What does food aversions mean
Appetite changes and food aversions during pregnancy
Appetite changes and food aversions during pregnancy | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content6-minute read
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Key facts
- Appetite changes are very common during pregnancy and may affect weight changes.
- A food aversion is an intense dislike of a specific food, together with unpleasant physical symptoms when you see or smell a particular food.
- Eating for 2 during pregnancy is a myth. It is the quality not quantity of food that matters.
- When you are pregnant, your body needs certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients, including iron, folate and iodine.
- If your nausea prevents you from getting enough nutrition, or if you are vomiting, not able to keep food or fluids down or losing weight, see your doctor or maternal health nurse.
What are food aversions, and why does appetite change during pregnancy?
A food aversion is an intense dislike of a specific food, together with unpleasant physical symptoms when you see or smell a particular food. These reactions are usually triggered by emotions associated with food rather than the food itself. You might also experience food cravings (an intense urge to eat a specific food). While these appetite changes are quite common, they can make healthy eating during pregnancy a challenge.
Is it normal for my appetite to change during pregnancy?
It is normal to experience either a loss of appetite or a change in food preferences during pregnancy. This may play a part in how much your weight changes during pregnancy.
Food aversions are common, and around 6 in 10 people experience a food aversion while pregnant.
When are food aversions likely to start and end?
You can experience food aversions resulting from generalised nausea (also known as 'morning sickness') at any time of day, and it tends to peak between week 6 and week 14 of pregnancy.
For this reason, if you've gone off certain foods that are important for your diet, you can try again later in your pregnancy to see if the aversion has passed. If your nausea prevents you from getting enough nutrition, or you are vomiting, not able to keep food or fluids down or losing weight, it's time to see your doctor.
What food aversions are common?
Common food aversions include:
- alcohol
- coffee / tea
- meat
- fatty food
- spicy food
- eggs
What causes food aversions?
While the cause of food aversions during pregnancy isn't clear, hormonal changes could affect the food you enjoy, particularly early in your pregnancy. For example, human gonadotropin (also known as hCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy. It can cause feelings of nausea, appetite changes and food aversion. Pregnancy can also cause a greater sensitivity to smell and taste, which can influence the foods you prefer to eat.
More research is needed to better understand why food cravings and aversions occur.
Some reasons may include hormonal balance or protecting the unborn baby from harmful substances and/or nutritional deficiencies. This is to encourage good nutrition and growth in the pregnancy.
How can I eat well and have a healthy diet?
A healthy diet is important for both you and your baby. Eating for 2 during pregnancy is a myth. It is the quality not quantity of food that matters, and there is no need to eat twice as much. It is the quality not the quantity of food that matters most. Your diet should include a variety of the five food groups:
- vegetables and legumes
- breads and cereals
- milk, yoghurt and cheese
- meat, poultry, fish and alternatives
- fruit
During pregnancy, your body also needs plenty of water (8 to 10 glasses each day). You will also need extra vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to help your baby develop, including these:
- Folate (Folic acid) helps build your baby’s brain cells and prevents risk of the baby being born with a birth defect of the brain and/or spinal cord.
This is especially important in the early stages of pregnancy. Folate-rich foods include green leafy vegetables, broccoli, legumes, oranges, avocado, or fortified breads and cereals. - Iodine is also important for your baby’s growth and development. Choose foods that are sources of iodine, such as low-fat milk products, eggs, cooked fish and seafood. Foods that contain seaweed, such as sushi, are also a good source of iodine, but if you’re pregnant only eat sushi without raw fish, cold meat or egg, and that is freshly prepared. If you add salt to your food or in cooking, choose iodised salt. If you have a thyroid condition, seek advice from your doctor before taking an iodine supplement.
- Iron-rich foods are recommended during pregnancy. These include red meat, poultry, tofu, and iron-fortified cereals. Eating foods high in vitamin C such as oranges, kiwi fruit, capsicum and broccoli can help iron absorption. Do not take an iron supplement during pregnancy without first checking with your doctor.
Too much iron can pose health risks to you and your baby. A blood test will help your doctor know if you need to take iron tablets.
