Malnutrition is one of the problems in many countries. Many children and infants around the world are suffering from it. In addition, the old people have an increased risk of malnutrition. However, how can this occur? It can occur when a person does not get the required nutrients. It is very important to avoid this because if a child is suffering from it, he will not get the necessary nutrients for their development period. That is why it is very important to know the certain foods that can help in preventing malnutrition. That is why we will discuss this topic in this article –the foods to prevent malnutrition. In order to know more, just continue reading below.
The Problems That The Malnutrition Cause
Below is the list of the problems the malnutrition can cause if it is not prevented:
- Unintentional weight loss
- Poor memory
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Depression
- Muscle weakness
- Anemia
- Weak immune system
- Prolonged diarrhea
- Skin infections
- Renal failure
- Stunted growth
- Hair loss
Foods to Prevent Malnutrition
In order to help you in preventing the malnutrition, we will give you a list of foods to prevent it.
· Meat and Seafood
Foods such as salmon, crab, mussels, clams, chicken, eggs, beef, and milk are rich sources of the B-12. The mackerel or sardines, canned salmon, cow’s milk, egg yolk, and soy milk contains a good amount of the Vitamin D. The foods that are a rich source of fatty acids are the oysters, crab, sardines or herring, salmon, trout, and canned tuna.
· Fruits and Vegetables
The fruits and vegetables are needed for a healthy diet. The recommended daily intake of these foods shall be five servings. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables which are containing different types of nutrients. You can choose fruits and vegetables that have different colors.
· Carbs Rich Foods
The carbohydrates help our body to gain energy. Also, they are helping in protein storage in our body. The brain requires carbohydrate in order to get energy but having an insufficient carbohydrate intake can stop the fatty acids metabolism. Therefore, it can result in protein loss that causes malnutrition.
It is recommended to take 50-100 g of the carbohydrates to prevent the development of the ketones. The food products are rich in carbohydrates are the sugar, wheat, white rice, oats, honey, and pasta.
· Protein Rich Foods
The protein is a vital nutrient which is present in each cell of the body. Also, it provides the body with a special nitrogen that can’t be obtained from the lipids and carbohydrates. The proteins are useful in balancing the pH in our blood. These are requirements for the enzymes and hormones synthesis. Also, they are essential for the immune system and cell formation. Large amounts of muscle tissues are getting wasted during starvation which can lead to poor health. The protein that is in an adequate amount is a requirement in metabolizing processing the energy in the kidneys and livers.
Consuming 10-35% of the daily calories as protein is recommended. The foods that are rich in protein are fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, wheat, grains, oatmeal, popcorn, canned meat, and peanut butter.
· Foods Rich in Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins are playing a vital role in performing crucial functions in our body. The vitamins and minerals are promoting a good health and are giving protection against infection and diseases. Also, they are helping in the growth of the body, metabolism and eliminating the waste products.
Eat foods that are rich in the Vitamin A, B, C, and D. For the Vitamin B, eat peas, leafy greens, lentils, chicken, and turkey. For the Vitamin C, eat citrus foods and tomatoes. For Vitamin D, eat eggs, fortified foods, and oatmeal. For the minerals, eat berries, avocado, papaya, beans, peas, banana, and dates.
If still insufficient in both vitamins and minerals, you can take supplements. They also can help in preventing malnutrition.
· Fats Rich Foods
The fats are plating essential role in maintaining the hair and skin healthy. They also help in maintaining the body temperature and insulating the body organs against the shock. The fats are useful in storing energy in our body. Also, the fats are a good source of the essential fatty acids which are useful in preventing many diseases such as malnutrition.
30-35% of the daily calorie must come from the fat is what recommended. The food products that contain fat are the whole milk, seeds, nuts, oil, and peanut butter.
· Hydration
It is also very important to stay hydrated. You should take drink water 9 glasses per day. Even though the water is the best fluid, the other liquids can count as well: the other fluids are:
- Coconut water
- Coffee with milk
- Iced tea
- Juice
- Milk
- Popsicles
- Smoothies
- Soup
- Tea
· Balanced Diet
One way to prevent malnutrition is by having a balanced diet with multivitamins. This can help in getting rid of the inflammation, dental problems, tongue soreness, weakness, fatigue, edema, anemia, diarrhea, tingling in the hands, dermatitis, bleeding gums, poor nerve function, and poor growth.
