Nutrition gurus: would you analyze what my dd ate today?

[Riverfront Headmistress]

She is 10 and 68 lbs:

 

*I don't know the quantity, just looking to see if it is fairly well-rounded. I'm thinking broccoli, cauliflower, or spinach needs to be added to the day but she is full.

 

Bkfast:

granola

low-fat yogurt

 

Lunch:

carrots

whole wheat wrap with hummus and cucumber

 

Snack:

1/2 grapefruit

 

Dinner:

lentils

tomato and feta salad

brown rice

[yslek]

That looks fabulous to me! I'm somewhat into the traditional foods thing, so I'd go for whole-fat yogurt (especially for a child) but really, that looks very healthy. I would NOT worry! :)

 

Kelsy

[muffinmom]

To me she could have used more protein, though it looks like she made an effort at each meal to get some in (yogurt, hummus, lentils--though all of these are relatively low in protein; brown rice has a little, I think). Looks like she didn't have much fat at all--add some olive oil, nuts, or avocado. Ideally she would have some good fat with each meal. Other than that, I'd say throw another fruit and vegetable in for volume. Very healthy menu for a 10-year-old!

[Quiver0f10]

I am not an expert and I think her diet looks good, but I'd probably try to add some fruit and maybe some leafy veggies.

[abbeyej]

It might be nice to get more fruits and vegetables into her (but she did have carrots, cucumber and tomato, which is better than a great many kids get), but it looks great overall!

 

And I wouldn't worry too much about each *single* day. Keep track for a couple of more days, and look at the overall picture. It looks like she only ate one fruit today. But if she eats a couple of different fruits tomorrow, she's still doing well. Same with the veggies -- not an awful lot there (but not bad either!), but if she continues to eat other veggies tomorrow, it'll probably balance out.

 

Overall though, that's a great mix. I agree with Kelsy that, considering her age and what else she's eating, whole fat yogurt might be a better choice for her.

[Riverfront Headmistress]

ETA: I forgot she had a fruit smoothie

[melissel]

To me she could have used more protein, though it looks like she made an effort at each meal to get some in (yogurt, hummus, lentils--though all of these are relatively low in protein; brown rice has a little, I think). Looks like she didn't have much fat at all--add some olive oil, nuts, or avocado. Ideally she would have some good fat with each meal. Other than that, I'd say throw another fruit and vegetable in for volume. Very healthy menu for a 10-year-old!

 

ITA. I wish my DDs would eat lentils or hummus, but so far, no go!

[abbeyej]

To me she could have used more protein, though it looks like she made an effort at each meal to get some in (yogurt, hummus, lentils--though all of these are relatively low in protein; brown rice has a little, I think). Looks like she didn't have much fat at all--add some olive oil, nuts, or avocado. Ideally she would have some good fat with each meal. Other than that, I'd say throw another fruit and vegetable in for volume. Very healthy menu for a 10-year-old!

 

I have to disagree. The yogurt, lentils, feta and hummus really do have quite a bit of protein.

 

The USDA recommendation for a child of her age and weight is about 30g of protein per day. 8oz of low fat yogurt averages about 10g of protein. A quarter cup of garbanzo beans (hummus) would have another 3g. 1/2C of lentils would be another 9g (18g if she ate a whole cup). An ounce of feta has another 4g. A cup of brown rice would be another 5g, a whole wheat pita about 2g... Together, that should be *plenty*.

 

As to fat, well, at least the feta and the hummus (by virtue of the olive oil in it) have some fat... Though there could certainly be more. If there were more olive oil than we know if in, say, the tomato and feta salad, there might be plenty...

[Spy Car]

I have to disagree. The yogurt, lentils, feta and hummus really do have quite a bit of protein.

 

 

:iagree: Sounds like plenty of protein to me. And includes a great number of highly nutritious foods. I wish every child ate this well.

 

If there is one area where this daily menu could use some slight improvement, it would be in including more dark leafy greens or broccoli (and the like). But still, this is a good example of a healthy diet.

 

Bill

[Ashleen]

I have to disagree. The yogurt, lentils, feta and hummus really do have quite a bit of protein.

 

:iagree: Absolutely. Many Americans are overeating protein to the point of severe health problems. For years, protein has be overemphasized and it turns out that the amount we need is much smaller than most of us have been trained to consume.

 

I think her diet looks great for someone her age and size. If she gets hungry, she can add a salad with lots of greens or some fruit.

[muffinmom]

I have to disagree. The yogurt, lentils, feta and hummus really do have quite a bit of protein.

 

The USDA recommendation for a child of her age and weight is about 30g of protein per day. 8oz of low fat yogurt averages about 10g of protein. A quarter cup of garbanzo beans (hummus) would have another 3g. 1/2C of lentils would be another 9g (18g if she ate a whole cup). An ounce of feta has another 4g. A cup of brown rice would be another 5g, a whole wheat pita about 2g... Together, that should be *plenty*.