If you develop an aversion to meat or another essential food, consider how you might substitute these for alternatives. For example, substitute meat for nuts.
It is also important to limit foods containing:
- saturated fats (biscuits, cakes, pies, butter and cream)
- added salt (processed meats, pickled fish, fast foods)
- added sugars (confectionary, sugar sweetened soft drinks, fruit juice and cordial)
Alcohol is not safe for developing babies, and not drinking alcohol is the safest option while you’re pregnant.
There are also certain foods you should avoid during pregnancy, so ask your doctor or maternal health nurse for more information.
Appetite changes during pregnancy are unlikely to harm you or your baby or significantly compromise your nutrition. If you are not sure which foods are most important for your diet, or you have no appetite for foods containing important nutrients, seek advice.
More information on changes in appetite
For more advice on food aversions or appetite loss in pregnancy speak to your:
- doctor
- midwife
- obstetrician
- accredited practising dietitian
Sources:
Epworth Hospital (Ask an Epworth midwife Your guide to early pregnancy), Royal Women Hospital Melbourne (Common concerns in early pregnancy), Queensland Health (During pregnancy), ACT Government (Good Nutrition in pregnancy), Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (Food Intolerance), University of Queensland (What the health: Why do women crave certain foods when they are pregnant), Australian Government (Healthy eating during your pregnancy), Science and Education Publishing (Psychological Factors in Food Aversions, Nausea, and Vomiting During Pregnancy), National Health and Medical Research Council (Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: July 2022
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Related pages
- Foods to avoid when pregnant
- Food cravings during pregnancy
- Guide to a healthy pregnancy
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Food Aversions Explained - Copperstate OB/GYN
You have probably heard of food cravings during pregnancy, when pregnant women start to crave foods they’ve never wanted before. But many pregnant women also experience an aversion to certain foods; sometimes to foods they used to love! Wondering what the meaning of food aversion is? It can be summed up simply as a strong dislike to a particular food.
Food aversions are one of the 5 most common pregnancy symptoms. You can experience any kind of food aversion during pregnancy, but you may have a distinct distaste for certain foods in particular. People can have all different kinds of aversions, and they won’t all be the same. Many women experience aversions to strong-smelling foods, such as garlic. Some other common food aversions are to:
-
- Eggs
- Milk
- Onions
- Spicy foods
- Meat
- Tea and coffee
Your body experiences many hormonal changes during pregnancy. The hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), doubles every day during the first few months of pregnancy, and naturally peaks around week 11. Increased hCG levels are also associated with morning sickness, and may contribute to food aversions.
Research from Frontiers in Psychology suggests that food aversions may protect a pregnant woman from ingesting potentially harmful foods. Interestingly, expectant mothers tend to experience morning sickness and food aversions within the first three months of pregnancy, when the baby is in its most vulnerable stage of growth. Women who experience food aversions tend to have fewer stillbirths, miscarriages, and premature births. The research also suggests that the psychological and cultural relationship with food may impact food aversions.
What Causes Food AversionsYour body changes a lot during pregnancy, so several factors can be at play when you’re experiencing food aversion or nausea.
-
- Hormones- Your body has more hCG in the early stages of pregnancy, around the same time that you typically experience morning sickness. Increased hCG levels can leave you feeling nauseous and can make any food very unappealing. Hormonal changes can also increase saliva production, which can give your mouth a metallic taste.
- Heightened Senses- Changing hormones can also make your taste receptors extra sensitive or dull them, and they can change throughout the pregnancy. Foods you once enjoyed like garlic or broccoli are now too pungent or bitter because you’re more sensitive to their taste. Your sense of smell can also become more sensitive during pregnancy, and foods with strong smells may be overpowering.
- Confusing Nutritional Signals- Your body may be craving what it needs to feed you and your growing baby, which is why alcohol and coffee can now seem very unappealing even if you once loved them. In some cases, your body will not want food that is bad for you, but in other cases, it may also avoid food that is good for you. These confusing signals from your body may make you turn your nose up at spinach but crave sugary sweets. In pregnancy, it is common to crave something you’re not used to eating while disliking foods you used to love.
