5 foods to limit for children to eat for dinner

Children who consume drinks containing coffee, fried foods, sugar, chocolate, candy, and dried fruit may experience digestive disorders and disrupt sleep.

Dr. Lam Boi Hy, Department of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that many children may have bloating, indigestion, insomnia and come to the hospital for examination due to mistakes in their diet. Below are some foods that children should limit or stop using before dinner to protect their health.

Caffeinated beverages

Beverages such as iced tea, milk tea, coffee, and energy drinks contain caffeine - a stimulant that causes difficulty sleeping. If children use these drinks and show signs of discomfort, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping, parents should give their children more water to dissolve the caffeine in their bodies.

Sugary drinks

Drinks such as soda, fruit juice, sugary juice, soft drinks... should not be given to children before bedtime. Foods high in sugar are bad for teeth and increase blood sugar levels. Milk also contains sugar. Doctor Boi Hy recommends that parents should give their children milk 1-2 hours before bedtime for best absorption of nutrients.

Fried food

Fried chicken, potatoes, fried sausages... are favorite foods of many children. Parents can feed their children a few times a week but avoid giving them at bedtime. These foods are often cooked in oil, making the body take longer to digest, causing bloating, discomfort, and insomnia.

Chocolate, candy

Chocolate contains a small amount of caffeine mixed with butter, milk, sugar and some other additives. Chocolate can affect sleep because it contains a lot of tyrosine amine, which can stimulate increased excitement, making the body awake. In addition, cocoa also contains a small amount of caffeine.

Fresh and dried fruit

Dried fruit is high in natural sugars and calories. The drying process removes the water from fresh fruit, leaving behind sugar and calories in a small package. Parents should limit their children’s intake of this food because it is high in glucose and fructose.

In addition, eating too much fresh fruit before going to bed can also cause digestive disorders. It is best to add fresh fruit to meals during the day or a few hours before going to bed.

Tue Diem

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