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Summaries · Grade 5 Life Skills › Healthy eating for children
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Healthy eating for children

A healthy breakfast, snacks and cooking methods, junk food, sugar and salt. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.

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Choose healthy

Fruit andvegetables (½)Starch(pap, bread)Protein(beans, fish)Milk, amasiWaterWater is the best drink
Growing bodies need more nutrients.
Instead of …Choose …
Cold drinkWater or plain milk
ChipsA carrot or a handful of peanuts
White breadBrown bread and beans (fibre for digestion)
Sweets at a birthdayFruit kebabs or a small cake

Dietary needs of children: children are growing and active, so they need enough energy food (starch), protein to grow, calcium for growing bones and teeth, iron for healthy blood, and vitamins from fruit and vegetables. They need regular meals, starting with breakfast, and plenty of clean water. How much a child needs depends on their age, size and how active they are.

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Habits

  • Too much sugar causes tooth decay (cavities); too much salt is bad for the heart.
  • Sweets and chips every day and little outdoor play: low energy, poorer health and tooth decay.
  • Eat slowly: then your body can tell when it is full. Drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
  • A vegetable garden at home or school gives fresh, cheap and healthy food.
  • Allergic to a food, such as peanuts? Avoid it and tell teachers and friends.
  • What influences what children eat: family habits and how much money the family has; culture and religion (for example, Muslims and Jews do not eat pork, and many Hindus do not eat beef); adverts on TV and online; friends (peer pressure); what food is available nearby; and personal likes and dislikes.
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Remember this and test yourself

Remember this: your summary
  • The healthiest breakfast: oats with milk and a banana. Don’t skip meals.
  • Junk food is high in sugar, salt or fat. A 330 ml can of sugary cold drink has about 8 teaspoons of sugar.
  • About half of your plate should be vegetables and fruit.
  • Healthier cooking: boil, steam or grill rather than frying.
  • Wash fruit to remove dirt, germs and sprays.

Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.

Memory trick

A can of cold drink (330 ml) = 8 teaspoons of sugar. Picture it in the glass and you won’t drink it.

Flash cards · Tap to turn over

Important words

First say what the word means, then turn the card over.

Test yourself · Part 2

True or false?

Read the question and the answer. Is the answer right? Tap True or False.

    Now the real quiz!

    The quiz has many more questions on this topic. Every question shows straight away whether you are right and explains why.

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