Seasonal Parenting Guide

Author: Zhu Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The Art of Eating Fruits in Spring
In spring, various fruits ripen one after another and hit the market. Fruits are deeply loved by children in terms of both appearance and color, making them an excellent food for them to supplement their nutrition. Unlike vegetables, fruits do not need to be meticulously cooked before being served, which reduces the loss of nutrients during the cooking process, allowing children to absorb nutrients to a greater extent. Before choosing fruits for your child, let's first look at the various nutrients in fruits that children need for growth:
Vitamin A: Strawberries, black dates, cantaloupe, olives, bananas, peaches, etc.;
Vitamin C: Oranges, lemons, pineapples, kiwifruit, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.;
Vitamin B: Pineapples, bananas, cantaloupe, peaches, plums, citrus fruits, raisins;
Fruits rich in calcium and phosphorus: Raisins, cherries, lemons, black dates, etc.
Fruits for Preventing Illness
In China, there is a saying: "Medicine is better than food." Delicious fruits can also take on the role of treating and preventing illnesses:
Apples: Apples are one of the most common fruits, rich in vitamins that children can easily absorb. They also have the effects of nourishing the brain and blood, aiding digestion, and breaking down food. The potassium in apples can combine with excess sodium in the body and then be excreted.
Pears: Pears are rich in nutrients and are one of the fruits loved by children. They also have the effect of moistening the lungs and reducing phlegm. If your child has a cough, making them some pear juice can help clear their heat and moisten their lungs, yielding unexpected results.
Bananas: If your child is constipated, you might feel like you're on hot coals, unsure of what to do. Let your child eat a few bananas, and they will surely "banish constipation."
Jujubes: Jujubes can not only be enjoyed as a delicious fruit but can also be processed into traditional Chinese medicine after drying. This shows their nutritional value. Because they have the effects of tonifying the spleen, stomach, blood, and stopping bleeding, children with iron deficiency anemia should eat more of them.
Hawthorns: If you're looking for fruits rich in calcium, hawthorns are the top choice. In addition, they have the effects of stimulating the appetite, aiding digestion, promoting blood circulation, and stopping diarrhea.
Loquats: Besides being delicious, the most well-known thing parents know about loquats is "loquat cough syrup" and other traditional Chinese medicines. When children cough, these are often the medicines at home. Why not eat more loquats from the start to prevent illness?
Cherries: Don't underestimate small cherries—they are the fruits with the highest iron content and also have the effects of refreshing the mind and strengthening the stomach.
How to Eat Fruits
Although fruits are safe to eat, considering the stomach and the properties of food, it's still important to arrange fruit consumption correctly to reduce the chances of causing discomfort to children.
(1) Pay attention to timing. Many mothers like to place fruits on the table after meals, thinking that this helps with digestion. While this reasoning isn't wrong, it's not suitable for children who are in their growth phase. Fruits contain many monosaccharides, which are easily absorbed by the small intestine but can also get stuck in the stomach, leading to bloating and constipation in children. Since fruits should not be eaten after meals