Ways to enrich food through supplement and balanced diet

There are times when adequate nourishment is not met through everyday food practices or due to other reasons, such as inability to swallow or eat solid food, restricted food diet due to therapeutic intervention or just because like adults, children too can be fussy eaters.

In situations such as these dietary supplementation of those inadequate nutrients can be provided to ensure the nutritional well-being of children. 

Ways to enhance nutrients in food to make up for nutritional deficiencies and the importance of food supplementation is being thus discussed. 

This article is based on a conversation focusing on nutritional enrichment and supplementation. It is part of a series that talks about health and nutrition of children with additional needs.

How can parents ensure that the cookware used helps retain the maximum nutritional value of the food?

• The medium in which the food is cooked has an effect on the absorption of nutrients in the food. It is therefore extremely important to choose the cooking utensils very carefully, depending on the mode of cooking. 
• The materials of our cooking utensils start leaking gradually in our food after prolonged use and exposure to high heat. Be aware of materials that can be harmful to our health.
• According to Dr. Shruti, one such material is aluminum – an extremely harmful material and can have a negative impact on health
• Non-toxic is another such material that over long exposure to heat can release harmful chemicals into our food.
• The materials that are beneficial for their use in cooking to ensure nutrient absorption and addition of micro nutrients into the food are clay pots or cast iron utensils.
• Avoiding coloured materials and plastics for storage of food too will be helpful.

How does the cooking process affect the food being cooked?

• In order to retain the nutrients of the food, the best cooking process is to cook on low flame or by steaming or cooking by covering the utensil. 
• Cooking on very high heat or on open flames results in loss of important nutrients of the food. It may also lead to leaking of harmful chemicals from the cookware into the food. 
• Pressure cooking reduces the cooking time but often leads to loss of important nutrients. Steaming, once again, is a healthy alternative.
• Another cooking process that Dr. Shruti considers unhealthy, is frequent deep frying, since it results in loss of the food’s nutrients. Also, the repeated usage of the oil can be very harmful for health.

What is food enrichment? How can we make the food healthier and nutrient rich?

Dr. Shruti shares that children with additional needs often have allergies or intolerances that may hinder their uptake of nutrients. 

• It is therefore important that their diet is carefully planned to enhance the nutrient value of the food they consume.
• Food enrichment therefore refers to the process of improving the nutrient value and quality of food being consumed. 
• This can be done through using different food varieties rich in important minerals, vitamins and micronutrients. An example can be the use of seeds rich in vitamins and antioxidants like sesame seeds, flax seeds can be used in different preparations to include in the daily diet of the child. They provide healthy fats and important nutrients to the body. Similarly, adding green leafy vegetables to dals and soups will help enhance the taste and enrich the nutritional value of the food as well. 
• Food enrichment can also help solve concerns like constipation, for instance adding large raisins to the diet – either by adding it in warm water or milk will help provide the required micro nutrients, and will also help relieve constipation.
• Food enrichment is also possible through improving the cooking process and the cookware used, for example cooking in iron or clay pots may improve the food quality and value.

Why is food supplementation important in children with additional needs?

It’s often seen that children with additional needs may have concerns in eating due to several factors such as 

• Oro-motor concerns resulting in difficulty in chewing and swallowing
• Food preferences due to sensory sensitivities
• Poor digestion due to food intolerances

These factors often result in poor nutrient absorption which results in the child not receiving the optimal amount of nutrition through the food they consume, resulting in nutrition deficiency. 

Therefore, doctors after a thorough evaluation, may recommend nutritional supplements that improve the body’s nutritional requirements. These are not harmful and only act to address any deficiency in the body that is not being fulfilled by only food intake. 

It must be borne in mind that food supplementation can only address the deficiency of required vitamins and minerals, but in no way substitute therapy for any disease or disability.

Special thanks: The audio series was recorded and developed in collaboration with Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad(UoH).