Fresh fruits and berries are a delight to the taste buds, and a rich source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber, vitamin C and beta-carotene.  Local, fresh fruits, seasonal are the ideal choice. Fruits, especially apples and berries, provide the valuable, water-soluble fiber pectin and other fiber, such as cellulose, which keeps the intestines working properly. The white, inner peels of citrus fruits contain bioflavonoids, which help the body absorb vitamin C. Most fruits are alkaline forming, including fruits with a sour, acidic flavor such as lemons and limes. Fruits, therefore, form a good balance to acid-forming grains.

Freshly made fruit juice is a highly concentrated source of nutrients, but only if it is absolutely fresh. After only a short time, exposure to oxygen and micro-organisms begins to ferment the juice. Oxygen and enzymes contained in the juices destroy vitamins and fruit acid. To maximize the full benefit of fruit it is wise to invest in a good juicer and drink fresh juice daily.

Vegetables provide many of the vitamins and minerals kids need for good health. Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, and don't forget tasty tomatoes and cauliflower for vitamin C. Because vegetables contain many different vitamins and minerals, it is important to have a variety of them in your child's diet.

Low in fat and high in fiber, fresh, raw vegetables are teeming with thousands of nutrients called phytochemicals. Our discovery of phytochemicals is another clue to understanding the healing power of plants. Phytochemicals are a determining factor in the color and flavor of vegetables. They act as the plant’s natural immune system warding off disease and viruses. These same phytochemicals help to increase our body’s immunity and help to support the body’s ability to remove toxins.

These protective substances found in plants have been linked to the prevention of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. They have the power to stop the development of cancer at a cellular level by activating enzymes that diffuse the destructive potential of carcinogens.

Vegetables, in their colorful and flavorful variety, are rich in complex carbohydrates, a great source of food energy. Vegetables also provide enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals that are essential for body functions, including complete and proper digestion. They are the perfect complement to protein foods, helping to aid in protein digestion. Almost all vegetables are alkaline-forming, providing a much needed balance to the acid-forming meats, dairy products and grains in our diets.

Fresh, raw vegetable or fruit juices provide a potent concentration of enzymes and other raw food nutrients in a water base. Since the juicing process breaks down the cell membranes and discards the pulp, the body has more immediate access to the full power of the nutrients contained in the fruits and vegetables.

These foods are important source of vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, and protein. Vitamin A is important for healthy eyes, skin, and hair. Vitamin D helps your child's body absorb calcium and use it for healthy bones and teeth, along with muscle and nerve functions. Organically-produced milk and milk products are the safest and healthiest sources. Commercially produced milk products have been pasteurized, homogenized and supplemented with synthetic vitamin D.

Natural cheeses imported from Europe, especially Switzerland, are made from raw milk from cows grazing only on unsprayed meadows. The most ideal sources of digestible milk products are cultured or fermented, such as natural yogurt and kefir. These products have been partly predigested by friendly bacteria, so they are well tolerated even by people who do not have sufficient lactase in their intestines to digest milk. These foods help maintain healthy bacterial flora in the intestines.

Make sure natural yogurt still contains live culture, such as acidophilus or bifidus, and is not thickened with additives like guar gum, locust beans, gelatin or carrageenan. Unsweetened yogurt is most readily digested. Bacterial cultures in commercially-prepared yogurts are often destroyed to increase shelf life, so look for the words "live culture" on the container.

Goat milk may be more suited to the human digestive system than cow’s milk since the fats in goat’s milk are closer in composition to those of human milk. Natural, raw-milk goat cheeses are a healthier alternative because they are not mixed with antimold chemicals or preservatives as are most conventional cheeses.

Meat, poultry (this means beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and other birds), fish, beans, eggs, and nuts have one thing in common: they all supply you with the super-important nutrient protein. They also load you up with iron and zinc.   Protein is the main tissue builder of the body and is the basic substance of every cell, including muscles, bone, blood, skin, nails, hair and internal organs. Protein is essential for enzyme production which enables the electrical impulses to take place. It is also important for the production of hormones that regulate and control bodily functions, including emotional stability. Protein in the body is made from the building blocks called amino acids. Protein's main functions are to repair and maintain body tissues, produce hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the cells, and produce antibodies and enzymes. Some of the amino acids in protein are produced by the body; others must be obtained in the diet. Excess protein is converted to fat in the body and stored.