- Hormones- Your body has more hCG in the early stages of pregnancy, around the same time that you typically experience morning sickness. Increased hCG levels can leave you feeling nauseous and can make any food very unappealing. Hormonal changes can also increase saliva production, which can give your mouth a metallic taste.
Food aversions typically occur during the early stages of pregnancy, in the first trimester.
This is when hCG levels are at their highest. Most pregnant women experience at least one food aversion during the first trimester, and many can experience food cravings at the same time. However, increased hCG levels can continue past the first trimester and you may develop food aversions at any point during your pregnancy. But the good news is, they don’t last forever! Typically, food aversions will disappear after the baby arrives.
Most of the time, it’s normal and healthy to listen to your body and avoid foods that you can’t stand at the moment. You can also give in to your cravings, in moderation of course. But if you’re concerned that you’re missing out on important nutrition, or that you might be over-indulging, there are some things you can do.
-
- Disguise food – Making a smoothie or a shake is a great way to get some nutritionally-dense greens in your system without having to eat salad. Bitter spinach is easily masked by the sweetness from banana, strawberries, and other fruits.
You can also cook vegetables into sauces to change the texture and flavor to make it more palatable. - Substitute – Substitute your aversions for a different food with similar nutritional value. For example, if you have an aversion to red meat, then try a different protein, like chicken or eggs.
- Disguise food – Making a smoothie or a shake is a great way to get some nutritionally-dense greens in your system without having to eat salad. Bitter spinach is easily masked by the sweetness from banana, strawberries, and other fruits.
Food aversions are a common pregnancy symptom. If you’re experiencing food aversions, it’s usually okay to follow your instincts and avoid the food you dislike as long as you are getting enough calories and nutrients to stay healthy. However, if your food aversion continues long enough, you can begin to explore food aversion therapy options as well.
Are you looking for an OB/Gyn you can trust? Do you live in the Tucson area? Book an appointment today!
Sources:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/food-aversions
- https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/symptoms-and-solutions/cravings-and-aversions.
aspx - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01076/full
- https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/pregnancy-food-cravings-aversions#2
- https://www.copperstateobgyn.com/pregnancy-symptoms/
Decreased appetite
IMPORTANT!
The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.
For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes in dynamics, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes. nine0003
Decreased appetite - the causes of occurrence, in which diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment.
Loss of appetite occurs under the influence of various factors.
Natural causes may be satiety, fatigue, enthusiasm for any activity. However, in some cases, poor appetite can be a symptom of the disease, and this should be paid attention to.
Varieties of
Depending on the degree of appetite disturbance, hyporexia is distinguished - a decrease in appetite and anorexia - an almost complete lack of appetite. nine0003
Sometimes there may be an idiosyncrasy (painful reaction) to any product or dish. In some cases, it may not be about loss of appetite, but about rapid satiety, for example, after operations on the intestines or stomach.
Possible causes and diseases in which there is a decrease in appetite
The formation of hunger and satiety occurs in the brain, where signals are received from nerve endings (for example, from receptors when the stomach is stretched) and substances (hormones, glucose, toxins) carried by the blood. nine0003
Intoxication of the body often leads to a decrease in appetite.
The cause of intoxication can be infectious diseases, which are accompanied by the release of waste products of microorganisms into the blood. These toxins, through a chain of biochemical reactions, cause inhibition of the food center, which leads to a decrease in appetite. The same mechanism is triggered by the decay products of tumors. Dying under the influence of drugs, tumor cells release substances into the blood that help reduce blood pH (acidification), which, in addition to affecting the food center, can lead to impaired kidney function, fever, nausea, and vomiting. nine0003
Decrease and lack of appetite are characteristic of endocrine disorders (pituitary and adrenal insufficiency, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus).
The causes of pituitary insufficiency are most often tumors, hemorrhages or infectious processes.
Hypothalamic-pituitary insufficiency in most cases occurs in young women under the age of 40 years.
The lack of thyroid-stimulating hormone, leading to the development of hypothyroidism, is also accompanied by loss of appetite, apathy, lowering blood pressure, and constipation.
