The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition

Written by:
William V. Tamborlane, M.D., Editor in Chief
Janet Z. Weiswasser, Managing Editor
Teresa Fung, Nancy A. Held, and Tara Prather Liskov, Editors
Foreword by Jane E. Brody

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT NUTRITION
DELICIOUS RECIPES
PRESS RELEASE
ABOUT THE EDITOR IN CHIEF AND THE BOOK
A SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB

"This book can help you develop and execute guidelines that can be readily incorporated into family life, regardless of the structure and circumstances of your family. It contains recipes with child appeal from some of the best chefs in the United States, as well as wisdom from some of the leading scientists in the field of children's health." -- Jane E. Brody, from the foreword.

What is the healthiest diet for an infant? What constitutes a nutritious school lunch? How do I deal with my adolescent's eating needs and habits? Will my children receive proper nutrients if they are sick, very athletic, or vegetarians? This authoritative resource answers these and dozens of other questions, not only presenting the latest scientific knowledge about nutrition but also providing recipes from famous chefs for delicious and healthy dishes.

The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition includes:

• information about nutritional needs at the different stages of childhood and adolescence;
• advice on how to cope with a picky eater and what to feed a sick child;
• special nutritional requirements for children with high cholesterol, eating disorders, allergies, diabetes, cystic fibrosis,
• metabolic disorders, and other conditions;
• explanations of such nutritional components as calories, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins--and examples of foods that are sources for each of them;
• suggestions for healthy snacks;
• ideas for eating in restaurants with children;
• recipes provided by restaurants and chefs from all over the United States.

Here is a summary of comments about the book:

"A well-balanced approach to understanding children's nutritional needs." --Ronald E. Kleinman, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

"A readable and comprehensive guide to nutrition for children. I would be pleased to give it as a gift to the parents of a young child." -- Kathleen M. Ramussen, Cornell University

Published: March 1997
Health
464 pp. 22 illus. 7 7/8 x 9 1/4
Cloth ISBN 0-300-06965-0 $40.00
Paper ISBN 0-300-07169-8 $18.00

Myth Versus Fact: Mistaken Notions about Nurition from The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition

• Myth: Potato chips count as a vegetable in the Food Guide Pyramid.
  Fact: While potatoes are found in the vegetable group, potato chips are not. Potato chips are extremely high in fat and should, therefore, only be eaten occasionally.
• Myth: "Starve a fever; feed a cold," or is it "feed a fever; starve a cold"?
  Fact: Neither! Fevers and colds both require adequate nutrition. While children may not have an appetite for many foods when they are sick, it is still important to frequently encourage food and fluid intake.
• Myth: Chocolate and fried foods cause acne.
  Fact: Research has not shown a connection between the consumption of chocolate and/or high fat food intake and the appearance of acne. Acne is primarily associated with hormonal changes in adolescence.
• Myth: Fish is brain food.
  Fact: Fish provides many excellent nutrients and is an excellent food choice. However, it does not have any special effects on brain development or learning.
• Myth: Sugar causes hyperactivity.
  Fact: Sugar has not been shown to cause hyperactivity. A modest intake of sugar is acceptable in the context of a balanced, nutritious diet.

Believe it or Not ... Surprising Facts from The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition

• Only seven foods comprise 95 percent of food allergies: milk, soy, fish, wheat, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts. (page 186)
• Children with middle ear infections may suffer a reduced ability to taste foods and may enjoy them less. (page 21)
• 2 cups of raw broccoli has the same number of calories as 1 teaspoon of butter. (page 263)
• The number of taste buds on the tongue varies widely and is genetically determined. The tongue of a "supertaster" may have as many as 1100 taste buds per square centimeter, while a "nontaster" may have as few as 11 taste buds in the same sized area. (p age 25)
• Children who are allergic to cow's milk should also avoid eating margarine. (page 190)
• By law, labels on foods intended for children under two years of age cannot list the amount of fats, cholesterol, or calories from fat. Dietary fat is an important component of the diet for children under two and should not be limited. (page 346)
• Breastfeeding may set the stage for the ability of children to accept new foods, since the flavor of breast milk can vary with the composition of the mother's diet. (page 27)
• Children will have achieved half of their full adult height by 18 to 24 months of age.

Delicious Recipes for Children and Their Families

The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition contains an array of tempting recipes designed to be healthful, easy to prepare, and appealing for the whole family. To please every appetite, there are more than 60 recipes for Breakfast Foods; Foods for Infants; Snacks; Lunch Box Treats; Meat, Poultry, and Fish Entrees; Carbohydrate Dense Dishes; Vegetarian Selections; Vegetable Side Dishes; and Desserts.

Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

Serves 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes
From: Alice Waters, Chez Panisse, Berkeley, California

Here is a good recipe for late summer, when sweet ripe cherry tomatoes are abundant. Any variety of tomato will taste good, but cherry tomatoes are an appealing size for children.

