in recent years.

What I've also learned from this speech is that he's set up a non-profit organization called "NutritionFacts.Org". The aim is to provide people free updates on the latest science-based nutrition findings . On the website (the link is at the bottom of this article), you can find almost any nutritional topics you can think of and their corresponding studies. Seeing such a dedicated doctor and volunteers who work tirelessly to promote the well-being of the public, MIT and I are very touched👍. In recent years, we've become monthly donor to the organization, hoping that we can help in any possible way.

Back on topic, Dr. Michael Greger once shared a Harvard study ➡️ "Women who eat two handfuls of nuts per week, may extend their lifespan. The health benefits are equivalent to jogging for four hours every week." 😳

Many other studies shared similar results on the benefits of consuming nuts as follows:
➡️Longevity, reduce risks of death such as cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases
➡️ Adolescent girls consuming one serving or more of peanuts per week can reduce the risk of breast cancer in the future
➡️Eating nuts for a handful to two a day would not only not lead to weight gain, but instead make you lose weight😉 (70% is because nuts make us feel full more easily, 20% is because nuts would increase our metabolism and the remaining 10% is directly passed through our body and is not absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract)

Nuts have so many health benefits, but many children are allergic to nuts nowadays. Let me share how we introduce nuts to our children😊:
➡️ First of all, we make sure none of us have inherited severe allergic conditions to nuts
➡️We don't provide our children any nuts before the age of two
➡️ Before two, when we eat out, we would order dishes that are completely free of nuts (the sauces on many Western food sometimes contain nuts, so please ask in advance)
➡️ After two years old,(note 1) same as the way in introducing solid foods, we follow the rule of providing "a small amount and only one single type at a time":

(a) we add in some peanuts in soups or in a more liquidated basis, feed our children a spoonful or two initially and observe their reactions to it. If there is any allergic reactions, such as a red rash next to the mouth, or a more serious rash, then we would wait a few months before trying again
(b)after step (a) above is ok, we move onto peanut butter. Again, a tiny amount initially and observe their reactions after the first few bites

➡️ Wait until the child can chew better, then slowly introduce other types of nuts, such as: almond, cashew, pecan, walnut, and hazelnut, etc.
➡️ Through this step-by-step introduction, our children can already eat any kind of nuts with us after two and a half years old😊

Little Duckling enjoys eating nuts. He always eats one or two handfuls or more in a day, during breakfast, when feeling hungry or simply craving for a snack. This will definitely reduce thieir chances of consuming junk foods and help them become healthier! 😘

參考資料/References:
🔎Uprooting the leading causes of death (YouTube video)/醫生針對全美十五大死因與飲食的演說:
https://youtu.be/30gEiweaAVQ

🔎Dr. Michael Greger's NPO on Nutrition Facts/醫生的非營利免費營養資訊分享網站:
https://nutritionfacts.org/about/

註1. 堅果是比較容易嗆到的食物,關於幾歲可以介紹堅果醫生的說法從兩歲至五歲以上都有,所以要自行斟酌哦。家長要注意孩子咀嚼是否夠成熟、進食時坐好不說話,比較安全
Note 1. Nuts are high choking hazard foods. The proper age to introduce nuts to children varies from 2 to over 5 from the pediatricians. Make sure you have your own safety assessment of whether your children can chew properly, sit properly when eating and no talking while eating.

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