Journal of Nutritional Disorders & Therapy

Dietary Restrictions and Nutritional Challenges in Children with Food Intolerance

Gyorkos Allan^* Department of Nutritional Science, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
^*Correspondence: Gyorkos Allan, Department of Nutritional Science, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Email:

Received: 25-Jul-2023, Manuscript No. JNDT-23-23054; Editor assigned: 28-Jul-2023, Pre QC No. JNDT-23-23054(PQ); Reviewed: 11-Aug-2023, QC No. JNDT-23-23054; Revised: 18-Aug-2023, Manuscript No. JNDT-23-23054(R); Published: 25-Aug-2023, DOI: 10.35248/2161-0509.23.13.258

Description

Food intolerance is a condition where the body has difficulty digesting certain foods or ingredients, causing symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, or headache. It is different from food allergy, which involves the immune system and can cause severe reactions such as hives, swelling, or anaphylaxis. Some common types of food intolerance are lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, histamine intolerance, and fructose intolerance. It can have an impact on the health and overall well-being of children, particularly when they lack awareness of their condition or do not have access to appropriate nourishment.

Children with food intolerance may experience discomfort, pain, or fatigue after eating certain foods, which can affect their mood, concentration, and performance at school. They may also miss out important nutrients, if they avoid or limit certain food groups without proper guidance or substitution. For example, lactose can be found in milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, ice cream, as well as in some breads, cereals, sauces, soups, and baked goods. Gluten can be found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, as well as in some pasta, noodles, crackers, cookies, cakes, pies, and beer. Histamine can be found in cheese, wine, vinegar, fermented foods, cured meats, fish sauce, soy sauce, and chocolate. Fructose can be found in fruit, honey, agave nectar, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and some candies and soft drinks.

Adopt foods that are naturally free of or low in the complications foods or ingredients. For instance, gluten-free grains like rice, corn, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and amaranth can be used to produce breads, cereals, pancakes, muffins, or granola bars. Soy milk (if tolerated), almond milk (if not allergic), rice milk (if not allergic), coconut milk (if not allergic), or lactose-free milk are alternatives to cow’s milk that can be used to make smoothies (with low-histamine fruits), oatmeal (with gluten-free oats), pudding (with cornstarch), or cheese sauce (with nutritional yeast). Vegetables (except for spinach and eggplant), lean meats (except for pork and processed meats), eggs (if not allergic), tofu (if tolerated), beans (if tolerated), nuts (if not allergic), seeds (if not allergic), and healthy oils (such as olive oil) are good sources of protein and healthy fats that can be used to make salads (with low-histamine dressing), sandwiches (with gluten-free bread), wraps (with corn tortillas), soups (with gluten-free broth), stirfries (with gluten-free soy sauce), burgers (with gluten-free buns), or meatballs (with gluten-free breadcrumbs).

Pack a variety of foods that provide different colors, textures, flavors, and nutrients. This will enhance the appeal and satisfaction of the child's lunch. One can also use fun shapes (such as cookie cutters) or creative presentations (such as skewers) to make their children’s lunch more interesting. For example, one can pack a rainbow salad with lettuce (green), cherry tomatoes (red), carrots (orange), corn (yellow), blueberries (blue), and purple cabbage (purple). One can also pack a pizza roll-up with gluten-free tortilla spread with tomato sauce and sprinkled with cheese and toppings of one’s choice. One can also pack a fruit salad with clementines (orange), grapes (green or purple), strawberries (red), and kiwi slices (green). Include some healthy snacks which the children’s mostly can enjoy between meals or after school. Some examples are fresh fruits (low-histamine ones), dried fruits (without added sugar or sulfites), nuts (if not allergic), seeds (if not allergic), trail mix (with gluten-free ingredients), popcorn (with olive oil and salt), granola bars (with gluten-free ingredients), yogurt (lactose-free or dairy-free), cheese sticks (lactose-free or dairy-free), hard-boiled eggs (if not allergic), hummus (if tolerated) with gluten-free crackers or veggie sticks, or nut butter (if not allergic) with gluten-free bread or apple slices.

Conclusion

Therefore, it is important for parents and caregivers to help children with food intolerance manage their condition and ensure that they get adequate and balanced nutrition. Identify the foods or ingredients that cause problems for the child. This can be achieved by maintaining a food diary, doing an elimination diet, or consulting a doctor or a dietitian. When parents are aware of a child's symptoms, they can eliminate or lessen the triggers in the child's diet. Read food labels carefully and look for hidden sources of the problematic foods or ingredients.