A Happy Little Meat-Eater

June 4 2013 by in About Diet Doctor, Food for kids

Here is an update on my daughter Klara, 20 months old. Many people have wondered how she is doing (answer: great) and if she still eats low carb (answer: yes).

Klara still eats like at the time of the 1-year report and about the same as her parents. The main difference is meals at the day care center where there are more exceptions. But it’s a good day care center so at least there’s no low-fat products and very little sugar.

So far, life has been free from sodas, lemonade, cookies and pastry (as well as free from the Swedish grain-based formula). She doesn’t seem to miss sweets and there aren’t any in the house anyway. No jars of store-bought baby food either.

Recently Klara was at a gathering with other children and parents. Most other kids had, for example, cookies and lemonade. Klara had spare ribs, yellow bell-pepper sticks and cherry tomatoes (and water to drink).

Did she get upset asking for cookies instead? No, she happily ate her food. But the kid next to Klara wanted her food instead of crackers. Fortunately there was enough for both of them.

Of course, children never come problem-free, but we’re very fortunate. The most frequent comment from other adults is still the same: Is she always this happy?

It’s easier to be happy when you’re well-fed and not hungry.

30 comments

Top comment

Reply to comment #10 by Sensible One
Murray
June 5 2013 4
The figures I just looked up show about 4.5% fat, 7.1% carbs (almost all lactose) and 0.9% protein. I presume this would vary with the diet and metabolism of the mother. Using these figures, that is about 56% fat by calories and 38% carbohydrates. Most dieticians, I expect, would say an adult consuming that ratio would be on a high fat diet. Note there is zero fructose in breast milk.

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All comments

1
Ramsey
June 4 2013
You Doctor Andreas, are a fine example for the rest of us non-parents as to how to raise our children nutritionally. Many miss the bug picture on this huge aspect of our children's life, and it's one of the most important. Thanks you!
2
Michelle
June 4 2013
A picture of health and happiness. Does she eat tubers at all?

Reply: #3
3
Reply to comment #2 by Michelle
Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, MD
June 4 2013
Yes, some. It's not a no-carb diet.
4
Dawn
June 4 2013
i have tried the lchf eating plan with great results the only problem was to keep up with this expensive lifestyle. what do i eat if budget is low, i had to fill up on rice and bread?

Replies: #23, #24
5
taylor
June 4 2013
I am all for adequate and nutrition that is of value to our children, including staying away from foods high in fructose. But, with a 2.5 yr old boy, and a 10 month old girl, I find no way that you can keep your child away from enjoying a donut, cookie, ice cream every so often, in such instances as a friend's birthday party.

Honestly, maybe you have the 1 child out of 100 you could simply say, "no cookies for you," and they won't throw a complete fit, but how do you possibly explain this to her as she grows in her knowledge of what exactly is occurring (her being the only child not allowed to eat a cupcake)??
6
Eric Anderson
June 4 2013
I would like to see a collection of meal plans and links for children along with a how to and what did we do guide for parents.

I am interested in the long term biomarkers and aging of children on low carb.

Our daughter is a few months younger than yours but I hope a low carb diet will help with aging and fertility and general health.

The Weston Price org has great free video and help with LCHF friendly home made baby formula.

Eric
7
Barb
June 4 2013
Wow... an outstanding example of how to properly feed a child in a cupcake and cookie laden world. Thanks so much for sharing the story about being at a gathering with other kids who were eating junk... it CAN be done!
8
Jan
June 4 2013
A lovely picture, thank you for sharing.
If you can start them young following a much reduced carbohydrate diet, no fizzy drinks etc this lifestyle has just got to give the young ones a great start in life. It's interesting that my grandson has 'clued up' parents and a super mum, and dad who does his share of cooking, who prepares home cooked healthy meals. Meat,fish, plenty of vegetables. Cucumber pieces, carrot sticks, fruits are served for snacks instead of crisps, biscuits etc. I am not saying they never eat crisps and biscuits but they are a treat and not a normal way of life. It is very interesting when attending kids parties etc the choice is healthy food and not the crisps plate, and with no prompting they are just used to eating a more LCHF way. I have to say they are healthy, good weight etc and have regular children's clinic tests - all good.
I just wish there were a few more 'clued' up parents out there, although slowly bit by bit the news about a healthier lifestyle is getting through. We must do our bit to encourage and spread the news.
Just my thoughts

