Low Carb Diet for Kids
I love my kids. As Lisa and I shared the things we have been learning about eating a low carb diet with them, they have been quick to jump on board. There has not been any complaining or arguing. The same thing happened when we went to a plant slant lifestyle a couple of years ago. They agreed with the changes and found new foods that they enjoyed within our new guidelines. Although our plant slant lifestyle was much healthier than our previous eating habits, our staple foods became grains and pasta. As we started our transition to going low carb, however, we realized that by removing high carbohydrate grains from our diet, our staple foods are now restricted to some degree. So this transition is going to be much harder for the kids than it will be for Lisa and I. As adults, we have a wider palate and enjoy more salads and vegetables than our kids do. The kids look in our fridge and pantry and sometimes don’t see anything that appeals to them. Because of this, I have asked them to not worry about going low carb, telling them they need to eat enough calories and we just haven’t figured out how to make this work for them. They will not accept this, however. They really want the health benefits associated with a low carb diet so I need to figure this out quickly. I also need to figure out how we are going to incorporate Luke’s gluten free diet into our lives with the best approach. This likely means our entire household will be gluten free.
Is a low carb diet healthy for kids?
The first question I had to grapple with is whether a low carb lifestyle is a healthy option for kids. Despite mainstream opinion, the answer is yes. The first Keto diet was actually developed to treat kids with epilepsy and is still used today. It is true that kids need essential nutrients in their food even more than adults do, but do we think they are going to get those essential nutrients from the processed foods we have become dependent on? We have become the most overfed but undernourished generation in history, and the problem is only getting worse.
Do kids need to eat carbs for energy?
It is true that high carb foods do give us energy, but it is a short lived energy that leads to sugar spikes and sugar crashes. For instance, eating 2 slices of whole wheat bread will raise your blood sugar higher and quicker than 6 teaspoons of sugar. Real whole food will provide better and longer lasting sources of energy.
What macronutrients should kids be eating?
Kids need to eat healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates. But the carbohydrates should preferentially come from vegetables, nuts, fruits, and other healthy carbohydrates. The majority of their carbs should not be coming from sugar and processed foods and they probably don’t need as many carbs as we think.
Can my kids eat fruit on a low carb diet?
Yes, they should definitely be eating fruit. But is is important to make sure it is whole fruit - never fruit juice or dried fruits.
Should kids really be on a diet?
No, but they should learn proper lifestyle habits that they can take with them when they leave the nest that will give them the best chance to live a long and healthy life.
The epidemic of childhood obesity
The biggest argument to make a change regarding what our kids are eating is to look around at the kids in the United States today. The Standard American Diet is failing all of us, especially our children. The fact that we had to change the name of Adult Onset Diabetes to Type 2 Diabetes because of the rise of childhood obesity and subsequent diagnosis of adult onset diabetes in children speaks volumes. We can do better.
How do we accomplish this?
First, I am not advocating that my kids should ever be in ketosis. I just want to shift their food so that a majority of their nutrients are coming from healthy fats, healthy proteins, and healthy nutrient-dense unprocessed carbs. In our house, we also need to eliminate gluten products for Luke’s health.
There are a lot of great online resources including ditchthecarbs.com. After doing some research and focused shopping, this seems possible.
I needed to continue to help my kids understand why this is important to me. Here is an enlightening (and scary) video about how much sugar we are feeding ourselves and our kids. And here is a video about how carbohydrates impact your health.
I need to do more than talk to my kids about this. I also need to listen to them to make sure I understand their questions and concerns.
I printed out a list of healthy food options and had each of my kids go through it and put their initials next to the foods that sounded appealing to them. Here is one list of healthy lunch options I used. This helped me to know what they would eat before I went out and purchased it.
Introduce this lifestyle slowly if necessary. I could replace one unhealthy food at a time until eventually their choices would only be from healthy options. Another thing I liked was one Mom who loaded her kids dinner plates with healthy options, but allowed them to choose one thing not to eat. Tricky, I know, but this allowed the kids to be in control while still eating all the other healthy foods on their plate.
We have had a lot of discussions about what the family rules are at home versus being with friends or family in other settings.
Kids need plenty of carbs for proper growth. I am just trying to help them get their carbs from healthy sources and not from unhealthy processed and refined items that are not really food.