Exhaustion due to a lack of pituitary hormones entails disturbances in the field of thinking and intelligence. nine0003
The vast majority of patients with diabetes gradually develop comorbidities of the gastrointestinal tract, which are combined with a "gastroenterological" form of autonomic diabetic neuropathy. At the same time, the disorder of the functions of the digestive organs is due to a greater extent to a violation of the absorption of glucose and a change in the structure of the walls of blood vessels. Among the symptoms, increased salivation, impaired motility of the esophagus, stomach (gastroparesis), decreased acidity of the stomach, heartburn and swallowing disorders predominate. Intestinal damage is manifested by a weakening of peristalsis, up to paresis, and diarrhea. Decreased appetite in this disease is associated with a violation of the production of the hormone ghrelin in the stomach, which is called the hunger hormone. Gastroparesis can be suspected with severe and persistent nausea, pain, fullness in the epigastric region after eating, a feeling of early satiety.
nine0003
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are accompanied by a decrease in appetite due to pain and dyspeptic syndrome.
Gastroduodenitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum may be accompanied by either excessive or insufficient secretion of hydrochloric acid, infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
These factors cause the development of inflammation and the formation of erosions on the gastric mucosa. Ingestion of food into the stomach causes heartburn and pain. nine0003
Violation of food digestion due to inflammatory and infectious processes in the intestines (colitis) is also accompanied by dyspeptic symptoms (diarrhea, rumbling in the abdomen, spastic pain), which lead to loss of appetite.
The pain syndrome characteristic of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) always leads to a decrease in appetite. Dyspeptic syndrome, which manifests itself during an exacerbation of the disease, is accompanied by nausea, a decrease or lack of appetite, sometimes vomiting, belching, less often heartburn, bloating, and rumbling in the abdomen.
Frequent exacerbations lead to weight loss and asthenia. nine0003
Decreased appetite is typical for patients with liver and kidney diseases, which is explained by the appearance of nausea and vomiting in such patients due to intoxication of the body.
Psychogenic and neurological causes contribute to the development of hypo- and anorexia.
Stress, depression, anxiety suppress appetite reactions, which makes diagnosis and treatment difficult.
Studies have noted that patients with nervous and mental (schizoid) disorders are often indifferent not to food, but to the feeling of hunger. They simply do not notice it, being under the influence of other emotional stimuli. In older patients with dementia, lack of appetite is one of the indicators of disease progression. nine0003
A decrease in appetite in people who are committed to drugs, smoking and alcohol is characteristic, which is caused by intoxication and changes in metabolism at all levels. Metabolic disorders and loss of appetite are also observed in individuals who adhere to a rigid protein diet.
The intake of certain drugs, which can be conditionally divided into adrenaline and serotonin, may also be accompanied by a decrease in appetite.
Particular attention should be paid to loss of appetite in children, as malnutrition can cause impaired physical development and serious illness. nine0003
In newborns, a decrease in appetite occurs against the background of difficulty in the act of sucking with rhinitis, diseases of the oral mucosa and other conditions. In addition, in infants, a decrease in appetite is observed during overfeeding, especially in the case of high-protein nutrition, and also as an act of protest during force-feeding.
Anorexia nervosa is sometimes observed in school-age children due to pathological dissatisfaction with their appearance and body weight. nine0003
Which doctors should I contact?
As a rule, patients with complaints of loss of appetite turn to a therapist who, after preliminary diagnosis and obtaining the results of clinical and biochemical blood tests, refers the patient to gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, psychotherapist or oncologist.
Sometimes, when the infectious nature of the disease is detected, the patient is referred to an infectious disease specialist.
Diagnostics and examinations
When complaining of a decrease in appetite, the therapist evaluates the patient's appearance (jaundice, thyroid condition, sweating, type of skin), during the survey he finds out the accompanying symptoms (pain, nausea, vomiting). To obtain general information, the doctor prescribes a general clinical
Treatment
Decreased appetite is only a symptom of diseases that require diagnosis and treatment.
It should be remembered that interest in food contributes to the excitation of appetite. A beautifully set table and the absence of other irritants (TV, reading while eating) help to solve the appetite problem to a certain extent. nine0003
What to do if symptoms appear?
It is very important to assess your diet, the presence of snacks between main meals, as well as the composition of products before visiting a doctor.
