Chocolate eggs. The advice of the nutritionist for the Easter of the children

Easter for children It is synonymous with chocolate eggs. They receive many as a gift from parents and relatives. A quantity that somehow must be limited or managed. Furthermore, In case of allergies, attention must be paid to the choice of the eggsince it could contain allergenic and thus transform the child’s party into a potential danger. But what are the advice that parents should follow to modulate the food surplus? We asked him to Mirella Elianutritionist ofBambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital.

Easter eggs: watch out for quantities

According to the data of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità 30% of Italian children are overweight. It is therefore very important, from an early age, to create a healthy relationship with food, educating them to dose sweets well. «It all depends on the quantity: any food, even the healthiest, if taken in excess can hurt– Elia underlines -. The fruit, for example, for the high content of fructose and sucrose, if consumed in exaggerated quantity, could represent a risk factor for the onset of liver steatosis, the so -called fat liver, since the carbohydrates taken in excess are transformed into fats. We know that children, but also adults, are particularly greedy for chocolate, but parents must be able to moderate their consumption, because contains amines, pharmacologically active substances, which in some children may be excitinglike caffeine and thein. Of course we always talk about large quantities. The chocolate also stimulates gastric activity and, therefore, It could worsen the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux».

The benefits of chocolate

The first good rule to follow is to read the label: the less ingredients are there, the better it is. Be careful that chocolate does not contain vegetable fats in a generic way but only cocoa butter. At the sight, then, he must present himself smooth, shiny, with a uniform color. It should not be criminal, nor have an astringent flavor. He must have a good perfume and melt in the mouth. « A good quality chocolate can give many benefits to the organism- underlines Elia-. Thanks to the presence of magnesium It is good for mood. Also reconciles sleepsince it contains Triptofano, a precursor of serotonin and melatonin. If extra darkfor the greater presence of cocoa, it is rich in antioxidantssuch as the polyphenols and flavonoids. The latter They improve heart health, reducing LDL cholesterol and improving the elasticity of the blood vessels. The dark chocolate therefore has beneficial effects too on the cardiovascular system. Regarding the fats, then, they should not be demonized because, among other things, they have the ability to slow down gastric emptying and therefore prolong the sense of satiety. In addition, a chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa also has fewer sugars and the « more bitter » flavor is ideal for « damaging » the desire for sweet. That’s why The ideal is to eat a piece after dinner».

Beware of allergies

Chocolate itself is not an allergizing, but often contains dried fruit that is instead. If your child is allergic, then it is important to read the label carefully. « It is not enough to avoid only the classic chocolate with hazelnutssince the list of ingredients could report the wording « any presence of shell fruit ». This caution of the manufacturer is added when working the product in a factory where allergens such as hazelnuts and anacardi are treated. It all depends on the degree of allergy. If the risk is anaphylactic shock, then it should be absolutely avoided. The classic milk chocolate can also trigger reactions If the child is allergic to cow’s milk proteins. If it is instead lactose intolerantcan incur gastrointestinal problems. In any case, it is good Avoid chocolate before 3 years and, in young children never chocolate with dried fruit, since, in this age group, the risk of airways obstruction increases», He warns Elia.

Easter: how to manage the food surplus

If for one or two days at most you eat differently nothing happens. You can dispose of the food surplus with a couple of hours of walking. «If the child is in overweight conditions, the next day the excess of calories can be cushioning by proposing tendentially protein foods, accompanied by vegetables, also in the form of past, decreasing the consumption of carbohydrates. – Elia suggests -. To avoid the measurement of the weight immediately after the holiday: it is easy for the scale to mark an extra pound. This happens since a diet like Easter is richer in salt and sugars, osmotically active substances, which make the body retain more water. The extra weight is therefore attributable, mainly, to the unscheduled liquids. It is very important that parents, regardless of Easter and from the other days of celebration, on an educational level do not emphasize the dessert too much. It is certainly what has taken greater on the little ones, but must never be proposed as a prize. The phrase is therefore to be avoided: « I give you the dessert if you eat everything before ». It may be more educational to associate the consumption of dessert with physical activity, because the body requires greater energy ».

Easter eggs: how to modulate leftovers

The ideal is to eat chocolate or other desserts in the first part of the day, because it is the moment when our metabolism is more active. AND The advance chocolate can be proposed to the child for breakfast or a snack. «Excellent a slice of bread, perhaps full, with chocolate, that Thanks to the power of the fats present, it will carry out an important satiating action. Alternatively, yogurt with pieces of chocolate and cereals. You can also use eggs to prepare a donut to eat for breakfast or snack. Another ideal time to taste chocolate is a couple of hours before doing sports or at the end of physical activity. In this way it will be used by the body to manage a greater expenditure of energy. In all these cases, the chocolate will not be excess but perfectly modulated, « he concludes.