Many children stay away from eating and prefer snacks such as potato chips, sweets, and chocolate. Children need to eat a balanced diet that contains foods from all food groups, to obtain all the elements the body needs and maintain its health. Chocolate is one of the Soft foods.
- Chocolate history:
Some say chocolate has been around for 2000 years, others say it is 4000 years old. It is said that in historical days, the Aztecs and Mayans, two ancient civilizations in Central America and South America, used to celebrate their desserts with chocolate and the cocoa bean beverages from which chocolate was made were served to people of high status in ancient times. At one time, chocolate was also used as a token of appreciation to the gods. . Cocoa beans were also used as currency for commercial transactions and during the 17th century chocolate became very popular in Europe, and even private chocolate houses were opened in England. Chocolate houses were the shops where chocolate was made and were also available to people such as wealthy aristocrats.
After this simple overview of chocolate, people's general perception when it comes to chocolate for children is that it should not be made available to children, as it leads to tooth decay or other health problems. Let's get to know the bright side of children who eat chocolate.
- Chocolate is a healthy and safe choice of dessert that can be given to children, due to a number of benefits, including:
One bar of chocolate contains 144 calories per 30g, and 10g of fat. This amount is considered a snack that can be served to a child in moderation. Chocolate helps increase children’s appetite for milk.
A 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that children who drank regular or flavored milk got enough nutrients and had a lower BMI than children who drank neither type of milk.
Accordingly, if there are any difficulties that mothers face in giving their children their adequate portions of milk, all they have to do is add some healthy chocolate to your child’s diet, which helps in consuming two to three daily portions of milk or more.
- Children can safely enjoy chocolate without gaining weight, but care must be taken to eat it in moderation. There are some ways that can be followed to achieve this:
- How to choose the right quality of chocolate:
- Choose dark chocolate:
- Dark chocolate has a high cocoa content, which contains less sugar and milk, making it a safe choice for your child without increasing his weight.
- Flavonoids found in cocoa products have potent anticoagulant, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. They also reduce the risk of diabetes in children by improving insulin sensitivity.
- Dark chocolate helps reduce plaque growth and prevents tooth decay.
- It contains many minerals that the body needs, such as iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, zinc, and selenium.
- Maintain balance:
Chocolate should be eaten in moderation and not a large amount of it at one time.
- Make sure to practice sports activities:
Children should be encouraged to exercise regularly so that your body can burn calories effectively.
- Choose small-sized chocolates in smaller quantities:
Allow your child to eat small amounts of chocolate every once in a while, and not permanently and continuously, so as not to affect his diet significantly.
- Choose a low-fat type of chocolate:
Always make sure to read the label of chocolate before buying it and make sure that it has a low fat content so that it does not cause fat accumulation and weight gain for your child in the short term and so that he does not develop blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart diseases in the long term.
- When does chocolate become an unsafe source for your child?
Any food when consumed in excess is not ideal for the body. Chocolate is no different. It is normal for children to eat chocolate several times a week or as a snack.
A piece of dark chocolate or a cup of hot cocoa without added sugar, once daily, can be beneficial for health. But eating too much chocolate all the time can lead to weight gain, especially considering the sugar and fat an average piece of chocolate contains.
Excessive consumption of chocolate also leads to severe and persistent headaches. Therefore, children who suffer from migraines should limit their intake of chocolate in large doses. Since chocolate contains caffeine and sugar, these products often trigger ADHD in children.
Do not limit the sugar that the child gets from various food sources, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, and milk. Eating too much chocolate daily may increase the level of sugar in the body, leading to weight gain and other health complications.
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