If after eating there is pain and heartburn, characteristic of gastritis, it is necessary to normalize the diet and stop eating dry food. In any case, fatty, smoked and spicy foods should be removed from the diet.
Sources:
- Clinical guidelines "Depressive episode, recurrent depressive disorder". Developed by: Russian Society of Psychiatrists. – 2021.
- Clinical guidelines "Hypothyroidism". Developed by: Russian Association of Endocrinologists. – 2021.
- Clinical guidelines "Peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum" (children). Developed by: Union of Pediatricians of Russia, Interregional Association for Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Russian Association of Pediatric Surgeons, Society of Pediatric Gastroenterologists, Hepatologists and Nutritionists. – 2021.
- Clinical guidelines "Peptic ulcer" (adults). Developed by: Russian Gastroenterological Association, Association of Medical Geneticists, Russian Society of Colorectal Cancer Specialists.
– 2020.
IMPORTANT!
The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor. nine0005 For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes over time, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes.
When a child refuses to eat... | Thumbelina
Consultation for parents
When a child refuses to eat…
There is not and cannot be a single reason for all occasions explaining a child's refusal to eat. But here’s what’s surprising: when they start checking the health of such a small child, it most often turns out that “he doesn’t have any disease and that it turns out that it’s not about him at all, but about the parents themselves, or rather, about their attitude to food .
Here are some examples taken from practice. nine0005 Example 1. A slender boy of about six enters the office, his mother and grandmother are with him.
Hello. Sit down please. Tell me what happened.
From the mother's story, a rather familiar picture emerges: the boy does not eat well, nothing helps him, he has been to many doctors, the tests are all right, the X-ray is also.
- Advise, doctor, what should we do.
— Who is the boy always with, you or your grandmother? nine0125
— I am working. Almost all the time, Yura is with our dad's mom, with Antonina Ivanovna.
— Then, Antonina Ivanovna, tell us in detail how and what you feed the boy and how he behaves while doing so.
By asking such a question, to be honest, the doctor hoped to hear that the grandmother was forcibly stuffing Yura and thus brought him to a deep disgust for food, as it most often happens.
But no, nothing like that was said. And then the doctor suddenly had an idea. Yura and grandmother are very similar to each other - thin, fit. And mom with a tendency to be overweight. Isn't there a clue here? nine0125
And then the doctor asked Antonina Ivanovna how her son, Yura's father, ate in childhood.
- What are you, exactly the same! The guys in the yard always called him Koshchei the Immortal. How much I suffered with him - and all for nothing!
This could have been put an end to and given appropriate recommendations, but the doctor decided to ask Yura's mother as well:
— And how do you feed the boy when he stays with you for the weekend?
— How? Very simple. Not like Antonina Ivanovna: I make him eat everything. Another thing is that often it takes almost a whole day, and sometimes even a whole day is not enough—nothing happens. nine0125
After that, everything fell into place. The doctor tried to explain to his mother that Yura had a hereditary form of loss of appetite and there was nothing to worry about.
Grow up and be just like his father. But as for force-feeding, here the grandmother is absolutely right: let her eat as much as she can.