Organically-raised meat from grass-fed animals is available and is the healthiest source if you choose to eat meat. Buy chickens fed a natural diet without the use of antibiotics and growth hormones. Wild fish, especially salmon, sardines, mackerel and albacore tuna are among the richest sources of essential fatty acid derivatives that protect against heart disease, cancer and inflammatory diseases.

Cold water fish give us the essential Omega-3 fatty acids we need for our bodies - salmon, tuna, halibut. Our bodies cannot make this fatty acid on its own.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are tasty, versatile foods that nourish the brain, nerves and skin. Edible nuts include walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, pine nuts, cashews and coconuts. The seed family includes sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Nuts and seeds have a higher content of complete protein than all other plants, with the exception of the soy bean. Raw nuts and seeds are the best dietary sources of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and omega-6 linoleic acid.

When roasted, the natural fats in nuts turn into toxic molecules and become less digestible. Nuts have a high mineral content. They are good sources of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. The natural sodium content of unsalted nuts is very low. Nuts contain vitamin E and are rich in the B vitamins, especially B3 and biotin.

Unsprouted, raw seeds and nuts contain enzyme inhibiters and can be soaked in water overnight to make them easier to digest. Nut "milk" can be made and used in most recipes calling for cow’s milk. Pour two cups of filtered water into a blender; add half a cup of raw, organically-grown sunflower seeds; blend on medium high speed for one minute or until the "milk" is a light and frothy texture; sweeten with honey or maple syrup and add a drop of pure vanilla flavor.

Flax seeds are a great source of omega-3 oils, but they need to be ground up, crushing the outer hull, so that they oils are available to our bodies. If taken whole, they act as fibre, without being digested at all. You can use a mortar and pestle to crush the seeds, or dedicate a small coffee grinder just for your flax seeds. It is recommended that an adult have 2 Tblsp. daily.

Eggs

Eggs from free-range chickens are a balanced food which have mistakenly been considered the culprits of excessively high cholesterol levels. They contain cholesterol, but this is emulsified by the lecithin they also contain. Lecithin enables fats, including cholesterol, to be dispersed in water and eliminated from the body. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, sulfur, iron and vitamin A, and provide a valuable source of vitamin B12 for people who do not eat meat. In addition, eggs contain choline, tryptophan (which is converted into vitamin B3), biotin, folic acid, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, vitamin B5, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. Eggs from free-range chickens have bright yellow-orange yolks and thick, strong shells and a better flavor than commercial eggs produced on factory farms. In addition, caged chickens and their eggs produce much lower levels of the beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids than free-range chickens.

Legumes

Legumes are a special category of vegetables which grow in a pod. These include beans, chick peas, peas, soy beans and lentils. They are a rich source of protein, iron, calcium, zinc, B vitamins and fiber. Legumes are extremely versatile and can be used in hundreds of ways including baked, in soups, casseroles, stews, vegetarian patties and burgers, and even milks, such as soy milk.

Beans and lentils are a main food staple in many parts of the world. Mexican, Chinese and Middle Eastern cultures consume legumes on a daily basis in a variety of forms.

Soy beans and lima beans are alkaline-forming, while lentils are acid-forming. Before cooking legumes, soak one part legumes in four parts water for twelve hours or overnight, changing the soaking water two or three times. Throw away the final soaking water, and use fresh water to cook. This softens the skins, begins the sprouting process, and eliminates the binding of phytic acid to minerals.

Remove and discard any foam that forms on the water while cooking. Soaking legumes makes them more easily digested. To avoid gas formation, add a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to the water before serving. If beans are being used in a salad, marinate the cooked beans in apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Vinegar breaks down protein chains and indigestible compounds.

Eat only small amounts of legumes at first and chew well to encourage the body’s own formation of the enzymes necessary to digest them. Gradually introduce mashed legumes to children at around nine to twelve months of age. Adzuki beans, lentils, mung beans and peas are easiest to digest.

Whole grains have been the basis of the human diet for thousands of years. The word "meal" literally means ground grain. Grains play a particularly important part in a vegetarian diet. They are an excellent source of the trace minerals, fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, lecithin, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins and complex carbohydrates.

Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates that are broken down during digestion and converted to glucose, the substance the body prefers to burn for energy. Complex carbohydrates are much healthier than refined sugars (simple carbohydrates) because they are digested more slowly and provide a sustained supply of energy.

