Is it good for children to eat a lot of meat?

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“Is it good for children to eat a lot of meat” is a question many parents ask. But instead of being helpful, if parents feed their children excessive amounts of meat, even adding more protein from synthetic substances to their child's diet, the child could face long-term health problems. .

1. The role of protein in children's health

Every cell, tissue and organ in the body contains proteins. This structure is constantly being broken down, removed and replaced. Made up of amino acids, protein is the foundation of nearly every internal structure in the body. The role of protein in children's health is particularly important for maintaining muscle mass, cardiovascular health, respiratory function and a healthy immune system.
Nutritionists have recommended that about 10 to 35% of an adult or child's daily calories come from protein or animal meat. So, if a child consumes 2,000 calories a day, 200 to 700 of those calories should come from protein. More specifically, 1 to 3 year olds need 13g of protein per day, while 4 to 8 year olds need 19g of protein per day. The recommended amount of protein for children 9 to 13 years old is about 34g. Between the ages of 14 and 18, women need 46g of protein and men need 52g of protein per day.
With the benefits of protein, parents often want their children to eat more meat and fish to gain weight and height. However, whether parents let children eat a lot of meat is good still needs to be clearly answered.

2. Is it good for children to eat a lot of meat?

"Is it good for children to eat a lot of meat?" is a question many parents ask, but instead of helping, if parents feed their children excessive amounts of meat, even supplementing with protein from artificial synthetics. When kids eat a lot of meat, they can experience long-term health problems, including:
Weight gain: When kids eat a lot of meat, excess protein means excess calories. If a child's physical development and daily activities cannot burn calories, the body will store them as fat and the child will quickly gain weight.

Kidney damage: Excessive protein consumption in the body can cause kidney stones as well as make the kidneys work harder to filter wastes out. Increased burden on the liver: Besides protein metabolism in the kidney, protein processing also produces nitrogen in the liver. The high nitrogen content when children eat a lot of meat makes it difficult for their body to process waste and toxins afterwards. In addition, high levels of nitrogen can also reduce the body's ability to break down other nutrients that are also needed by the body. Effects on the digestive system: For animal meats, especially red meat such as pork, beef or lamb, the digestive system often takes more time and effort to break down and absorb as well as expel waste. Later. Therefore, when children eat a lot of meat, it will affect the digestive system, lose appetite, flatulence, heaviness in the abdomen and prolonged constipation. Bone loss: Excess protein when children eat a lot of meat also causes the body to excrete a higher amount of calcium than usual. As the amount of calcium stored in the body decreases, bones become weaker and more prone to fracture.

3. Protein source suitable for children

To ensure children eat meat in a balanced way with other nutrients, it is important for parents to understand which foods contain protein. Meats, poultry, fish, legumes, tofu and eggs contain significant amounts of protein. In addition, nuts and dairy products usually provide a moderate amount of protein, while whole grains, some vegetables, and some fruits provide small amounts of protein.
Thus, if you are concerned that children are eating too much meat, consider reducing their intake of high-protein foods. At the same time, parents need to choose animal meat that is good for their children's health. Here are some suitable sources of protein for children:
Fish: This is an ideal non-vegetarian food source for growing children to provide protein. Lean fish is rich in protein with high biological value, contains many vitamins and minerals. Most importantly, fatty fish also has Omega 3 and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Salmon, tuna, cod, halibut, and mackerel are just a few of the fish that offer many health benefits for young children. Chicken: Chicken is also an excellent source of protein. Chicken provides children with better growth and development because it contains a lot of amino acids, helping children to grow taller and healthier. Meat: Red meat such as beef, lamb and pork should be consumed in smaller quantities. Because they believe that beef helps to nourish the blood, parents often give their children a lot of beef. But the fact "Is it good for children to eat a lot of beef" makes parents surprised. Because eating beef a lot will be dangerous for children's health because it is high in saturated fat.

4. In what cases need to add more protein?

If a child has one of the following conditions, it may be necessary to add protein or encourage more meat in the diet:
Underweight: Protein is the basic building block of structures. of the body, helping children gain weight and grow taller. Therefore, if children are malnourished, the priority food group is protein. Parents need to choose a variety of meats to prepare food as well as maintain the habit of drinking milk every day. Too picky eaters: If children often refuse foods that are given or eat very little, parents need to focus on feeding children foods with high nutritional content, high in calories. At this time, meats cooked with delicious spices can stimulate children's taste buds instead of forcing them to eat too much starchy substances such as rice and porridge. Being sick: Children with diseases will increase metabolism, consuming a lot of protein. Therefore, when children are sick or recovering, parents need to prioritize choosing meat and fish when preparing food for children to regain health and strengthen the immune system. In short, a meal with balanced nutrients is always a solid foundation for the comprehensive development of young children. Although children who eat a lot of meat will receive essential protein to help their bodies grow faster, consuming too much will also affect the functioning and function of organs. Therefore, parents need to know how to choose the right meats for their children, prioritizing protein from chicken, fish, and milk, and limiting red meat such as beef and pork.