Example 2. An only child in the family, Dimka got used to parental concessions and turned into a little "dictator". The defect of education also affected the attitude to food. The love for “yummy” intensified, and the appetite for everyday food disappeared. A smart word, clothed in a fabulous form, gave positive results. As you can see, here everything went without any special interventions from medicine and came down to ordinary pedagogy. nine0125
The experience of children's doctors shows that most often children's appetite decreases as a result of improper care and upbringing. Therefore, in order to correct a reduced appetite, it may be necessary to use mainly pedagogical techniques. And here fiction and ingenuity on the part of adults are especially important. Vivid stories and unusual stories are always able to awaken in a child the desire to eat, lost due to certain errors in education. A mother's heart and mind, sensitive to a child's misfortune, are sometimes able to find the most incredible solutions. I recall one case when the mother of a three-year-old child, in vain using the medicines offered by doctors to increase her appetite, came up with the idea of feeding the baby from the shell of a hard-boiled egg. A child, especially a small child, always calls fright plate filled to the brim. Not to mention the fact that such a plentiful dish does not comply with the rules of etiquette, it can cause a backlash - an aversion to food in general. That is why the great Russian physiologist I. menu preparation is of great importance for a child's rational nutrition. At the same time, it is important to remember that taste habits, as mentioned above, in each person are born somewhere before the age of five. At the same time, an overly monotonous diet can already play a cruel joke on appetite. If you feed your child, for example, the same cereals, they will eventually become boring and her baby will refuse to eat. Isn't that why some adults with a shudder recall the time when they were fed mainly with porridge. nine0003 It is known that out of hundreds of foodstuffs, only bread has escaped staleness. Hence, the skillful combination and alternation of various dishes will not only preserve their taste interest for life, but also help to avoid the decrease in appetite that is observed in some children on this basis. There are many other ways to deal with poor appetite. The children, together with their teacher, took daily walks, first 2-3 kilometers long, and then 4, 5 and 6 kilometers long. In their travels they learned a lot of new things and felt like pioneers of the world. Their physical condition has also changed. V. A. Sukhomlinsky wrote: “In the open air, after several kilometers have been covered, the children develop, according to their parents, a “wolfish appetite”. On the days when the little ones and I were going to the forest, I advised them to take bread, onions, salt, water, and a few raw potatoes with them. Parents at first doubted: will the children eat it? After all, at home they refuse more nutritious things. But it turned out that bread, and onions, and potatoes in the forest are the most delicious food. And besides, the guys developed an appetite, and they gladly ate at home a bowl of soup or borscht offered to them. A month later, the cheeks of the palest babies turned pink, and the mothers could not boast of the good appetite of the children: the whims disappeared, the children eat whatever they give. Parents must also strictly observe the child's daily routine. This is not a whim of doctors and teachers, but a scientifically based recommendation. The deviation from the set time should not exceed 16-30 minutes. This has both physiological and psychological significance, because if the intervals between meals are observed, the child regularly experiences a feeling of hunger, accompanied by an increase in the secretion of gastric juice, and an interest in eating is also developed. Keeping the same intervals between feedings gives the body enough time to digest food. nine0003 Punishing children for poor appetite , being offended by them, parents often forget that they spoiled their pets with sweets, soft buns before breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's no secret that when adults go to visit, they store sweets, chocolate and other goodies for the kids. Meanwhile, feeding after school hours and sweets in themselves cause a breakdown in appetite and disrupt the rhythm of the digestive glands, achieved by observing the regimen. The main causes of poor appetite in children Poor appetite or personality traits Perhaps refusal to eat is not a whim at all, but a consequence of poor health. Maybe he is tired? Or upset about something? Analyze what kind of daily routine and menu your children have. Often the lack of appetite is caused by the lack of an elementary regimen. If a child is used to biting and intercepting all kinds of livers and sandwiches on the run, that is, at the table a full lunch or dinner, he, of course, will refuse. Here, parents must be firm and persistent in their desire to teach the child to eat right. Make a sample menu for the day, and try to accustom your child to such a diet. Naturally, at first, your baby will refuse and stomp his feet, but only your perseverance and patience will help you succeed. Maybe he is sick? Another reason for such a phenomenon as poor appetite in your child may be the presence of worms, giardia and other parasites in his body. A cheerful child, infected with helminths, becomes lethargic and capricious. Sometimes nausea may occur. Family Attitudes Preschooler's Diet: Recommendations for Parents Since the child stopped eating mother's milk, cereals and mashed food, he sits with everyone at the common table, armed with a spoon and fork, he eats and drinks himself. But what are the features of his diet? Also, young children have a different