by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Jan 23, 2024 | Nutrition and Health
Why a Zinc Deficiency May be Contributing to Your Child's Pickiness
There are SO MANY THINGS that can be causing your child's picky eating behavior. From sensory/tactile issues, to food allergies and intolerances, the cause and cure can seem impossible to figure out. Limited food intake, including few different foods accepted, can make the problem even harder to figure out. There is often a vicious cycle of unwillingness to try new foods which then results in a limited variety of foods eaten. The fewer different foods a child eats the more likely they are to be deficient in one or more vitamins and minerals. Often, the deficiency can make the appetite disappear, and can affect taste and smell. This is especially the case with zinc.
Zinc is an important nutrient. It is a trace mineral that is vital for a healthy immune system. Research has shown that taking zinc for five months before and even within 24 hours of catching a cold can actually shorten the cold recovery time.
Besides iron, zinc is the most concentrated trace mineral found in the human body. It is also important for wound healing. In fact, a common practice in long-term care facilities is to give zinc and Vitamin C supplements to patients JUST IN CASE they develop a wound, or in order to prevent a wound from developing.
Adequate zinc also helps to ensure proper growth in children as well as a healthy appetite. Not only does a lack of zinc in the diet affect appetite, it also affects taste and smell.
Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:
- Frequent infections
- Hypogonadism in males
- Loss of hair
- Poor appetite
- Problems with the sense of taste
- Problems with the sense of smell
- Skin sores
- Slow growth
- Trouble seeing in the dark
- Wounds that take a long time to heal
Although in the ideal world, everyone would eat all the right foods in all the right amounts, this is obviously not the case. As a result, I normally encourage parents of picky kids to take a multivitamin with minerals to help offset the potential nutrient imbalances. Unfortunately, gummy vitamins do not have sufficient minerals of any kind in them.
I really do not recommend mega doses of any one nutrient unless there is a proven reason for it. This is because when a person takes an excessive amount of one nutrient, it can make it difficult for the body to digest other important nutrients.
The best and safest way to ensure proper nutrition is through the diet. However, if there is a severe deficiency, and your child doesn't eat much, it may be necessary to supplement. How much to give your child really depends on the level of deficiency, the age and weight of your child, and other factors. So, if you suspect that your child might have a zinc deficiency, I suggest you have them tested first.
So, how do you determine if your child has a zinc deficiency? Unfortunately, traditional blood tests will not be able to rule out a zinc deficiency. There is one test that may at least help determine if zinc deficiency is a possibility. It's called the “Zinc Taste Test.” However, it is probably not all that accurate either. And it might be difficult to get a picky eater to cooperate anyway. It you can convince your child, It might not hurt to try it, but I would talk to your child's doctor first. In the meantime, it will be helpful to know what the best sources of zinc are.
Keep in mind that often a person will crave something they are low in. For example, my son loves seafood. Despite that he is so picky, he will eat oysters, octopus, clams, squid (I know, right?).
Good Sources of Zinc
- oysters, and some other types of seafood
- beans
- poultry
- fortified breakfast cereals
- nuts
- dairy products
- red meat
- whole grains
References
Help with picky eaters.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22784341
Strickland, Elizabeth. Eating for Autism: The 10-Step Nutrition Plan to Help Treat Your Child's Autism, Asperger's, or ADHD (Kindle Locations 3027-3029). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002416.htm
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Jan 8, 2024 | Nutrition and Health
Seven Surprising Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
Before we get into the seven surprising symptoms of iron deficiency, I want to distinguish between the different types of anemia.
What is Anemia?
The most basic definition of anemia is that there are not enough red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen in your blood through your body.
Anemia is commonly caused by a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
For example, at least five (5) different types of anemia can be related to a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
And last, but most certainly not least, Iron deficiency anemia.
