Chao Chao was admitted to a large hospital in Zhengzhou last weekend with symptoms of diarrhea and lethargy. After numerous examinations, doctors discovered the cause was that Chao Chao had eaten too much fruit. The high concentration of fruit juice was difficult to absorb in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to indigestion and acidosis. This greatly surprised his mother: "You can even get sick from eating too much fruit!" Eating too much fruit can also make you sick
Currently, a wide variety of fruits are in season, such as lychees, watermelons, peaches, and apricots... the temptation is hard to resist. Chao Chao's mother said that fruit is a good thing, rich in nutrients and loved by children. She thought eating fruit couldn't be a bad thing, but never imagined it could actually lead to trouble.
A pediatrician from the Provincial People's Hospital explained that while fruits are certainly beneficial to human health, more is not always better. For example, plums, apricots, and Japanese apricots contain kinic acid, oxalic acid, and benzoic acid. These components are not easily oxidized and broken down by the body in the air, and the products formed after metabolism are still acidic substances. These substances can disrupt the body's acid-base balance, and excessive consumption can even lead to poisoning. Therefore, it is advisable to consume less highly concentrated fruit juice and very sour fruits like plums, apricots, and Japanese apricots. Experts point out common misconceptions in children's diets
In recent years, foods targeting children have been emerging like mushrooms after a spring rain, and the proportion of children's food in their diets is increasing. However, there are still many misconceptions about how to choose food for children. Zhang Yuhua, the associate chief physician of the pediatric department at the Provincial People's Hospital, pointed out some of these misconceptions to parents.
1. "Many parents cannot distinguish between dairy products and lactic acid bacteria drinks." Dr. Zhang explained, "Drinks and milk are completely different types of food. Drinks contain very little protein, and drinking them as a substitute for milk long-term may lead to malnutrition. Furthermore, lactic acid bacteria drinks are not suitable for children with sensitive stomachs, and excessive consumption can cause gastrointestinal discomfort." At the same time, excessive intake of fruit juice and beverages can affect a child's growth and development.
2. It is unscientific to replace milk with lactic acid bacteria drinks, fruit with fruit juice drinks, or a regular meal with instant noodles. For the same reason, the nutritional components of the two are vastly different, and drinks cannot provide the nutrition and health that milk and fruit do. This is especially true for instant noodles: "Instant noodles are a food to be used occasionally to stave off hunger when you have no time to cook."
3. "An excessive belief in foreign foods is not good for children's health." According to the results of random inspections by relevant departments, imported children's foods are not perfect. Dr. Zhang explained that, in particular, foreign fast food consists of high-calorie, high-fat foods. It is not suitable for children with poor gastrointestinal function or who are overweight, and even normal children may become simply obese if they eat it without restraint. "We have a child in our ward who is only 12 years old but weighs over 60 kilograms, with blood lipids thicker than an adult's." Most overweight children like to eat this kind of food.
4. "Using sweet drinks to quench thirst, long-term picky eating, and only eating 'refined foods' can all affect a child's normal development." For example, most sweet drinks contain a high amount of sugar, which creates a feeling of fullness after consumption and can hinder a child's appetite during regular meals. Long-term consumption of refined foods can lead to constipation and malnutrition. How should children eat?
Given so many misconceptions, what should parents pay attention to in their children's diets? Dr. Zhang explained that the most important things are to have regular meals, a diverse diet, eat more soy products, and consume a mix of coarse and fine grains.
In addition, you can choose more children's foods with natural ingredients, and eat less puffed food because this type of food is extremely low in protein, fiber, and minerals, and frequent consumption can lead to high blood pressure and obesity.