 

As to fat, well, at least the feta and the hummus (by virtue of the olive oil in it) have some fat... Though there could certainly be more. If there were more olive oil than we know if in, say, the tomato and feta salad, there might be plenty...

 

 

Well, I said relatively low because for some people, myself included, that would not be enough protein to feel well. My metabolism has always run high, and I feel shaky when my protein intake is too low in proportion to my carbohydrates. But hopefully she is one of the lucky ones who can feel well on that amount. I'd say if she has plenty of energy, then she is doing pretty well with that menu.

[newlifemom]

Just curious, why are you logging her daily intake? Is 68 lbs too much for a 10yr old? My dd is almost 10 and just shy of 50lbs, but, she is extremely petite. All of her friends tower over her and most weigh a healthy 15lbs or more. :confused:

[Riverfront Headmistress]

I'm not logging :) She is wanting to become vegetarian. I want to make sure her diet is well-rounded.

[Carol in Cal.]

Are you familiar with the concept of protein complementarity?

 

It was popularized in the 70's with the publication of "Diet for a Small Planet".

 

At that time, vegetarians were quite concerned about perhaps not getting enough protein. The book said that as long as you eat widely among the different 'classes' of vegetarian protein, you should have plenty of usable protein in your diet. So, for instance, the fact that your daughter had brown rice, beans/lentils, and dairy in her diet means that she had quite a bit of usable protein.

 

I would say that the Laurel's Kitchen cookbook updates that whole approach in a healthy way for adults, but that the guidelines are probably too low in fat for most children. Still, they advocate a specific eating plan that is very nutritious, and easy to follow while allowing plenty of variety. I would recommend looking for those two books as references before you go any further down this path--they are both pretty well researched and so they seem very credible to me.

[Jenny in Florida]

Are you familiar with the concept of protein complementarity?

 

It was popularized in the 70's with the publication of "Diet for a Small Planet".

 

Diet for a Small Planet was my primary guidebook when I first went veg. However, even Frances Moore Lappe changed her mind about the importance of protein complementarity back in the 1980s, saying that as long as one eats a nice variety of healthy foods, the protein pretty much takes care of itself.

 

As I understand it, the amount of protein one needs each day is laregely dependent upon one's weight, age and activity level. So, an adult with a more or less normal level of activity needs .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That works out to about 45 grams of protein for a 125-pound adult.

 

Kids need a little bit more, about .95 per kilo. So, a 68-pound child would need 29 grams of protein per day.

 

Every now and then, I panic about my kids and drive them nuts by keeping track of their food intake for a couple of days, "just to make sure." Every time I do, I see just how easy it is to meet and exceed these basic requirements. Often, mine will have the lion's share of their protein and calcium requirements met by the time the finish breakfast . . . and we don't even eat dairy products.

 

And, to be honest, this kiddo's menu was a whole lot healthier than what mine eat most days!

[pianoplayer]

I'm not logging :) She is wanting to become vegetarian. I want to make sure her diet is well-rounded.

Personally, I would add another fruit serving.

 

I also would be concerned that she get enough calcium for strong bones and muscles.

[Mom to Aly]

Speaking as a vegetarian, a diabetic, and someone with a child who is a vegetarian, I think this is wonderful! I'm assuming she had some greens in the tomato and feta salad--if not, that is what I would add. Otherwise, she has plenty of protein (the yogurt has a ton, the hummus and lentils add a lot as well), calcium from the yogurt and smoothie, and plenty of fruits--normally I would add some veggies. She may need some time to get used to some--some that I adore are sugar snap peas and snow peas raw, spaghetti squash which you can eat with a sauce or plain (I like it with that fat free parkay spray or plain), they say you can make it like pasta, acorn squash, butternut squash can be used to make really healthy baked "french fries", and so much more. Steamfresh is so wonderful, and if she likes broccoli, she should try making that, taking it out and draining it, putting it on a plate, then adding grated cheese and heating it another min in the microwave--wonderful and healthy! Or squeeze lemon on it.

 

Portabello mushrooms make wonderful nachos--I use the babies for them, and they taste better than chips to me. You can make "pizzas" out of broiled eggplant, or lasagne, using broiled eggplant instead of noodles and meat. There are so many things that are ultra healthy and veg--your daughter doesn't have to just think health store, and burn out. Let her look online, with you, or at some cook books at B&N (easy ones, or ones that say "quick meals" or 5 ingredient meals, things like that, so she doesn't get overwhelmed).

 

I think what she is doing is amazing!

[fivetails]

It looks absolutely delicious to me :D - I'm a vegetarian (have been since my early/mid teens) and I have to say, I don't eat that well every day :lol: ...let's see, breakfast today is.. coffee. ;)

 

It does look good though - and if she's full, she's full of *good* food. :)

 

 

mmmmm....now I want hummus. Has she always liked it, or is it a new thing she's trying out? The roasted red pepper kind is *really* good - that one's my fave....lemon-dill is also good....