First, I need to emphasize:
Because anemia can be such a complex illness,
it is important that you have your blood tested
if you suspect that you or anyone in your family might have anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common and most well-known type of anemia. However, if you start taking supplements to treat iron deficiency, and iron deficiency isn't the root cause, you will not be treating the root cause of the anemia. Not only that but you can make matters worse. This is because too much of one vitamin in your body can and will interfere with your body's ability to absorb and use other vitamins or minerals.
Anemia of any kind means that there aren't enough red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. Thus, lack of red blood cells to carry oxygen through your blood will result in a lack of energy.
Oxygen is extremely important for energy!
This is why being tired is one of the hallmark symptoms of anemia.
All types of anemia can lead to feeling fatigue, however.
Thus, this is not the best way to tell what type of anemia you have.
Seven surprising symptoms of iron deficiency.
- Unusual cravings for nonfood items such as ice, dirt, or laundry detergent starch. The actual eating of nonfood items, which is more common in young children, is called “pica.”
- Chest pain, fast heartbeat, or shortness of breath
- Cold hands and feet
- Inflammation or soreness of the tongue
- Poor appetite, especially in infants and young children
- Headache, dizziness, or light headedness
- Brittle Nails
Iron deficiency is common in the following groups:
- Young children after 1 year of age
- Women during pregnancy
- Women while breastfeeding.
- People taking multiple medications, particularly the elderly
Click here for related article on what interferes with iron absorption.
So, obviously Iron deficiency means “low iron.” So how does low iron affect the red blood cell? Well, first, the hemoglobin (think: blood) molecule, which makes up red blood cells contains iron at the very center. (See picture to the right). In other words, if there is not enough iron present in the body, hemoglobin cannot be created by the body. If there isn't enough hemoglobin, there won't be enough 
red blood cells. If there is not enough red blood cells, there will a lack of oxygen available to create energy for you or your children to use.
Iron deficiency anemia is a serious illness and should not be taken lightly.
Iron deficiency anemia increases risk of illness, fatigue, delayed growth and development, and even permanent mental retardation.
Thus, it is important that you have your blood checked regularly to make sure you are healthy.
Until next time, Debbie. 🙂
Mayo Clinic on Anemia
Other Reading
5 Reasons You Need Folate
Recipes High in Iron and Vitamin C
Diet and ADHD in Children, Part 1
Why a Zinc Deficiency Might be Contributing to Your Kid's Pickiness
4 Ways I’m Being Homeschooled
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Jan 7, 2024 | Cooking Tips
Flour Fables: Whole Wheat vs White Flour Baking
As you know, my husband is a cook, and I am a dietitian. An interesting thing about cooks is that they are great at cooking regular foods. However, they're often not so good at baking. This is because when a chef creates something in the kitchen, it's a little bit of that and a little bit of this. In other words, the amounts aren't exact.
This Does Not Work So Well in Baking
For example, when baking a quick bread, it's important to carefully measure the flour as well as use the correct tools, including the appropriate measuring cups. You should NEVER use a glass Pyrex-style measuring cup to measure dry ingredients. (See first picture above). This is because you need to be able to flatten the top of the cup. (See third picture above). You can't do this with a glass measuring cup, so you'll end up with an approximate amount which you don't want when baking a high-quality product. You should always use a dry measuring cup to measure dry ingredients. For example, cups similar to the ones in the second two pictures, for greatest accuracy. Personally, I believe you should sift the flour prior to measuring as well for the lightest product. Another important thing to remember is that if you just dip the measuring cup into the flour instead of scooping it/spooning it into the cup, you will most likely end up with too much flour and a heavier product.
Whole Wheat Vs White Flour Baking
This becomes even more crucial when you are using whole wheat flour. When you exchange all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, I highly recommend you weigh the flours. For example. If your recipe calls for 1 cup of all-purpose flour and you want to exchange it with whole wheat flour:
- Weigh 1 cup of the all-purpose flour.
- Rather than measure out the whole wheat flour, simply weigh it until you get the amount you need. The amount will be slightly different, and most of the time the whole wheat flour will be heavier.
