Good gut bacteria helps starving children

While most children’s food contain rice, research has proven that it does not have good gut bacteria. File PHOTOs

What you need to know:

A diet rich in bananas, chickpeas and peanuts improves gut bacteria in malnourished children, helping them recover.

There are very any children wasting away due to undernutrition and according to UNICEF, malnutrition rates remain alarming, stunting is declining too slowly while wasting still impacts the lives of far too many young children. Nearly half of all deaths in children under five are attributable to undernutrition as it puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections, increases the frequency and severity of such infections, and delays recovery.
Malnutrition occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients and some of the causes include a poor diet, digestive conditions or another disease.
UNICEF adds that while malnutrition estimates show that stunting prevalence has been declining since 2000, nearly one in four – 149 million children under 5 –were stunted in 2018, and over 49 million suffered from wasting.
Dr Zabina Nabirye, an Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) specialist, notes that poor feeding practices, such as inadequate breastfeeding, offering the wrong foods, and not ensuring that the child gets enough nutritious food, contribute to malnutrition. Infection – particularly frequent or persistent diarrhoea, pneumonia, measles and malaria – also undermines a child’s nutritional status.
Nonetheless, there is a cure to this silent child killer, and according to an article by BBC, there is a diet that is good at boosting healthy microbes. This was discovered on a study done in Bangladesh.
“After closely monitoring the children’s recovery, one diet stood out - which contained bananas, soy, peanut flour and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in a paste as it was found to boost gut microbes linked to bone growth, brain development and immune function. More to that, the ingredients are affordable and acceptable in most communities.”
David Walugembe, a nutritionist shares the contents of these foods and their importance:

Bananas
These are high in fibre which keeps the child feeling fuller for a long time and the fibre helps in clearing the bowel. Bananas are also said to cure urine infections that usually plague babies by cleaning away all the toxins from the urinary tract. The fruit is loaded with nutrients such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, folate, niacin and vitamin B6, which help the bay to gain weight. Banana is rich in iron which is essential to produce haemoglobin in the blood. It is also helps in the synthesis of red blood cells in your body.

Peanuts
While some people are allergic to nuts, most children are not and nutritionists have implemented the use of peanuts to foster malnourished children’s health. For some, it is to add it to porridge, for others, it is to add it to food, all in the name of making the meals dense, filling and more nutritious.
It is also advisable that you give these children meals on time with variety.

Other ingredients
Soy: Apart from having a punch of flavour that many children are drawn to, soy may also help prevent the development of certain adult diseases as it lowers cholesterol levels. It also eases constipation. It also contains many essential nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, and high-quality protein that are important for growth and development.
Chickpeas: They are a great protein source hence necessary for the creation of new cells, muscle, cartilage, blood, hormones and enzymes in a baby. A growing baby needs high amounts of protein to fuel growth.
Chickpeas also contain a small amount of polyunsaturated fats which help with brain development, provide energy, and soften the skin. These fats also aid the movement of certain fat-soluble vitamins around the body.
Being a source of iron, they aid in the creation of new red blood cells. Without iron, there is a reduction in active red-blood cells hence anaemia.