Many parents are familiar with the woes of dinnertime and one of the main issues is vegetables. "Come on, Janey, eat up all those beans..." "Don't want my beans..." after which the three year old deliberately pushes the offending beans to one side of the plate or, worse still, off the plate onto the floor as a sign of protest.
And it is not just beans that she chooses not to eat. The same goes for carrots, spinach and just about every other vegetable. There is nothing "yukky" about vegetables really. It is a matter of getting used to having them as part of every meal and cultivating the habit of finishing them up. So, perhaps, to get children like Janey to eat up those veges, it is a good idea to start them on vegetables when they are very young even during the weaning stage!
Getting Started
Vegetables come in a range of different textures; some crisp and crunchy, others smooth, yet others fibrous and stringy. The last group of vegetables must definitely be avoided for infants who are getting their first taste of solids. In fact, when introducing vegetables to baby, it is best to offer just two or three varieties and be consistent in the way you prepare them so that the child can get used to the flavour and texture.
The Goodness Of Vegetables
Among the most commonly used vegetables are peas, potatoes, carrots, corn, soya beans, varieties of melon, pumpkin and occasionally, vegetables such as cauliflower. Vegetables do a lot more than just add colour and bulk to baby's food. They are essentially protective foods because of their vitamin content. Only small amounts are needed to regulate all the complex processes which keep our bodies functioning normally. There is no energy component in vitamins, meaning they have no caloric value. However, they are important, vital in fact, for growth and good health.
Vitamins also have a role to play in changing fat and carbohydrates into energy and, working together with other food groups, help to form bones and tissues. But bear in mind that vegetables with their high vitamin content are not substitutes for the food groups such as proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
The most common vitamin found in green leafy vegetables is vitamin C, while red, yellow and orange vegetables contain vitamin A as well. Some varieties like spinach are especially rich in iron, making them an excellent food to include in baby's meal from time to time. It is advisable to avoid "over dosing" your baby with too much iron, though, because this can contribute to constipation.
Another vitamin found in green, leafy vegetables is vitamin B which helps in blood clotting. What is interesting about this vitamin is that in adults, it is usually made in the intestine. However, this is not the case for newborn babies so it has to be taken in through the diet.
Vegetables are also high in fibre and so help to prevent constipation and assist in bowel movement. This is something which applies across the board, for all ages from infants who are being weaned to toddlers and young children, as well as adults.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4580213
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