As a heart specialist who has handled coronary heart assaults for greater than 20 years, I’ve seen how eating habits shaped in childhood can typically lay the groundwork for persistent sickness in maturity.
My spouse and I’ve three daughters, now in highschool. I understand how exhausting it may be through the early years simply to get via dinnertime. I keep in mind stocking up on dinosaur-shaped rooster nuggets, chips, and no matter else that was fast, straightforward, and interesting. It is a stage all of us undergo, however I’ve seen the harm these meals can do.
Now we’re extra intentional about what we placed on the desk. Listed below are six meals I do not feed my youngsters — and what we eat as a substitute.
1. Microwave popcorn
Sure, it is fast. However many store-bought microwave popcorn manufacturers include chemical compounds that fear me, particularly as a coronary heart physician.
The luggage are sometimes lined with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or poisonous “endlessly chemical compounds” which were linked to health issues, together with immune system suppression and start defects. Plus, the butter flavoring can include compounds that may be harmful to the lungs.
What to eat as a substitute: Make air-popped popcorn at dwelling and drizzle it with actual melted butter or olive oil.
2. Flavored yogurts
Flavored yogurts, particularly those marketed to youngsters, typically look wholesome due to their excessive protein claims. However look intently on the label and you may see that they are typically stuffed with added sugars and synthetic dyes.
Even worse, the serving sizes could also be too small for some youngsters that they find yourself consuming two or three, multiplying the sugar load.
What to eat as a substitute: We serve plain Greek yogurt with a swirl of native honey and contemporary berries. It is simply as tasty and much more healthy.
3. Processed meats
I’m speaking about bacon, deli lunch meats, sizzling canines — the standard lunchbox suspects. These meals are sometimes loaded with sodium, preservatives, and nitrates that raise the risk of coronary heart illness and most cancers.
As a heart specialist, I’m scared of what these compounds can do at a mobile degree. They intervene with necessary compounds like nitric oxide, which regulates blood stress and blood vessel well being. One other fear is that they’ll impair a posh course of referred to as “endothelial function,” making it extra seemingly for ldl cholesterol buildup in our arteries.
Merely put, these meals contribute to the various illnesses I’ve spent my profession preventing in opposition to.
What to eat as a substitute: In our home, we go for lean, unprocessed proteins like grilled rooster and grass-fed beef. We additionally eat loads of plant primarily based proteins like lentils, chickpeas, and quinoa.
4. Sugary cereals and drinks
Once I was little, my pal Mark liked coming to over as a result of I used to be the “fortunate” child who at all times had sugary cereals within the pantry. If I may return in time, I might have tossed all of it — and whereas we’re at it, the sodas — within the trash.
Based on metabolic expert Dr. Robert Lustig, the typical child’s each day breakfast consists of extra sugar than their small our bodies can course of in three days! These youngsters are set as much as have a blood sugar crash about an hour into their college day. How can we count on them to be taught if their our bodies can’t focus?
What to eat as a substitute: With our daughters, we flipped the script. Breakfast is fruit, eggs with veggies, or a fast smoothie with wholesome fat and tons of fiber. They drink filtered water often flavored with pure fruit. Soda or fancy bottled juices are uncommon treats.
5. Deep fried meals
Go to the county truthful, and “deep fried” is the method for nearly something: rooster, cheese, and even butter sticks.
One of many many issues with deep fried meals is that they’re fried in reused industrial oils at a excessive warmth. These oils aren’t simply missing in dietary worth — they saturate in any other case wholesome meals with dangerous compounds like acrylamides and advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which gas irritation.
Even scarier: These meals practice our children’ style buds to crave that deep-fried crunch.
What to eat as a substitute: We nonetheless love crispy meals in our home — we simply make it in a different way. We use the air fryer to make roasted veggies, candy potato fries, and veggie chips. We get our crunch with out the crash!
Consuming for an extended, wholesome life
You do not have to eat completely on a regular basis. And naturally, earlier than making any drastic modifications to your kid’s weight loss program, seek the advice of along with your pediatrician or healthcare supplier.
It’s actually about making smarter choices little by little, daily. Pay attention to hidden seed oils in your meals and attempt to reduce them. Make breakfast a win with good fat, proteins, and good carbs. It helps to get your youngsters concerned within the kitchen, too.
Most of all, lead by instance. Children are at all times watching, and what they see you do issues greater than what you say.
Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, MD, is a board-certified interventional heart specialist and authorized useful drugs physician. A pioneer on the intersection of precision cardiology and life-style drugs, he’s the founding father of Well12, a wellness program serving to people reverse persistent illness via vitamin, breathwork, and genomic insights. Dr. Bhojraj can also be a nationwide educator for the Institute for Functional Medicine. Comply with him on Instagram.
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