All the best Jan
9
Paulette Gordon
June 5 2013
I am so thankful for this information and would totally welcome a plan for my 2 y/o daughter. I get so frustrated and am embarassed to admit the crap (waffles, breaded chicken nuggets, "fruit snacks", goldfish crackers, suckers, etc) I feed her. I feel horrible every time I do and to me, she appears to be getting chunky. Sometimes I can get her to eat eggs, salmon, chicken, but only canned green beans, not fresh. She loves cheese and strawberries though. I've got to just get it together and stop feeding my child this crap. I know better, I eat LCHF, AND I'm an RN! So embarassing. I don't need long-term markers. Common sense tells me all these nutrient-absent, chemical-laden crap processed foods on the market is toxic. Look at the heart disease, obesity, and diabetes rates over the past 40 years. ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE and completely inexcusable. I have no excuses anymore.
10
Sensible One
June 5 2013
Wow, breastmilk is almost 50% carbs. There's your clue.

Replies: #12, #15
11
claire
June 5 2013
That is truly amazing. She looks so much happier and healthier than the SAD kids that I know. Her eyes looks brighter and skin is most definitely clearer.
12
Reply to comment #10 by Sensible One
FrankG
June 5 2013 3
Even if your figures are correct -- and I think you'll find authorities that disagree with you -- does it necessarily follow that any child would therefore be better off with sodas and cookies than yellow bell-pepper sticks, cherry tomatoes and water?

Or perhaps you were struggling to make some other point with your vague comment? Do you build your argument on the straw-man position that LOW carb = NO carb..? Because as Dr Eenfeldt again reminds us just a few comments up "It's not a no-carb diet."

This beautiful child is a picture of health. Perhaps you feel threatened to see LCHF successfully in action. Get over it :-P
13
Margaret
June 5 2013
What an absolutely beautiful girl. Thank you for the update Doc. :-)
14
Michelle
June 5 2013 1
@ FrankG - Well said.

@ taylor - It isn't hard to do. Before my son went to school I took him on shopping trips for food that lasted for over an hour. I took time to explain to him what all the foods were. Now, my son has sweets, cake and other so called 'food' occasionally and I don't make a big deal of it, even though I'm cringing inside. He is educated in what is best for him to eat and when it is his choice for dinner he always chooses; salmon, sweet potatoes and broccoli, therefore, I don't mind when he goes to a party or a friend’s house to play and then tells me that he's eaten 'brown food'.
15
Reply to comment #10 by Sensible One
Murray
June 5 2013 4
The figures I just looked up show about 4.5% fat, 7.1% carbs (almost all lactose) and 0.9% protein. I presume this would vary with the diet and metabolism of the mother. Using these figures, that is about 56% fat by calories and 38% carbohydrates. Most dieticians, I expect, would say an adult consuming that ratio would be on a high fat diet. Note there is zero fructose in breast milk.
16
MIke
June 5 2013 3
I wish I'd been more aware when my kids were that little. But I wasn't, and my kids ate the typical high sugar/high carb American diet -- with exactly the results you'd expect. A funny thing happened six months ago though. Dad went LCHF and the kids decided to go along with it. The teenagers have lost 50 lbs between them, they are nowhere near as moody and sullen as they used to be, they're getting involved in sports, and they're unbelievably proud of themselves.

I used to tell them -- and now they're starting to believe -- it's not a "diet"...it's just the way we're supposed to eat.

Reply: #29
17
Sensible One
June 5 2013
Low carb and its results are nothing more then a cover up of the symptoms of a low/busted metabolism(weight gain, inflammation, metabolic disorders, degenerative diseases,etc etc). Instead of fixing the actual problem, your metabolism. You use a band aid and cover it up. While at the same time destroying your metabolism even further.

If you want to figure out how to truly heal yourself instead of playing cover up. Check into the work of Ray Peat.

Take care.
18
Mike
June 5 2013 2
Good grief.
19
Takeda
June 5 2013 3
Congratulations to the Eenfeldt family! You are truly an inspiration to so many of us!

I hate to say it but the counter-posts you're seeing is evidence that you are a growing thorn in the side of the establishment and I applaud you for it!
20
PatrickP
June 5 2013 1
"It’s easier to be happy when you’re well-fed and not hungry."

Yep!
21
Eric Anderson
June 5 2013
What about cheese?

Here is a link to a study that indicated cheese can protect pur teeth.
Also the Weston Price Foundation is dairy friendly.
Mpre cheese fewer cavities? Stronger teeth.
Take a bite out of dental bills.