My husband has been a bit stubborn about paying attention to me when I try to explain this to him. As a result, he has created less than delicious baked goods time and time again. When we first got married, Ron was using glass measuring cups to measure his dry ingredients. Not only that, but he was using the dip method. So, of course, when I asked him to switch the all-purpose flour with the whole wheat flour, he ended up with a flat, heavy, not so tasty product.
He began using the correct tools. However, he has not been exacting in his measurements. So, after years of him making inferior baked products, I finally convinced my husband to actually weigh four different flours so he could see for himself what I was talking about.
As my husband was conducting this little experiment yesterday, it occurred to me that this is an example of true science. Observing the evidence rather than depending on another person's word is what science is all about. 🙂
I highly recommend you do this with your kids (or husband) or some other lucky person so that you can teach them a thing or two about baking.
So, back to the experiment. Ron carefully measured and weighed 1 cup each of four different kinds of flour:
- All-Purpose Enriched Flour
- White Whole Wheat Flour
- Stone-Ground Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour
- Stone Ground Whole Wheat Regular Flour
The results are in and even I am surprised by the results.
Ron used the standard scientific method including using my handy-dandy FREE scientific method sheet found here.
Here are the results of our experiment:
All-purpose enriched flour – 124 grams
White whole wheat flour – 120 grams
Stone-ground whole-wheat pastry flour – 129 grams
Stone ground whole wheat regular flour – 134 grams
I was shocked to realize that the white whole wheat flour is actually LIGHTER than the all-purpose flour. I would never have guessed this!
This is SUCH a good example of how important actual observation is when forming a conclusion.
So, to sum it up:
- When baking, if you carefully measure and use the correct tools, you will be much more likely to create a high quality finished product.
- When switching out all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, if you weigh the flour rather than measure it, you are more likely to get a satisfactory product.
- White whole wheat flour (this is simply another type of wheat) is actually lighter than all-purpose flour, and thus, is an excellent substitute for all-purpose flour.
- When you use white whole wheat flour, you will get more fiber, magnesium, vitamin B6 as well as any phytonutrients that are removed in the all–purpose flour.
Thus, you now know one of the secrets of high-quality whole wheat vs white flour baking.
In case you are interested in going a little deeper into this subject, I did an internet search to see what else was out there. I found an awesome website (see below) that goes into detail as well as discusses another variable–how the brand you are using can also affect the weight of the flour.
Resources for You
Our Own Lightened Comfort Recipes Cookbook
Meal Planning for Kids Nutrition and Health Science Curriculum
Best Food for Psoriasis
FREE! Pumpkin Blueberry Spice Pancakes Recipe
Click this link for some baking items we have found to be extremely helpful.
https://www.cupcakeproject.com/how-much-does-a-cup-of-flour-weigh
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by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Dec 23, 2023 | Nutrition and Health
I've been getting a lot of questions about iron lately. So, I decided to address the question, “What interferes with Iron Absorption?”
Antacids and Ulcer Medications
The main reason these medications interfere with iron absorption is because they raise the pH of the stomach. The lower the number on the pH scale, the higher the acid content of your stomach. Your stomach contains hydrochloric acid, which aids the digestion process. Raising the pH of your stomach will impede the absorption of many nutrients, including iron.
This is why you and your doctor have to weigh the benefits and risks of taking or not taking antacids. It's good to be aware of this issue, however, so you can work towards making sure you are eating plenty of iron-rich foods.
Cholesterol Lowering Medications
Certain cholesterol lower medications, called bile sequestrants, interfere with iron absorption. Examples of this class include cholestyramine and colestipol.
Phytic Acid
Phytic acid is an antioxidant compound found in the bran of grain and in seeds. It is the main storage form of phosphorus (an essential mineral) in plants. Phytic acid is a strong chelator of calcium, zinc, and iron. Chelators are what are used to remove excess iron when a person has too much iron in their blood. Thus, the reason phytic acid decreases absorption of iron. Again, this is a good thing to be aware of. However, this does not mean you should avoid foods high in phytic acid, because foods high in phytic acid are usually high in other important nutrients as well. Examples of high phytic acid foods are spinach and other greens, soybeans, whole grains, seeds, and dark chocolate.
