Rocker Girrl Wrote:
My pediatrician once told me that people can basically get the same vitamins and minerals from fruit as they can from veggies so if my child is liking fruit more to go with it for now. Do you agree?
 
Dear Rocker Girrl,
 
This is a great question because you're just choosing between good and better here. When it comes to nutrition, we’re feeding our kids (and ourselves) the best there is when we eat either fresh fruits or fresh veggies.
 
Of course, your pediatrician is right that people can get the same vitamins and minerals from fruits as they can from veggies, but there’s a lot more to food (fuel) than just vitamins and minerals.
 
Fruits and veggies have particular nutritional strengths that you may want to emphasize in your child's diet at particular times. For example, the higher sugars (good sugars) in fruit mean a quicker burn time and not as long sustained energy that most veggies give. So for long term weight management and sustained energy, veggies are the better choice. You get more nutrients for less calories, and less sugar, in vegetables.

That said, most kids do favor fruit. So, by all means, keep feeding them fruit!  You may have to make fruits available a little more often during the day due to the quick burn, but what a great “problem” to have, especially these days. Go with your child’s preference for fruit right now. They’ll come around to veggies eventually, even if you have to sneak 'em in for a while.
 
Try to provide variety. “The deeper the color the better” is a good rule of thumb when it comes to both fruits and veggies. Look for the dark blue of blueberries, the dark green of spinach (when you get that far), and the deep orange of carrots.
 
Also, be sure to offer some whole grains and protein, like in beans, tofu, dairy, etc., to balance out the quick burning sugar in the fruit. That’ll help keep the energy smooth and steady throughout the day.
 
Enjoy your great kids!

WIth healthiest regards,

Missy Chase Lapine