Children's irritability and picky eating are caused by lack of vitamin B

Survey data recently released by the Nutrition Physicians Professional Committee of the Chinese Medical Association shows that 40% to 60% of children in my country have picky eating problems, which causes micronutrient deficiencies in children. Among them, B vitamins can promote gastrointestinal motility and promote brain protein absorption. Once it is deficient, it will cause poor appetite, aggravate picky eating, create a vicious cycle, and in severe cases even lead to anorexia.

Xu Xinzhu, a nutritionist at the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, introduced that there are 15 types of B vitamins, of which the ones we are familiar with are B1, B2, B6, and B12. This vitamin group is called "energy vitamins." If you don't take enough of them, it will make you "discouraged": for example, lack of vitamin B1 can lead to fatigue, and lack of vitamin B12 may lead to iron deficiency anemia.

The more refined your diet, the less vitamin B you will lack.

In addition to picky eating, children's usual diet is also an important cause of vitamin B deficiency. Xu Xinzhu said that vitamin B is mainly found in the surface of coarse grains (such as wheat, cereals, and beans) and is a water-soluble vitamin. The more finely the coarse grains are processed, the greater the loss of vitamin B. The refined white flour buns and noodles that we often eat actually have very little vitamin B left. No wonder the British government once issued a ban on the refined processing of wheat and rice, with the aim of preserving the nutrients in the food.

Children’s incorrect eating habits, such as eating only meat and not vegetables and preferring foreign fast food, are also a major cause of vitamin B deficiency. For example, a hamburger is a fried food with more meat and less vegetables, and a lot of trans fats. From a nutritional perspective, hamburgers contain a lot of protein, but very little vitamins and carbohydrates, and are not qualified food.

Irritability and irritability are manifestations of vitamin B deficiency

Does your child lack B vitamins? This is the issue that parents are most concerned about. Xu Xinzhu introduced that this can be judged from the child's symptoms. If a child's tongue is magenta, it is a sign of vitamin B1 deficiency; a bad temper and irritability may be a sign of vitamin B2 deficiency; a child with a vitamin B6 deficiency is prone to anorexia, loss of appetite, etc.; the causes of oral ulcers in adults are complex and are related to endocrine system and staying up late. However, the reasons for oral ulcers in children are relatively simple. Most of them are probably due to a lack of vitamin B2, so oral ulcers are also a sign of vitamin B deficiency.

If the newborn is breastfed, it is natural that he will have a satisfied expression when he is full and sleep very soundly. If a newborn is particularly irritable and cries incessantly, this may be because the breastfeeding mother lacks vitamin B, resulting in a lack of vitamin B in breast milk.

If you have any doubts, you can take your child to the hospital for a check-up to see which trace elements are lacking and then supplement them.

There is no bad food, only bad eating habits

It seems that as long as the child is not picky about food and eats everything, there will be no problem of nutritional deficiency. Nowadays, it is very common for children to be picky about food. Just like a cow that doesn't want to eat grass, you can't force it to eat. What can parents do? Xu Xinzhu said, there is no bad food in the world, only wrong cooking methods. Take chicken legs for example. Chicken itself contains vitamin B, and steaming or blanching them are both healthy ways to eat them. But frying it turns it into junk food full of "bad fat".

Many parents are afraid that their children are not getting enough nutrition, so they pile a lot of fruits and vegetables on their children at once. This will make children disgusted and develop a rebellious mentality. It is completely possible to give them in batches, such as eating vegetables at home and letting them take fruits to school, etc.

In short, if your child prefers a certain food, you can try a healthier cooking method. Improve children’s nutritional status by improving their cooking and eating habits.