Despite the obesity epidemic still a major percentage of children and teen are underweight. However, you should remember that being underweight is not the same as being thin. Some kids are naturally slender and they maintain that shape with well-balanced diet and physical activity. The true signs of an underweight kid are not just the physical shape but rather the signs of frequent dietary, health and emotional problems. If you are concerned that your child might be underweight then do consult your child’s paediatrician. Apart from any sort of medication the ideal way to help your child gain sustainable weight is through making him/her have healthier foods on a daily basis.
Calorie less sugary compounds might just add some extra pounds to your child but that won’t last long. They will also not provide the nutrients that your child requires to grow the healthy bones and body. The following are the nature’s supplement which will help your child to grow weight in a healthy and sustainable fashion.
11 Foods to Help Your children Gain Weight
1. Dairy Butter: If your child is genuinely underweight then feeding him/her with dairy butter, on a regular basis, is a good idea. Butters from reputed brands contain the richest source of fat and are good for the kids suffering from underweight. However, you should keep in mind that the servings should be equal every day and ideally you shouldn’t add on a heap of butter in every diet you child has, with the hope that he/she will gain weight instantly, as it might effective his/her digestion and creating further problems.
2. Nut Butters: Nut butters like for instance peanut butter or almond butter are very rich in unsaturated fat and proteins and can be considered as good supplements to help your child gain weight.
3. Milk & Cream: Milk is considered to be a classic source of protein and carbohydrates along with other important nutrients as well. If your child doesn’t suffer from lactose intolerance, make sure he/she gets at least two glasses of milk per day and you can also add fresh cream made from whole milk in your kid’s cereal and salads.
4. Eggs: Eggs are great source of natural protein and about 100g egg contains around 13g of protein. The fun part is that you can offer eggs, to your child, in a variety of ways. Eggs are also rich in Vitamin A and B12 which are helpful for normal growth and development.
5. Bananas: Apart from proving the fact that bananas are natural source of energy a single banana contains 105 calories. They also provide your child with carbohydrates which will help him/her to gain some extra fat.
6. Avocado: Avocados are a great choice if you’re your kid is suffering from lack of healthy weight. Avocados are rich in calories and healthy fats and also filled with nutrients at the same time. This essentially makes them the healthy choice to be given to any underweight kid.
7. Chicken: If you are aiming to increase the weight of your child in a healthy way then feeding him/her with protein is an essential. Considering the fact that chicken are available in abundance compared to other meat alternatives you can serve chicken to your child in various forms.
8. Potatoes: Carbohydrate rich potatoes are perhaps the best source of providing your underweight kid with the extra fat which he/she requires for gaining mass. However, not just fat but potatoes also provide amino acid which are simplest forms of protein thereby helping your loved one to obtain the essential nutrients in the daily diet.
9. Lean Red Meat: Red meat alternatives like beef or lamb are natural sources of iron and fat which will help your child to gain sustainable weight. However, it is better to provide them with freshly butchered meat and avoid feeding the processed ones.
10. Vegetables: Underweight or not, fruits and vegetables should ideally be the part of the daily diet for your child. Now if your child is clinically underweight then you can add some butter over boiled vegetables and that will improve the taste as well.
11. Tropical Fruits: Fruits like papayas, mangoes and pineapples are high in natural sugar and promote healthy weight gains in your child. You can either offer them as juice or it is better to make them into salads for your toddler.
Do remember that before scheduling a healthy weight gaining diet chart for your little one, do consult with the paediatric consultant and decide on the servings while assessing the digestive capability of your child. Also check with the doctor whether your child is clinically underweight before preparing the chart as sometimes being lean and skinny doesn’t essentially imply that the child is underweight.