need for the energy value of food. The table should be varied and tasty food, prepared in accordance with sanitary standards. The diet of a child from three to seven years old necessarily contains meat, fish, dairy products, pasta, cereals, bread, as well as vegetables and fruits. At least three-quarters of the diet should be warm and hot food. The source of protein - building material for a rapidly growing organism - are meat, eggs, cottage cheese and fish. For the nutrition of preschoolers, lean veal, chickens, and turkey are considered the best meat. Of the fish, cod, pike perch, pollock, hake, saffron cod and pink salmon are most preferable. nine0003 Delicacies, smoked meats, caviar and other “holiday” dishes are best given on holidays - they irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, but are not of great value. Contrary to popular belief, fried foods can be given to young children, although it is better to give preference to boiled or stewed foods. Cutlets and meatballs can be fried, but not too much - the fat on which they are fried can cause heartburn. Where better to steam them or in a sauce. What and how much Vegetables, fruits and juices from them are also required daily by the preschooler. For good nutrition, a preschooler needs 150–200 g of potatoes and 200–250 g of other vegetables per day. Among them are radishes, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and greens. You also need a lot of fruits and berries - 200–300 g fresh, plus juices and nectars. Fresh vegetables and fruits are the main source of vitamins for a child. In addition to meat and vegetables, children need durum wheat bread and pasta, as well as fats in the form of butter and vegetable oils. We follow the regimen Four meals a day are considered optimal: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The calorie content of meals should be distributed as follows: 25 percent of the daily allowance is for breakfast, 40 percent for lunch, 15 percent for afternoon tea and 20 percent for dinner. A child attending a kindergarten most often eats there three out of four times. At home, he only gets dinner. It makes sense for parents to take a copy of the menu for the week in the garden so as not to cook for dinner what the child has already eaten that day. Also keep in mind that not all foods need to be given to children every day. So, in the list of products for every day are milk, butter, bread, meat and fruits. But fish, eggs, sour cream and hard cheese are enough to get every two or three days. Desires and safety What if the child does not want to eat certain foods? nine0125 First, try to find out why he does not want to eat them.
Unfortunately, not all parents skillfully use this, and many of their actions even harm the child. Do not force your baby to eat more than he wants. It is much better if you give your child a little less food than he usually eats. Then he will have a desire to get a supplement. Remember that any persuasion, storytelling, tempting promises during feeding are absolutely undesirable. All this not only distracts the child from food, but over time, lead to the fact that he forms an undesirable stereotype - I won’t eat at the table without a fairy tale, I won’t sit at the table without a toy promised as a gift, etc. And often this also leads to the fact that the growing child begins to imagine himself a "person" with whom everyone must reckon, who can impose his tastes and demand their unquestioning implementation. And it is not surprising that sometimes such little "dictators" bring their mothers to tears. But all this could have been foreseen in advance. But as they say, parental love is often blind.
nine0125 Of course, in the practice of a pediatrician there are cases when a long-term illness deprives a child of the joy he gets from food. The mechanism of lack of appetite in such children is explained by violations of the secretion of digestive enzymes, and especially gastric juice. In such situations, medical intervention is necessary. The child is prescribed digestive enzymes, vitamins, appetite stimulants. And all this, of course, brings the desired results. But it would be wrong, as many parents sometimes think, to rely only on the power of drugs. Great patience is required from adults, a purely individual approach to each child, especially to babies, so that aversion to food does not become a habit. nine0003 
Unusual "dishes" aroused the girl's interest, and the desire to try food.
For every child, regardless of age, the color and design of the dish are of great importance , so efforts to prepare breakfasts, lunches and dinners should not be limited to caring for taste and aroma. Appetite is aroused by bright, festively decorated dishes that attract with multicolor. You should always pay attention to table setting. White tablecloths and napkins, dishes painted with cheerful patterns create an atmosphere of delicious and healthy food. Do not pass by the observant eyes of the guys and such "details" as the thickness of the pieces of bread, the size of the portions. 
P. Pavlov considered psychological preparation for eating an indispensable condition preceding the process of digestion. 
And here it would be appropriate to recall the positive impact that the children's team can have on such a child. In each kindergarten troupe there are many children who can eat with great appetite. And a good example can be contagious. Or, for example, a proud boy or girl, appointed as the group's duty officer, that is, the main assistant to the educator, will not dare to refuse dinner, for which they themselves set the table. Thus, in every children's team there are hidden huge opportunities for psychological impact on the child. nine0005 To maintain a normal appetite, it is also important that the child spends more time and more often in the open air, playing outdoor games, joining sports and work.
