What You May Not Know About Your Diet

By Thomas K. Lo, MA, DC

Butter is good for you Butter contains many nutrients vital to growth and brain function.

Eggs are healthy Eggs provide excellent protein, as well as the gamut of nutrients and important fatty acids that contribute to the health of the brain and nervous system.

Saturated fats and cholesterol are vital Cholesterol helps babies and children develop a healthy brain and nervous system. Saturated fats provide integrity to the cell wall, promote the body's use of essential fatty acids, enhance the immune system, protect the liver and contribute to strong bones. Saturated fats do not clog arteries, nor cause heart disease.

Foods from grass-fed animals are important for good health Red meat is a rich source of nutrients that protect the heart and nervous system, including vitamins B12 and B6, zinc, phosphorus, carnitine and Coenzyme Q10. The fats of grass-fed meats contain vitamins A, D, E and CLA.

Lean meat and low-fat milk should be avoided They cause depletion of essential vitamins A and D, needed for protein and mineral assimilation, proper growth, thyroid function, healthy brain and nervous system and normal cell function.

Hydrogenated and liquid vegetable oils contribute to heart disease During the period of rapid increase in heart disease (1920-1960), American consumption of animal fats declined, but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable fats increased dramatically. Processed vegetable oils have also been linked to cancer, bone problems, growth problems, learning disorders, autoimmune dysfunction and infertility.

Not all “organic” foods are healthy Organic pasteurized milk, breakfast cereal, chips, cookies, crackers and fruit juice are highly processed, refined convenience foods lacking vital nutrients. Although the organic label for meat and milk ensures the absence of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides, such products may still come from animals in confinement and therefore lack vital nutrients for growth and immune function.

Breakfast cereal is a junk food Cold breakfast cereals are produced by a process called extrusion, which causes the deformation, disruption and dispersion of the proteins in grain.

Tips and recommendations from www.nourishingourchildren.org