Mega Doses of Vitamins and Minerals Interfere with Iron Absorption
Taking excessive amounts of vitamins and minerals interferes with iron absorption, and other nutrients as well. When studies show certain nutrients to be protective against disease, people often think they should take a supplement. The supplement industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry. And their goal is to convince people they “need” a certain supplement in order to be healthy.
The problems with this are multiple. First, of all, when studies are done, the scientists don't always know whether it is the nutrient ONLY or whether there is something else in the food studied that is contributing to the apparent protective effect of the vitamin. Not only that, but antioxidants, such as vitamin A and vitamin C, can become pro-oxidants when taken at too high of doses. When a vitamin becomes pro-oxidative, this makes it harmful to the body.
Also, taking excess amounts of vitamins will interfere with the absorption of other essential nutrients including iron, zinc, copper, and others.
This is why it is ideal for you to get your nutrients from the food itself.
Now that we've discussed what interferes with iron absorption, let's discuss how to increase iron absorption.
- Heme iron sources
Bobotie with tomato sauce
- Add vitamin C.
- Combination foods such as
- Chili, spaghetti and meat sauce
- Tacos with salsa
- Bazeen-barley dough with tomato sauce (Libya)
- Bobotie with tomato sauce (South Africa)
- Tomato chutney served with meat or whole grain/enriched bread
- Scrambled eggs with sautéed tomatoes (Chinese)
- Tomato curry with fish (India),
- Chicken with tomato sauce (Malaysia)
- Drink Orange juice or tomato juice with high iron foods
Other articles to read:
To Review the difference between heme and non-heme iron, click here.
Normal Iron Levels
Diet and ADHD in Children, Part 1
3 Superfoods that are Truly Healthy
5 Reasons why You Need Folate
6 Reasons You Need More Fruit in Your Diet
Does Food Affect Autism?
References:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/484289-medications-that-inhibit-iron-absorption/
https://www.medicinenet.com/drug_interactions_of_foods_herbs/article.htm
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Dec 14, 2023 | Getting Kids Moving
Can You think of 10 reasons why you should go to the gym (or exercise)? I'm not sure I could have come up with 10 reasons when I first started working out years ago. Sometimes it's much easier to come up with reasons for not going to the gym (or working out), which is why many of us end up never going to the gym. This is why I decided to go with the common excuses. I'm hoping they will make you think twice when you are feeling unmotivated to exercise. So here are 10 “reasons” you should never go to the gym. =)
10 Reasons Why You Should Never Go to the Gym.
l. You Might Lose Weight
Who wants to lose weight? Not you! No, you're happy being 10 (or 20 or 30 or 40+) pounds overweight. Going to the gym would ruin all of that cushiness.
2. You Might Have to Buy New Clothes
New clothes? Why on earth would you want to buy gorgeous, new clothes, especially if they're smaller in size? Shabby, faded, out of style clothes are the way to go!!! And the bigger the size, the better!
3. You Might Feel Better About Yourself
Now, you know that you feel just fine the way you are. You don't need to workout to feel better about yourself. In fact, the more out of shape you are, the better you feel!
So what if your blood pressure is a little high. Who cares if your cholesterol is through the roof. It makes life more exciting wondering whether you're going to collapse from a chronic illness.
5. You Might Make New Friends
You have plenty of friends! No, they are not working out. No, they're not that health conscious. But that's what makes you get along so well. You don't try to change each other.
All 10 reasons why you should never go to the gym are available in a FREE beautiful colored poster for you to display in a prominent place for whenever you need encouragement.
To receive your FREE 8 1/2 x 11″ printable poster, “10 Reasons Why You Should Never Go to the Gym,” fill out the form at the bottom of the screen below:
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Why Exercise Beats the Winter Blues
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