Q: I’m concerned about my child’s weight and want him to eat healthfully. Does the new Food Pyramid for Kids allow for pecans in his diet?
A: Yes. The MyPyramid for Kids (www.mypyramid.gov/kids) encourages the inclusion of nutritious nuts, like Georgia pecans, in children’s diets. Since your child is still growing, the main goal of a weight-loss diet for him is to get as many nutrient-rich foods into his diet as you can while controlling calories. That way he gets all the nutrients he needs while still reducing his food intake. Pecans are ideal because they are rich in fiber, protein, heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (it’s never too early to be concerned about heart health), vitamin E, magnesium and a wide array of natural plant antioxidants that promote good health. Despite the fact that nuts have a reputation for being high in fat, one study out of Loma Linda University found that people who regularly ate nuts weighed no more than people who seldom or never eat nuts. And a study out of Harvard found that when nuts, including pecans, were a part of their diets, people were able to lose more weight and keep it off for a longer period of time. Experts believe that nuts may enhance satiety--the feeling of being satisfied. While these studies looked at adults, it only makes sense that children would benefit from adding nuts to their diets as well. You can offer him chopped pecans stirred into yogurt or sprinkled on top of low-fat ice cream or skim milk pudding. Make a snack mix with pretzel sticks, Georgia pecans, raisins and dried fruit. Add chopped pecans to rice, top off cooked carrots with pecans or sprinkle then in whole-wheat pancake mix. Or just let him grab a handful for a snack.
