Food Myths

Myth: Kids today get enough fibre

Fact: Many kids get too little fibre. Yet fibre helps them feel ‘full’ longer since it slows down the digestion of food after a meal. It also helps them to have regular bowel movements. Slowly increase your children’s fibre intake over several months to allow their digestion to adjust. But don’t overdo it. Increasing both water intake and level of physical activity are also important when adding more fibre.

Help kids get more fibre from food:

Choose whole grain cereals, like oatmeal
Choose whole wheat breads
If possible, when eating fruit or vegetables include the peel
Use dried beans or lentils in your cooking

Myth: Kids need to eat fat-free or low fat to be healthy

Fact: Fat has received a lot of bad hype over the years. Kids need more fat than adults since they’re still growing and developing. Fat is needed for:

Proper brain and visual development
Absorbing certain vitamins
Providing the feeling of fullness after eating
Providing flavour, smell and tenderness to foods

Kids eat too much trans and saturated fats, also known as the unhealthy fats. Trans fats are found more in processed foods like cakes, cookies, crackers, fast-foods and some snack foods. Words to look out for when reading ingredient lists: ‘Hydrogenated’, ‘Partially hydrogenated’, ‘Shortening’.

Saturated fats are found mostly in animal products. Choose leaner products when buying these foods. Healthy, unsaturated fats are usually found in plant-based fats and oils and in dark-fleshed fish, like salmon.

Myths: Carbohydrates are bad for kids

Fact: Everyone, especially kids, requires this nutrient to meet their energy and some vitamin needs. Carbohydrates are found in:

Grain products, which supply B vitamins and iron
Fruits, vegetables and milk products mainly in the form of natural sugars.

We all should be eating more whole grains and enriched carbohydrates and less processed foods that contain added sugars, like pastries, cookies and other sweets.