08/27/2007

The Magic Ingredient for Scholastic Success
The bells are ringing and it’s time for kids, ‘tweens and teenagers to get back to school. But the most important lesson for this school year doesn’t come from teachers. The lesson comes from parents, with positive results showing up in the classroom and on report cards. Instilling the benefits of a nutritious diet can help your child leap to the head of the class. And leap they will, with more energy, focus and the foundation for lifelong health.

A trip to the local supermarket or butcher will reveal the magic ingredient for scholastic success, Canadian beef. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, like iron, eating beef as part of regular and healthy diet can ensure your child is prepared for whatever the school day, after school program, hockey practice or swim team might throw their way.

A diet low in iron may cause children of all ages (grown-ups too!) to develop iron deficiency anemia. This is when the body needs more iron than it is getting. With children and teens, this is usually the result of poor diet. Research has shown that nutrient deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency anemia, have an adverse effect on the cognitive development of children. Iron deficiency anemia is linked to poor performance on intelligence tests, difficulty with learning tasks and delayed academic achievement.

One of the quickest ways to get iron into kids’ diets is by eating Canadian beef. Beef provides many important vitamins and minerals essential for healthy growth and development including iron and zinc. Iron is an essential nutrient involved in oxygen transport through blood, energy production and the creation of neurotransmitters – the chemicals in the brain that among many roles also regulate the ability to pay attention. Canadian beef provides eight times more absorbable iron than an equal serving of chicken breast. Zinc is another essential mineral found in beef, it plays a critical role in growth and helps the body resist disease (translation: fewer school absences).

By following Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide recommended servings for Meat and Alternatives parents can ensure kids of all ages are getting the proper amount of iron and many other essential vitamins and minerals.

Some interesting facts on iron and growing kids:

  • Infants between 7 to 12 months of age are growing so fast they need more iron than an adult man
  • Young children with iron levels below normal may not learn as well
  • Most red meats, like beef and lamb, have more iron than chicken or fish
  • Teen girls who do not eat any meat, fish or poultry need almost twice as much iron as girls who do
  • Teen girls need more iron than teen boys because they lose iron during their menstrual period
  • During pregnancy women need even more iron - consulting with your family physician or a registered dietitian to ensure care is taken to increase iron consumption

So this school year, if you want your kids to beef up their report card, beef up their diet.

Want to know more about iron? Take the Iron Challenge with your kids.
Be sure to join the Make It Beef Club and register to receive the Make It Beef Magazine.