Eliminating processed carbs - for kids?

[Anonymous]

I am really trying to reduce the number of empty carb calories we are consuming - cereals, breads, chips, all the "white foods". I am worried that doing so will be a problem since my daughter is already very thin - sometimes I think the carby snacks she eats are keeping her alive!

I also need suggestions for breakfasts that are not processed - something to replace the cereals, waffles, etc. that she usually has. Ideas?

[Anonymous]

I'm a big fan of Ellyn Slater's work, and she has found in her clinical work that most kids (the ones without problems caused by food battles or physiological challenges) eat the right number of calories, regardless of source. So if the white bread is gone, she'll get her calories from something else, say fruit.

Personally, I'd start by replacing the "white foods" with whole grain versions. Whole wheat bagels. Whole grain cereals. Whole grain pita chips. FiberOne waffles. Then start replacing some of the grains with alternatives, such as veggie sticks with the hummus and salsa instead of pita chips.

My breakfast is plain, nonfat Greek yogurt with either berries or granola and dried fruit. That is almost as convenient as cereal, but works better for me. DD gets the Whole Foods version of Apple Cheerios, some fruit, and a yogurt.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure how extreme you are going to go - but aren't a l ot of cereals actually made of whole grains? Or am I buying into some hype? My son loves cheerios, wheat chex, and another ....Lean Cruch (something like that - by Kashi - but it is high in sugar).

I often buy the white whole wheat bagels. Maybe this is still considered "processed", but I got the whole wheat ones found them to be too hard on my stomach in the morning.

I think Kashi makes waffles and we love Trader Joe's multigrain pancake mix.

There are also some softer whole wheat breads (Pepperridge farm makes one that says "soft" on it).

[Anonymous]

We would really like to get rid of most carby items (pasta, rice, cereal, crackers) regardless of whether they are whole grain or not. Would ideally like to get our diet down to meat, fruit, veggies, limited dairy - similar to Paleo diet.

[Anonymous]

I think this is something to discuss with your pediatrician. I would worry about your child having enough carbs for energy and growth.

[Anonymous]

Fruits and veggies are carbs.

I am just talking about greatly reducing starches, which are mostly empty calories that could be better "spent" on fruits and vegetables.

[Anonymous]

OP,
What is the thinking behind this and what will your children do at birthday parties and other people's homes? Also discuss this with your pediatrician for sure.

[Anonymous]

Carbs are not empty calories. Myth!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We would really like to get rid of most carby items (pasta, rice, cereal, crackers) regardless of whether they are whole grain or not. Would ideally like to get our diet down to meat, fruit, veggies, limited dairy - similar to Paleo diet.

Isn't the grains or "bread, cereal, rice, pasta" food group the one you're supposed to get the most of daily?

[Anonymous]

The current thinking - which is changing more in this direction daily - is that the heavy emphasis on processed carbs in many foods is what has contributed most to the obesity epidemic that started in the 1980's.

Many, if not most, of the refined carbs - crackers, bread, cookies, chips, cereal - that you eat would be better replaced by a fruit or vegetable. Those crackers, nutritionally, are inferior when compared to an apple with its many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

My thinking is that we would eliminate the starchy stuff from our home, so that it would not be an option - but that if she went to a birthday party or other outing she would get to choose what she ate. So that 90% of the time she would not be consuming them...

[Anonymous]

Why not serve small portions? A cup of pasta instead of three cups. A half a sandwich. Etc.

15:12 Cracks, cookies, chips, yes, they are all snacks, so better to have more healthful snacks. But processed food was introduced before the 1980s.

I've cut way back on processed foods but would never attempt to go to zero. I think this is a fad.

[Anonymous]

OP, I have a pretty picky/resistant eater. I provide her with very few processed carb options. She won't eat them. I also don't eat them or buy them myself so we simply don't have any chips, crackers, cookies, cake, dooughnuts in the house. I do have those yogurt tube things. Her options for snacks are raw vegetables, fruit, yogurt, cheese and that is about it. Consequently, I don't particularly worry about when she goes to a bday party and has a piece of cake and chips and juice.

[Anonymous]

OP, Ihow do you feel about whole grain "porridges"?

Barley, cracked wheat, oatmeal have been eaten for thousands of years.

Also, whole grain flatbreads in moderation.

If you can get your daughter to eat those instead of the more heavily processed puffed/extruded cereals and the bagels and noodles, you will likely be helping her keep enough calories to grow, but will be giving her lots more nutrients.

[Anonymous]

OP,
I think you should discuss this with your pediatrician. Can you reduce your carbs but not your daughtere's? If she's already very thin, you could be endangering her. If you talk too much about food and diet, she could become weight conscious and develop an eating disorder. This is big stuff. Get some medical input.