Low sugar -low chocolate, Floive with antioxidants It has been proven that it is good for you heart and brain. These health benefits are likely to be why A third of adults Suppose they are their favorite chocolate, so you may think it is a great treatment for their children as well.
But Paediatrics and dietitians say that there are some things that must be known before getting rid of dark chocolate to your young children.
“It is recommended that the child not eat dark chocolate and avoid providing it before bed,” Amy ReedThe nutritionist registered and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and nutrition, HuffPost, said.
The main reason explained that dark chocolate contains caffeine.
Although there is no harm to most children to eat some dark chocolate (and any other type of chocolate), moderation is the key, as he explained Ante BerdzanianClinical Nutritionist at the Endocrine Center, Diabetes and metabolism at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
“All foods, including candy, have a place on the table,” she told HuffPost. But this is what you should know about giving your children dark chocolate.
How much caffeine in dark chocolate – is it too much for children?
An ounce of dark chocolate with 60-69 % cocoa contains 24 mg of caffeine, according to US Department of Agriculture. This is the same amount as a quarter of a cup of coffee, House NatThe Director of Pediatrics at the Atlantic Health System, told HuffPost.
She said, “The small quantities are likely to be tolerated,” she said. But the largest quantities can bring side effects similar to what adults experience when they have a lot of caffeine: difficulty sleeping, anxiety, diarrhea, vomiting, high heart rate and blood pressure.
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As a stimulant, caffeine often has a greater effect on growing bodies more than adults, as Piridzhanyan added. The Food and Drug Administration recommends adults Eat caffeine to 400 mg per day – But the agency does not have recommendations for children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics proposes It avoids caffeine childrenand Natalie RyanThe director of the center of the center of Ohio at the country’s children’s hospital told HuffPost. The Canadian Pediatrics Association agrees on this recommendation, but since caffeine is in many foods and drinks, the Health Canada has The daily healthy caffeine boundaries have been published By age:
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Children from 4 to 6 years: less than 45 mg (the equivalent of about 2 ounces of dark chocolate)
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Children 7-9 years: less than 62.5 mg
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Children from 10 to 12 years: less than 85 mg
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Children 13 and above: less than 2.5 mg per kilogram of body weight
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Adults: less than 400 mg
“If the child eats excess dark chocolate, he may consume excessive amounts of caffeine,” said Reed. Most likely, they do not get all caffeine from dark chocolate, though, though, Nat added.
Soft drinks, energy drinks, other types of sweets and sweets It also contains caffeine. new Guidelines From an alliance of health organizations, including AAP and the Nutrition and Nutrition Academy, recommended that young people between the ages of 5 and 18 to avoid drinks with caffeine and other steroids.
Does dark chocolate contain heavy minerals?
In 2023, consumer reports were issued a report It is mentioned that some dark chocolate products may contain harmful levels of heavy metal and cadmium bullets.
However, 2024 Ticket Posted in International Food Research I found that the consumption of an ounce of daily dark chocolate does not represent any negative risks of adults and anxiety only from cadmium for children. It was also found that chocolate from West Africa and Asia has the lowest amounts of these minerals.
Rin said that ready -made meals is that dark chocolate that dates back to moderation does not pose a great danger to children. Parents can also verify the country of origin, too, if they are worried, add a Red.
Another thing to notice is that International Food Research The study suggested that dark chocolate also contains copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc, which are nutrients that can “restrict biological availability” of cadmium and lead – which means that it limits the amount of body absorption.
What kind of chocolate should you give to your children?
Dark chocolate usually contains less sugar than milk chocolate. But it may not always be palatable to children because it is not sweet and fat, Peridzanian said. The dark chocolate that they may find a taste may have added sugar.
She said: “Determining what is safe to feed your child may be overwhelming for parents.”
Check the feeding stickers and be aware of the amount of sugar and the number of calories in any chocolate you choose for your children. Also, dark chocolate that contains a percentage less than cocoa contains less caffeine and is safer for young children.
Peridzanian said dark chocolate is usually more antioxidants than milk chocolate and contains iron. But milk chocolate usually contains calcium, as the reed added.
“When eating it in moderation, it is possible that there is no big difference between dark chocolate and milk. “” It should not be a large part of a child’s diet. ”
The important thing is the balance, Peridzanian said. “Chocolate can be a food they enjoy, just like any other food or candy, if provided in moderation, along with many fruits, vegetables and proteins free from meager and whole grains, as part of a healthy lifestyle.”