Myth 1:
Kids need red meat to prevent anemiaFact : Though red meat contains an easily absorbed form of iron, your toddler can meet his mineral needs by eating fortified cereals and breads, dried fruits such as raisins, spinach, molasses, beans, lentils, eggs,
certain fish, and the dark meat of poultry.
Myth 2:
A child who skips veggies will miss key vitamins and mineralsFact : "Fruits are comparable in vitamin and fiber content," says Jo Ann Hattner, M.P.H., a registered dietitian and pediatric-nutrition specialist in Palo Alto, California.
If your child won't touch carrots, for example, offer apricots and cantaloupe to make up for the vitamin A and carotenoids he'd miss. Strawberries or oranges can stand in for spinach to help meet folic acid needs. Bananas are a good alternative to potatoes as a source of potassium, and citrus fruits can substitute for broccoli to cover vitamin C requirements. "But even if your child doesn't routinely eat vegetables, it's important to continue to offer them," says Hattner. "Veggies are packed with not only important vitamins and minerals but
also health-promoting phytochemicals. Eventually, he'll come to accept them."
Myth 3: Dairy products make a child's cold worse
Fact :"The cold virus itself causes mucus production in the nose and the back of the throat," explains Kathleen J. Motil, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston. "Dairy products simply coat the lining of the back of the throat, making it feel funny."
Myth 4: To prevent obesity, you should limit fat intake early on
Fact :Babies and toddlers need about 40 percent of their daily calories from fat because their brains and bodies are developing rapidly. "The growing brain has very special requirements for fatty acids and other
components of fat," Dr. Motil explains.
"Fat in foods also helps kids feel full, so if you restrict your child's fat intake too much, he is likely to overeat to compensate," says Loraine Stern, M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Myth 5: Sugar makes kids hyperactive
Fact :"Studies have found no such effect on children," says Scott Sicherer, M.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City.
Myth 6: Milk is necessary for strong bones
Fact :Milk is one of the best sources of calcium, but if your child won't drink it, she can still get adequate amounts of the bone builder from other foods, Zelman says. These include yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified soy milk, broccoli, tofu, dark, leafy greens, and calcium-fortified, 100 percent juice (such as orange).
Myth 7: Juice is a healthy thirst quencher
Fact : "There have to be limits on a child's juice intake," Zelman says. "Otherwise, it will decrease her appetite for more nutritious foods and may displace milk as a beverage." What's more, because of the high sugar content of juice, drinking an excessive amount can harm teeth or cause stomach upset in babies.
Myth 8: White bread has no nutrients
Fact : Bread made with whole-wheat flour is still the ideal choice, says Theresa Nicklas, Dr.P.H., a professor of pediatrics at the Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston.
Its high fiber content helps prevent constipation, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. But that doesn't mean white bread is nutritionally bankrupt: It's often enriched with iron and such B vitamins as niacin, folic acid, thiamin, and riboflavin. So if your kids won't eat whole-wheat bread, it's fine to serve white. They can make up the fiber elsewhere -- with an extra serving of fruit, for example.
