Why is the best protein important for children who refuse meat?
It’s true what they say, protein is important for children. It helps promote the normal growth of muscles and tissue repair. Breathing, walking, running. Activities that kids cannot do without strong and fast bodies supported by high quality protein.
Children also need protein to make all of their necessary hormones and enzymes. Did you know that protein has a role in immunity?
My child refuses meat, what now?
First thing, let’s understand the science behind protein.
Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids. There are twenty different amino acids. Your body can make most of these amino acids except for nine in the list. These essential amino acids need to be eaten from food because our bodies cannot make them.
The nine essential amino acids are:
- histidine
- isoleucine
- leucine
- lysine
- methionine
- phenylalanine
- threonine
- tryptophan
- valine
Protein can be found in both animal and plant foods, however the amino acid composition in both differs hugely.
If you’ve got a picky eater at home, then it’s a good idea to focus on the protein foods that provide these essential amino acids. This is especially important for children who refuse meat and other animal products.
You see, animal proteins contain all the essential amino acids whilst very few plant proteins do. They are also an important source of iron.
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If you’ve got a picky eater who refuses meat, then let’s get an understanding of how much protein they need before considering the best protein rich foods for kids.