1/2 cup ripe cherry tomatoes, stemmed and cut in half
2 teaspoons olive oil pinch of salt
6 ripe pitted olives, any variety

1. In a small bowl, mix tomatoes, oil, and salt. Stir in olives.

Nutrient analysis per serving Calories 125; Protein 1 g; Carbohydrates 6 g; Fat--total 11 g; Saturated fat 1.8 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Dietary fiber 2 g; Calcium 23 mg; Iron 1 mg; Sodium 711 mg

Rice a l'Orange

Serves 6
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 33 minutes plus 15 minutes to stand
From: Lucie Costa, North Plank Road Tavern, Newburgh, New York

A fragrant and nutritious rice dish that can be served with chicken, turkey, or fish.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup long-grain brown rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup currants
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until well coated with oil. Add water, orange juice, currants, and allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Stir in couscous. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
3. Fluff rice mixture with a fork and stir in almonds. Serve right away.

Nutrient analysis per 1 1/4-cup serving Calories 271; Protein 7 g; Carbohydrates 43 g; Fat--total 8 g; Saturated fat 1 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Dietary fiber 4 g; Calcium 50 mg; Iron 1 mg; Sodium 13 mg

Press Release

"NEW BOOK TELLS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A HEALTHY DIET FOR YOUR CHILD"

What foods can be harmful to a baby?
How can a picky toddler be enticed to eat?
Should a teenager with acne stop eating chocolate?
Can a nutrition-conscious family ever eat in a fast food restaurant?
Should a concerned parent count calories or grams of fat for an overweight child?

No parent escapes baffling questions like these. Feeding children in a health-conscious way is a challenge, and sometimes even a mystery. Trusting "common sense" when choosing, preparing, and serving food to children can be unreliable. Scientific research shows that some well-accepted nutrition "wisdom" makes sense (Mom's chicken soup is a good choice for a child suffering a cold), but other nutrition choices that seem safe may not be (honey should not be served to babies under a year old).

Now all the answers to questions about healthy eating for children are found together in one volume: The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition, William Tamborlane, M.D., editor in chief. This comprehensive book is an essential resource for anyone with the responsibility for feeding children. It combines the latest scientific information about childhood nutrition with practical tips, meal plans, and family-friendly recipes chosen in cooperation with the James Beard Foundation.
The contributors to this book--over 75 physicians, dietitians, nurses, and social workers at the Yale University School of Medicine and the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, as well as famous chefs from around the country--offer information about nutrition for children at each stage of development from infancy through adolescence. The Yale nutrition experts neither preach nor scold. They provide reassuring and practicable advice that takes into account variations among families and individual children, the pressures of busy lifestyles, and children's demands for fast food meals and snacks they see advertised on TV.

One of the underlying principles of The Yale Guide is that there is no such thing as "bad" food. What is essential, say the nutritionists, is to balance different kinds of food in the diet. The balance differs at different ages and developmental stages, and it varies with certain medical problems, but it can be achieved in ways to please every child's palate. Even sugary desserts and high-fat snacks can be part of a healthy diet when eaten in moderation, say the authors.
Filled with charts, lists, and helpful hints, The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition tells how to:

• respond to picky eaters
• assess whether a child is too fat or too thin
• avoid dental problems
• identify foods that are most likely to cause allergic reactions
• take steps toward lowering fat intake
• ensure that a child's diet contains all essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients
• stock a healthy kitchen
• eat sensibly in our fast-paced society

The book also discusses common nutritional concerns that all parents face and offers special nutritional advice for feeding a child with:

• an eating disorder
• childhood obesity
• cystic fibrosis
• diabetes
• food allergies
• attention deficit
• hyperactivity disorder
• vegetarian preferences
• a demanding athletic schedule
• acne
• an everyday childhood illness

Among the special features of the book are more than sixty recipes contributed by nationally recognized chefs and cooking notables, a series of common myths and the facts that contradict them, and suggested readings and sources of further information.

About WILLIAM V. TAMBORLANE, M.D.

William V. Tamborlane, M.D., joined the pediatric faculty at Yale in 1975 and is currently professor and chief of pediatric endocrinology at the Yale University School of Medicine and director of the School of Medicine's Children's Clinical Research Center, located in the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. For the past 20 years, he has devoted his career to the study of childhood metabolism and the care of children with diabetes and similar disorders. Many of his more than 240 articles and research papers have focused on the importance of diet in the medical management of metabolic disease, as well as in normal children. Dr. Tamborlane did his undergraduate and medical school studies, as well as pediatric residency training, at Georgetown University. He, his wife, and their three children live in Madison, CT.

About The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition

This book came to be written at the suggestion of the Friends of the Children's Hospital at Yale-New Haven, a group of lay people whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of children through advocacy, and educational and community outreach. At their urging, and with the enthusiastic encouragement of Joseph B. Warshaw, M.D., Chairman of Pediatrics at the Yale University School of Medicine, over seventy-five professionals undertook the task of putting together a comprehensive nutrition guide book for today's families. In The Yale Guide to Children's Nutrition they have created a unique volume that combines fascinating text, practical advice, and family-oriented recipes.