Ravishankar Lingesha Telgi, Vipul Yadav, Chaitra Ravishankar Telgi, Naveen Boppana. In vivo dental plaque pH after consumption of dairy products. General Dentistry, 2013 May;61(3):56-59 [link]

Eric
22
Craig Crawford
June 6 2013
Aww, she's bloody gorgeous! I just wish my niece was brought up this way, my family have tried and she just wants the crap stuff all the time. My sister and her dad have broken up and he still feeds crap to her so that makes it difficult.
23
Reply to comment #4 by Dawn
Persson
June 7 2013 1
Eggs instead of meat will lower the cost. Mayo is good with the eggs.
Sallad with ruccola, fennel, broccoli, sellery and lots of oliveoil is good to.
24
Reply to comment #4 by Dawn
Anna
June 8 2013 1
Dawn - we find that our grocery bill has gone down a lot since starting LCHF. We don't buy fruit anymore - we used to buy a lot. We buy meat and cheese on sale, as much as possible. Freeze the meat and eat it when you are low on cash.

And we eat a lot of veggies, but we are buying less because I'm not hungry all the time and needing a low-fat (hah!) snack every five minutes. I used to add a lot vegetables to every meal in the hope I would feel full, but I feel full by eating a lot less since starting LCHF.

Buying a head of red cabbage and making a cole slaw with a mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar base is very inexpensive and a great side. Cuts of dark chicken meat with bone and skin for roasting are inexpensive - especially when on sale.

Please do not go back to starch!
25
Judy
June 12 2013
nice teaching for most of the parents who struggle to give good nutritious diet to their child….
26
Christoph Dollis
August 13 2013
Baby Formula May Increase Risk Of Adult Obesity, Diseases, Study Says — Huffington Post August 12, 2013

"Formula-fed babies may grow too quickly and may be more susceptible than breastfed babies to obesity and other chronic diseases later in life, a new study says."
27
Michelle
December 15 2013
My child is about the same age as your beautiful Klara and I would like to try and give him a more balanced diet than before.

However, his daycare does serve rice, pasta, potatoes, and other vegetables that are high in their carb content for lunch.

How would being lchf at home, and eating the regular daycare food affect his life?

It's a very good daycare, and the food would be pretty much the same (more carbs actually) in other day cares in the area.

breakfast is usually eggs, cucumber/tomato salad, avocados or fresh tahini, some cheese

Lunch is a meat and a carb such as rice, pasta, potatoes + vegies

And they get fruit or sandwiches when they wake up from nap or fruit as a snack throughout the day

Thank you!

Reply: #28
28
Reply to comment #27 by Michelle
Zepp
December 15 2013
Its seams that its a healty diet anyhow at that daycare center, and if you provide even more healtyer food at home its a win-win for all.

Its this candy and sugar, soda and shit thats not any healty.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/05/21/nearly-1-in-4-u-s-teens-have-di...

http://www.amazon.com/Low-carb-Living-Families-Monique-Forslund/dp/14...

http://www.lifezone.se/eng/

And there are treats, LCHF style!

http://www.mariannslchf.com/
29
Reply to comment #16 by MIke
Juanima
October 6 2015
Mike, that's so awesome. I started LCHF and am loving the way it makes me feel. What is notice is the "absence" of anxiety spikes (I have PTSD and have been working for years to eat in a way that didn't spike my anxiety). THIS IS IT! I want my family to join me, but I expect resistance. They love their weekend pizza, rice, pasta, ramen, etc., even though we choose brown rice, gluten-free pasta, etc. But I want them to make that leap with me. I'm amazed at the results for your kids. My teenage daughter is not overweight at all - pretty thin, actually. My 12-year-old daughter feels "chubby", though she is extremely active. I don't know if it's because she has yet to grow into her skin, or if her "tummy pooch" is because of her diet. We currently lean towards Mediterranean-style, and she doesn't eat much processed junk or candy, nor do we give them soda (except on some holidays or birthdays). I don't know how to explain her "tummy" to her, because I don't know the answer myself. We tried taking her off gluten and dairy, and the result was she felt happier (that's good enough, right?), but no other significant difference for her. But I can't help but wonder how she'd do with a LCHF diet.

I'm rambling....sorry about that. Thanks for your comment. I guess I need to find a balance that works for my whole family. But you can't exactly go high fat and still bring in those starchy carbs. It's one or the other. Sigh.

PS - I love how you told them, "This isn't a diet. This is the way we're supposed to eat." :-)
30
Lon Sabala
May 18 2016
Invaluable post , I learned a lot from the insight . Does anyone know where my business could possibly grab a template Freddie Mac 70 / Fannie Mae 1004 (6 pages) version to type on ?

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