The well-known Soviet educator V. A. Sukhomlinsky, who spent a lot of time educating preschool children, noted: “... the main reason for the weakness and sickness of individual kids was that they lived, as it were, in a greenhouse environment; mothers protected them from the slightest breeze.
The guys got tired quickly. Mothers complained about the poor appetite of these children.” nine0003 
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If the child wants to eat, it is better to offer him a carrot, an apple or, in extreme cases, an independent vegetable dish between feedings. If he ate poorly at breakfast or dinner, parents need to gather all their will and, for childish benefit, endure character: remove everything from the table and give nothing until the next meal. Forced fasting can wean a child to be picky at the table. nine0003
What if the child is small?
Often, parents who do not have a good appetite and who conditionally eat a bowl of soup and a slice of bread a day are surprised why their child eats little. But heredity and habits in the family probably play an important role in how your child will relate to food. That is, if your family does not eat a lot and you have a very slender physique, then, for sure, your baby will not have an excellent appetite. nine0003
Every child is different, with their own tastes, preferences, interests and behaviors that can affect their appetite.
There is an interesting division of children into several psychological types, described in the book by Lyudmila Perelstein "Beware of children!". So, if you take into account the characteristics of your child, then perhaps the problem of poor appetite will not be so acute.
Whims at the table. 
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A common cause of lack of appetite in children can be beriberi . For example, poor sleep, lethargy, lack of appetite and nervousness - all this can be a consequence of a lack of vitamin B1. If a child does not receive vital substances, trace elements and vitamins, eating harmful and unhealthy food, then at any time, in self-defense, the body can refuse such food. Think about what your child's daily diet consists of. If he does not like vegetables and fruits, and his usual food consists of sausages, pasta and sweet tea, then your child may lack vital vitamins in his body. Include foods rich in vitamins in your child's diet. nine0003 
In any case, if you notice an alarming sign in your baby's behavior, consult a doctor, take all the necessary tests to be sure that your child is physically healthy.
In most families with children, eating is treated like a ritual . Moms and grandmothers tearfully persuade them to eat another spoonful of “For mom, for dad ...”, etc. They run around the apartment with a plate, if only the child, God forbid, does not die of hunger. Thus, causing the child to have an unhealthy attitude towards food. But food is just another need of the body, the same as sleep, rest, etc. Let your child understand that eating is the satisfaction of the needs of his body, and not your ardent desire to shove something into his stomach. nine0005 Another thing is when a child does not eat well, if suffers from some illnesses and he needs to receive certain foods that he refuses to eat. For example, if a baby has dysbacteriosis, and at the same time, fermented milk products must be present in his diet.
Or he has a low level of hemoglobin, which indicates a lack of iron in the body. Only then can you afford the weakness to persuade the child to eat the product he needs. Try to come up with different games at the table, or just make something unusual out of the dish to draw the child's attention to food. nine0003
Principles of baby nutrition
Far from all foods that are eaten not only by his parents, but even older brothers and sisters are suitable for a preschooler. Small child's menu consists of more easily digestible foods prepared for the delicate and still immature digestive system. 
To organize the proper nutrition of preschoolers, parents should be guided by the following principles :
- adequate energy value,
- balance of nutritional factors,
- compliance with the diet. nine0003
Do's and Don'ts 
Every day the child should receive milk and dairy products - kefir, fermented baked milk, low-fat cottage cheese and yogurt. They can be prepared for breakfast, afternoon tea or dinner, used both in their natural form and in casseroles, sandwiches and desserts. 
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For a child to eat well, food must give him pleasure. Cabbage and porridge cause no less joy than a piece of cake, if both are equally tasty and beautiful. Children love interestingly designed dishes from a variety of products. In addition, it is very important to observe the food regimen . If a child eats too infrequently, at long intervals, his mental and physical abilities decrease from hunger, and the desire to eat more heartily can become a bad habit. If the child eats too often, his appetite worsens, he does not have time to get hungry. 
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Young children should prepare food in a way that is safe for them. The kid can choke on a piece of meat, so it is better to cook it, after chopping or grinding it into minced meat.
Vegetables can be boiled and chopped, cooked from them casserole, meatballs or pancakes. When cooking, you need to carefully select all the bones from the fish so that the baby does not choke. 
