Can chocolate be given to children? And in pregnancy, is it recommended? Better white, milk or dark? Here are some curiosities about the famous nectar of the gods.
- Pediatricians advise not to introduce chocolate into children's diets before the end of their second year of life : up to that age, the liver and kidneys are not yet ready to process it.
The question is not only linked to the presence of cocoa, but also to the richness of saturated fats and sugars . For this reason, even after the age of 2 it should be offered to children in moderation . - Not recommended in the evening: given the exciting and stimulating power of cocoa, it is better not to offer chocolate at the end of the day but prefer it for breakfast .
- For under 2s: you can let the little ones try cocoa by proposing one of the many food products specifically designed for children, such as cocoa powder to mix with milk or low-fat cocoa biscuits for children .
- Chocolate is good for children as it is a nutritious and beneficial food. The watchword, however, is always quality : to establish if a chocolate is of good quality, it must contain at least 30% cocoa. Certainly, dark chocolate is the best , having a high percentage of cocoa, while milk and white chocolate are richer in sugars and vegetable fats, therefore to be limited . However, milk chocolate contains vitamin A.
- As for pregnant women , the golden rule is moderation : since chocolate contains stimulating substances, it should be included in the calculation of the caffeine consumed daily, considering that 10 grams of dark chocolate contain about 0.8 grams of caffeine, while a coffee contains between the 4 and the 8 grams. Future mothers shouldn't take more than 20 grams a day: the bill is simple.
The birth of chocolate dates back to over 2900 years ago, to be exact at the time of the Olmec civilization, immediately preceding that of the Mayas. The word 'cacao' also comes from the language of the Olmecs. The scientific name is Theobroma cacao.
Taken from Born Mom | by Lucia Modici
