Are your kids eating healthy? Read on to know about the top 10 unhealthy foods which your kids must avoid eating.Not only the risk of obesity, but also the risks of heart diseases and cancer have increased – all because of unhealthy foods. Therefore, it is important to introduce healthy foods in your kids’ diet making sure your kids should not miss out on essential nutrients needed for proper growth and development and building immunity.
Here are 10 foods which kids should avoid eating:
1. Sugar Cereals
Do not get carried away by the sugar-cereal boxes for kids available in the market that boasts to contain loads of vitamins and minerals. The minute amount of nutritional value they have is nothing compared to the large amount of sugar and processed ingredients they have per serving. Go for whole-grain cereals.
2. French Fries
Your kids may love French Fries over fresh vegetables, but these are high in fat and sodium. It is easy to gobble extra servings of fries, but they are dangerous as they provide empty calories leading to obesity and heart diseases. Try baking sweet potato chips at home.
3. Granola Bars
Mostly, granola bars are loaded with sugar and added ingredients like marshmallows, candies, high fructose syrups, chocolate chips, and artificial dyes, which makes the bars totally fattening and thus unhealthy. It is better to whip up homemade energy bars with dry fruits, nuts, whole grain cereal, coconut, raisins, and peanut butter.
4. Processed Meat
Highly processed meats like salamis, sausages, bologna, hot dogs, etc. are loaded with fat, sodium, nitrates, and preservatives. They may be tasty for your kids, but they possess risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and definitely obesity. Meat cooked at home is any day preferable.
5. Chicken Nuggets
Deep fried chicken nuggets, covered in white bread crumbs, are tasty, but at the same time, they are packed with sodium, fat, minimal nutrients, and loads of calories, causing risks of heart disease and
obesity in kids. A better option is to grill chicken breast at home and make strips of them.
6. Candies and Lollipops
Colourful candies and lollipops available in the market may be your kids’ favourite, but they are just sugar and artificial colourings and flavours. They are very harmful for teeth and one of those biggest reasons for caries and
cavities in kids, so serve homemade candies from fruits, which are absolutely healthier.
7. Canned or Packaged Juices
The unhealthiest juices are the canned or packaged juices – as they lack fibre and vitamins. Serving these to your kids can increase the risk of being obese and developing diabetes, in addition to causing
tooth decay. Homemade smoothies or fruit juices are advisable.
8. Microwave Popcorn
Your kids may enjoy popcorn, which is not harmful, but beware of the microwave popcorns. They contain a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, that has been linked to postponed puberty, cancer, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol in kids. Pop corns otherwise.
9. Canned and Frozen Food
The readymade canned and frozen foods available in the market are easy to serve, but they contain a lot of sodium and a chemical called bisphenol-A or BPA, which has been linked to to childhood
asthma, obesity, reproductive changes,
diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, and liver problems. Fresh vegetables and fruits are only advisable instead of canned or frozen.
10. Soda Pop
Soda is as bad as canned or packaged juices. They offer only empty calories and loads of sugar, which causes tooth decay, caries, and cavities in kids along with increasing the risk of childhood obesity. Try coconut water if your kids are looking for something cool and fresh.
If you cannot cut down these foods at one go, serve moderate amount but always keep an eye in your serving. It is still best to limit their consumption for a healthy future of your kids.
How to encourage kids to eat healthy? How to prevent kids from developing unhealthy eating habits? Which foods should be avoided by kids? Discuss here. 
