Prevent Disease by Serving Your Kids These Foods

Are your kids being fueled with the proper foods? Of course every child will find a way to eat a cookie, ice cream or candy… but this should not be an everyday occurrence. Parents should help guide their children towards wiser choices when it comes to what they eat.

CNN.com paired up with Rachel Beller, R.D. founder of the Beller Nutritional Institute in Beverly Hills, mom of four and an expert in eating for disease prevention, to put together a go-to list of the most important foods a child should consume.

Blueberries: decided as one of the healthiest foods around, protects against heart disease, diabetes and helps improve brain function. Try adding them into your childs cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, salads or just on their own.
Tofu: full of lean protein and anti-cancer benefits. Dice it up and toss into a stir fry, soup, use the silken variety for smoothies or snack on cooked edamame.
Tomatoes: packed with lycopene (protects against cancer) and if you cook the tomatoes they become even healthier when the heat releases the lycopene. Serve tomatoes with olive oil to add in healthy fats which help the body absorb more nutrients. Make your own healthy pizzas, add in pasta sauce or turkey meatballs.
Low-fat Greek yogurt: full of healthy bacteria which helps boost immunity and aid in digestion (has 2x the amount of protein and less sugar than other yogurts). Drizzle on some honey (after age 1), agave nectar (an excellent sweetner that has a lower glycemic index) or add fresh fruit.
Cabbage: contains phytonutrients which help lower risk of many types of cancer, improves digestion and clears out the dangerous toxins in the body. Put it into a coleslaw, cook it with chicken broth or add it into soup.
Salmon: spiked with heart-healthy omega-3 fats, boosts brain development, helps keep depression away and has awesome anti-inflammatory powers. (Choose the wild caught salmon which is lower in mercury, higher in omega-3s and kinder to our Earth)
Cocoa: cocoa powder has an amazingly high concentration of flavonoids which helps improve blood pressure, heart and oral health. May also help protect skin against sun damage. (Use 70% pure cocoa and has no alkali in it) Sprinkle on pancakes, waffles, French toast or melt and dip fruit in it
Black Beans: great source of protein, fiber, calcium and help guard your heart against disease and from high cholesterol. Make healthy nachos, quesadillas, black bean burgers, black bean hummus or lightly salt and serve with any meal
Basil: this herb is filled to the brim with antioxidants (vitamins A, C, K, iron, potassium and calcium) can help improve digestion and headaches. Add into a pasta dish, put on pizza, make a pesto over chicken, soup or even meatballs
Cinnamon: this spice can help regulate blood sugar (help minimize those mid-morning crashes). Sprinkle on oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, muffins, breads, toast or even popcorn.

“Whole soy foods are an excellent source of lean protein and have potent anti-cancer benefits,” says Beller. “Tofu is great for young girls because it has a protective effect as their bodies and breast tissue are developing — which lasts into adulthood.”

Compare prices to hire a nutritionist near your home, who can help your family’s health get to where it needs to be.

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