[fivetails]

spaghetti squash which you can eat with a sauce or plain (I like it with that fat free parkay spray or plain), they say you can make it like pasta

 

 

A friend of mine makes a delicious spaghetti squash casserole thing - it's the squash, pasta sauce, choppped mushrooms/onions/carrots/whatever she decides to toss in, cheddar cheese, and for hers, ham (she's not a vegetarian) -- but when she makes it, she always makes a smaller version for me without the ham. :)

[Riverfront Headmistress]

mmmmm....now I want hummus. Has she always liked it, or is it a new thing she's trying out? The roasted red pepper kind is *really* good - that one's my fave....lemon-dill is also good....

 

She has always loved hummus. The roasted red pepper is one of her favorites, but I perfer garlic - I'm the resident household shopper so I usually purchase the garlic flavor.

[Riverfront Headmistress]

So much wonderful information and ideas in this post. Thank you gurus.:D

[Spy Car]

Since we are focusing a beam of scrutiny on this one meal, there are two remaining questions I have, and both relate to the "fats" in this meal.

 

1) The hummus is "pre-made", so what fats did the manufacturer use beside tahina (tahini)? Tahina contains sesame oil, but are there other oils? Extra Virgin Olive oil would be good, polyunsaturated vegetable oils would not be good. Some even include mayonnaise (yuck!).

 

2) The salad dressing, is it bottled or home-made (again using olive oil)?

 

A "good" source of fats is essential to good health, and it is amazing how easily "bad" sources can slip into even seemingly "healthy" products.

 

Bill

[abbeyej]

Some [hummuses] even include mayonnaise (yuck!).

 

Wow, I'm glad I haven't run across that! That's truly vile... (I *have* run across people who believed they must use mayonnaise to make guacamole, and that's equally repulsive.)

[threetreasurs]

Wow, I'm glad I haven't run across that! That's truly vile... (I *have* run across people who believed they must use mayonnaise to make guacamole, and that's equally repulsive.)

 

I have to admit that I have never heard of using mayo in guacamole!

[lighthouseacademy]

For one day that looks good- more dark green veggies would be good, but looking at several days is more important than one day. Also, protein combining has been proven to be not necessary. It does tend to fill you up more completely at the meal, but really, it isn't so necessary. Some really good books are Disease Proof Your Child and Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman. I don't agree with him on 2 points though- too much soy usage to substitute for meat and he mostly bans even good fats. Olive oil is extremely nutritious provided it is cold pressed and kept raw. Also, other sources of good fats include flax seeds (grind and then sprinkle on the granola or in the smoothie), walnuts, purslane, pumpkin seeds, etc. Definitely pay attention to the extra ingredients in the salad dressing and hummus. Better yet, learn to make your own and then you know what goes in and you can tailor them to your needs and tastes.

[Carol in Cal.]

Yes, it is pretty easy to get enough protein on a vegetarian diet. But, when transitioning to vegetarian eating, sometimes people worry about this a lot, and the book does give enough numbers to get a good feeling and move on. Also, I have known vegetarians who thought that they were getting plenty of protein from brown rice, and ended up somewhat malnourished--this was partly lack of balanced protein and partly because it was just plain difficult to get enough calories on the diet that they followed; but it's important to eat widely, and more important if you're vegetarian.

 

The Laurel's Kitchen book gives a great approach to checking your variety for general healthiness. I think that it updates DSP very effectively. But DSP is a good place to start for protein theory.

 

Diet for a Small Planet was my primary guidebook when I first went veg. However, even Frances Moore Lappe changed her mind about the importance of protein complementarity back in the 1980s, saying that as long as one eats a nice variety of healthy foods, the protein pretty much takes care of itself.

 

As I understand it, the amount of protein one needs each day is laregely dependent upon one's weight, age and activity level. So, an adult with a more or less normal level of activity needs .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That works out to about 45 grams of protein for a 125-pound adult.

 

Kids need a little bit more, about .95 per kilo. So, a 68-pound child would need 29 grams of protein per day.

 

Every now and then, I panic about my kids and drive them nuts by keeping track of their food intake for a couple of days, "just to make sure." Every time I do, I see just how easy it is to meet and exceed these basic requirements. Often, mine will have the lion's share of their protein and calcium requirements met by the time the finish breakfast . . . and we don't even eat dairy products.

 

And, to be honest, this kiddo's menu was a whole lot healthier than what mine eat most days!

[Mamagistra]

(I *have* run across people who believed they must use mayonnaise to make guacamole, and that's equally repulsive.)

 

Yes, I've met these folks. Why can't they accept that guac and mayo are two different food groups?! :D