Add nutritious drinks from food groups

These selected beverages comprise the daily meal plan and should contribute to the nutritional requirements of children and teens. Given the examples above, the beverages served can be categorised as milk drinks or milk products, fruit juice/drinks, vegetable juice/drinks, and water; you should note that the main ingredient in these drinks come from the different food groups eg milk and milk products (liquid yogurt) – foods from animals, fruit juice/ drink – fruits, and vegetable drinks – vegetables. Also in some cases, it is not uncommon for combination beverages to be served such as banana milkshake, carrot milkshake, orange and grapefruit juice/ drink, tropical fruit punch and so on..

For the purpose of today’s article, from a nutrition perspective, items on the menu should contribute to maintaining health. Hence, beverages should contain some of the essential nutrients that can probably aid children and adolescents in meeting their daily nutritional requirements. The meal managers, caterers, and cafeteria operators should make available these previously mentioned nutritious beverages, and by using this approach help to create a supportive environment for the promotion of healthy foods, as well as choose to omit or limit consumption of sugary drinks.

The implementation of such specific nutrition interventions will be in keeping with the technical recommendations from the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for the English- speaking Caribbean (2007): (a) decrease the quantity of sugar used; choose to use less sugary beverages and sweet products; and (b) drink water several times every day, at least six – eight glasses per day.

The basic goal is to improve and/ maintain the nutritional status of the target group. The American Dietetic Association (2010) documented its position indicating that schools and communities have a shared responsibility to provide students with access to nutritious foods and beverages of good nutritional quality that are available and affordable.

School-based nutrition services which include programmes (School Breakfast Programme and National School Lunch Programme) that provide meals – breakfast and lunch, are an integral component of the total education programme. Also, in Trinidad and Tobago, the School Nutrition Programme managed by the National School Dietary Services Ltd is referred to as the largest food and nutrition programme on the island.

In the programme, nutritionally balanced delicious meals – breakfast and lunch are served to students.

Prior to the aforementioned programme, the country participated in the Milk and Biscuits Programme which was funded by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and administered by the Ministry of Education in the early 1950s and 1960s (Fourth Report on Joint Select Committee on Ministries, 2012). Overall, school feeding programmes are significant in the growth and development of children.

Studies conducted provide evidence of improved academic performance, and cognitive and nutritional benefits gained by participants in school nutrition programmes.
Therefore, the foods made available for students through these programmes have a specific role in realising these positive effects (Cajanus, 1999).

Foods including milk, yogurt, peanut butter, fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients. For example, milk and yogurt contain protein, fat, carbohydrate, minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium), vitamins (A, D, and B2), and water; fruit and vegetable beverages – vitamins (A and C), some minerals, and water.
Water, a refreshing drink is also a nutrient.

Having knowledge of the role each nutrient play in maintaining health is critical. For example, minerals – calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium are essential for the formation and building of strong bones and teeth, and overall maintaining bone health.
Additional functions include as follows:
(a) calcium – needed for muscle and nerve activity, and blood clotting;
(b) phosphorus – component of enzymes and other substances required for energy formation, and aids in maintaining acid-base balance in the body; and
c) magnesium is also needed for nerve activity, and activation of enzymes involved in protein formation. It is also important to remember that nutrients work together.

Vitamin D helps to boost bone health, aids the utilisation of calcium and phosphorus in bone and teeth formation, and muscle and nerve activity.

Vitamin A contributes to the formation and maintenance of mucous membranes, skin, and bone; as well as required for vision in dim light.

Vitamin C – essential for collagen synthesis, acts as an antioxidant, aids in absorption of iron, and needed for neurotransmitters and steroid hormone synthesis.
Water, nature’s best drink, helps the body in several ways to regulate body temperature, transport nutrients in the body, aids in hydration, and proper bowel function, alleviating constipation among others. (Brown, 2011).

What happens if nutrients are lacking in the diet? Moreover, you should note that whenever, there is insufficient dietary intakes for nutrients over a period of time, a deficiency may probably occur. A deficiency, for example in calcium, may result in poorly mineralised, weak bones (osteoporosis), rickets and stunted growth in children, osteomalacia (rickets in adults), convulsions, and muscle spasms; phosphorus – loss of calcium from bones, loss of appetite, weakness, confusion, nausea and vomiting; magnesium – stunted growth in children, weakness, muscle spasms, and personality changes; vitamin D – weak deformed bones (children), osteoporosis (adults), and increased potential risk for heart disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and other inflammatory diseases; vitamin A – increased susceptibility to infection, impaired vision, unable to see in dim light; vitamin C – bleeding and bruising easily due to weak blood vessels, cartilage and other tissues, slow recovery from infections, poor wound healing, fatigue, depression (Brown, 2011); water – dehydration (adverse effects include, but should not be limited to thirst, impaired physical performance, decrease in blood volume, difficulty concentrating, muscle spasms, delirium, dizziness, laboured breathing with exercise, increased weakness, failure to regulate excess temperature, and failing renal function), and constipation (Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2008).
Note: In summary, nutritious beverages provide added health benefits, and enhance the nutritional quality of the diet.