Eat, drink and be waryWhen we celebrate we tend to do it with dance, drink and… don’t we like to eat! But what is lurking on the party plate? The experts, including Emma Mills of Brain & Body Nutrition, help us digest. |
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Traditionally it’s a time to eat. A lot. And if our own over-catering weren’t enough, we then welcome guests, bearing mayonnaisy salads and multi-pack nibblies. It’s a gluttonous free-for-all. But for some, it can be costly.
“Your child may suffer from food allergies such as kiwi fruit, bananas, avocados, or chestnuts (popular in Christmas cooking). Check content labels carefully,” says Terry Durack, Clinical Supplies Advisor at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). “Christmas is also a time when 'nibbles' are left out, particularly peanuts.”
Peanut allergy is not uncommon in kids, and even if they’re not clearly heaped in ramekins, they could still be lurking in home-baked concoctions. “It is prudent for children to avoid having large quantities of nuts, especially peanuts as this can trigger an anaphylactic reaction in some individuals,” says Emma Mills. “Choose other whole nuts, especially walnuts, which are rich in omega-3 fats, as they pose a much lower risk and are likely to be eaten in smaller quantities.”
While nuts get a good roasting, party food in general is riddled with all sorts of ingredients that trigger food-sensitive reactions – such as cow’s milk, cereals containing gluten, eggs and seafood (approach Aunt Marge’s crab salad with caution!). What’s worse, in the goodwill baking and sharing of biscuits, cakes and pies they could even be a bit on the raw side.
It’s hard to keep track of your kids, let alone trace what they’re eating so if food-sensitivity is clearly an issue with you and yours, it’s best to make some pre-emptive bakes! If you can provide your child with handfuls of ‘gut-friendly’ treats to take to school, he won’t feel left out when everyone else in the playground is sharing out their mums’ blue-iced fairy cakes. Source some colourful confectionary that caters for specific allergies.
Emma says: In all cases of suspected food hypersensitivity, investigation by a Doctor and Dietician is needed to avoid misdiagnosis, under-nutrition and growth failure.
E by gummies!
When you throw food of an impossible colour at kids, you’re probably flirting with e-numbers. Many of us are happy to lift the chemical embargo on special occasions, but before your nippers fling themselves with nutritional abandon into fizzy cola bottles, sour laces and luminous gummies, it helps to know what’s in them.
The effects aren’t always glaring, and moderation is the key. But if you’ve got a kid with two-weeks off school on a fortnight sweetie binge, then you’ve haven’t got moderation. And although the effects of e-numbers aren’t clearly considered bad enough to have them banned, what is clear is that they are causing some concern.
Some e-numbers, although meeting European food safety standards (that’s what the E means), have been linked to health and behavioural complications. Between them the following have been associated with allergies, skin irritations, asthma and hyperactivity: E110 or Sunset Yellow, E200 or Sorbic Acid, E102 or Tartrazine and E320/21 or Butylated hydroxylanisole and hydrixyl-toluene.
But not all e-numbers are bad. After all, Vitamin C is E300. And we don’t want to be the party-food Stooge; so rather than bin those goodies altogether, bring them out ‘as a little treat’ – but in the real sense of the word.
Emma says: A small number of sensitive children can react badly to certain artificial additives, but for most children they do not pose a risk.
Pop goes the rascal
When the grown-ups have got the bubbly out it’s a bit rough to deny the littlies their version. But the biz with fizz is that it may contain high sugar content, and plenty more besides. “Cola-type drinks are best avoided as they contain the stimulant, caffeine and have a high phosphorous content, which increases calcium loss from bones,” says Emma Mills.
“Caffeine is a stimulant and so can cause ‘hyperactivity’ in some sensitive children and is best avoided,” says Emma Mills. “The best drink for children will always be plain water so try keeping flavoured drinks to a minimum.”
High intakes of cola drinks, especially when this displaces calcium-rich milky drinks, reduces the calcium to phosphorous ratio from the ideal 2:1 and causes calcium to be leached from the bone. This can have serious long-term health implications and ultimately increases the risk of developing brittle bone disease (osteoporosis) in later life.
And don’t think you’re doing the kids a favour by going ‘light’. Sugar-free means sweeteners, not all of which are the healthiest option. “Diet drinks that contain artificial sweeteners are also best avoided as the intense sweetness tends to encourage a ‘sweet tooth’.” says Emma Mills.
Emma says: Dilute fizzy drinks with juices, or try to interest kids with smoothies or mock-tails.
Have we gone soft-centred?
What is it about chocolate? Someone says party, and we’re scoffing them in greedy fistfuls and offering them about by the bucket; almost as if new research had come to light hailing chocolate éclairs the new slimming-aid… Not true, of course.
“Eating a lot of chocolate over a short period of time probably doesn't matter too much. But putting a lot of emphasis on chocolate sends out messages to young children that chocolate is important,” says Margaret Lawson, GOSH Dietician and Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Nutrition at the Institute of Child Health. “The danger is that they will continue to want to eat lots of it after the festive season, and this could lead to problems with weight and with teeth.”
“Encourage everybody to dip into healthier options such as grapes or little satsumas or tangerines. Other treats such as popcorn and nuts can also be a good substitute when the family wants something to nibble. Hide the chocolates away and only bring them out after meals, when hopefully nobody will have too much appetite for them.”
Emma says: Chocolate with high cocoa-solids content (70 % or above) can be a useful source of antioxidants, known as flavonols. Antioxidants protect the body from harmful free radicals, which can damage brain and body cells.
The full monty
You can’t beat a roast dinner with all the trimmings except, the way most of us cook it, ‘trim’ is a bit tenuous. While meat and veg provide some nutritional variety, it’s the crackling skin and lard-baked potatoes does the damage. “You can cut down on the fat in the main course by not eating the skin of the turkey – most of the fat is just under the skin,” says Margaret Lawson. “Or by not putting butter on the vegetables and by boiling the potatoes before putting them in the oven for a final roast with only a small amount of fat.”
But then there’s pudding.
“The Christmas pudding and mince pies and accompaniments are very high in fat and are not a good follow-on for such a heavy first course,” Margaret Lawson adds. “Think about saving the pudding and mince pies for later, to follow a lighter meal, and substitute with a fresh fruit salad or some jelly or meringues. Try to find a Christmas pudding that uses plenty of dried fruit and not much suet. And instead of the cream or brandy butter, try a low fat ice cream, custard made with skimmed milk or low fat fromage-frais mixed with a touch of brandy.”
Emma says: Keep your fibre and antioxidant intake up by filling at least half of your plate with plain vegetables such as sprouts, carrots, broccoli and peas – but lay off the roasties.
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Emma Mills at Brain And Body Nutrition can be contacted at: www.brainandbody.co.uk
If you’re concerned about e-numbers, check their full titles and possible side effects at: www.ukfoodguide.net/enumeric