Complex carbohydrate molecules are made of glucose (sugar) in the form of straight chains. Enzymes break open the bonds connecting the sugar chains, releasing vitamins and minerals which help the body metabolize the carbohydrates completely. Complex carbohydrates contain fiber which promotes smooth digestion and metabolizes slowly. In contrast to refined sugars, complex carbohydrates found in whole, unrefined grains are nutrient dense.

Grains cannot be eaten raw, and need to be soaked, sprouted or cooked to be digestible. Grains contain phytin, which, if raw cannot be metabolized by the body. Once prepared, grains are perhaps our most nutritious food.

Most whole grains, such as brown rice, are prepared by pouring one cup of brown rice into a one or two quart pot; add two cups of cold, filtered water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to the lowest temperature; cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let steam for forty-five minutes to one hour. Serve immediately or use the cooked rice in casseroles, soups or rice pudding.

Store grains in clean, tightly closed containers in a dry, cool place. Whole wheat kernels, spelt, kamut and buckwheat have thick outer layers and store for many years under dry, cool conditions. Rice can be stored for about two years. Millet has a very thin outer layer and will go rancid more quickly. A few whole bay leaves inserted into your grain container will act as a natural deterrent to worms.

Grains can be eaten in the form of pasta, cereals or bread. Buckwheat, rice or wheat make excellent pasta. Commercially-prepared dried pasta is usually made from processed white flour, so be sure to buy wholegrain varieties, or make it yourself. Often a vegetable such as spinach or carrot is mixed with the grain for added color and flavor. Choose cereals that are rolled, milled or cracked whole grains. The healthiest breakfast cereal is a muesli made from soaked rolled oats and fresh fruit and nuts. Congee is a porridge made from grain simmered in five to six times the amount of water. Millet and spelt can also be used to make congee. Cook four to six hours on low heat-crockpots are ideal. Congee is very easily digested and strengthens your spleen and pancreas. Other foods cooked with the congee are also more easily digested. Whole grain breads can be made from a variety of grains. Avoid "fortified" white bread, which contains little nutritive value due to processing, and is further damaged by the addition of preservatives and bleaching agents.

Aim for fat intake of 30% or less of total daily food intake. Saturated fats (butter, beef fat) should be limited to 10% or less of the fat total. Unsaturated fats (safflower and corn oil) and monounsaturated fats (olive and peanut oil) are healthier choices. That means that a child who needs 2,000 calories a day can safely have about 60 grams of fat each day in combination with a varied diet.

Fats shouldn't be restricted in children under age 2. The developing brain and other organs of the young child need a certain amount of fat for proper development. Many people don't realize that breast milk, nature's favorite infant formula, is 50% fat.

Sugars, which are simple carbohydrates, are easy to digest and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream where they provide quick energy. Sugars provide some nutritive value, but they should be eaten sparingly because they are often consumed as excess calories and lead to weight gain.

Butter

Natural butter added to a prepared dish just before serving adds flavor and aroma. Butter is great for baking and sautéing.

Butter also contains a considerable amount of unsaturated fatty acids and is one of the best sources of fat-soluble vitamins. Butter’s saturated fat molecules are extremely short, making them easy for the body to digest and burn as fuel. Buy unsalted butter; it is fresher and lower in sodium. One Tablespoon of butter is 100 calories.

The human body can digest butter more easily than other saturated fats. To illustrate this point, try holding butter in your hand. It will quickly melt. Since your body temperature is just as warm on the inside, butter will similarly dissolve when ingested, since the average human body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C) and is much warmer than the melting point of butter. Try the same experiment with margarine, shortening, beef fat or other animal fat. You will notice these fatty substances will not melt in your hand. Likewise, they will not dissolve in your body and become very difficult to digest, clogging arteries, causing blood platelets to stick together, and eventually causing heart problems and high blood pressure. No study has ever established a link between butter and heart disease.

Soft tub margarines have the same calorie count as butter (100 calories per Tablespoon) but do not have the same saturated fat content. Be sure to buy non-hydrogenated margarine.

Fats and Oils

The nutty flavors of cold-pressed oils, like olive oil, are a delicious addition to the natural foods pantry. Choose fresh, unrefined oils that have been pressed at a low temperature without exposure to light and oxygen. Check the "best before" date and use within six months after opening the bottle. Be certain to keep oils refrigerated after opening. The unhealthy sources of fats and oils which must be avoided include all hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oil products such as shortenings and margarines.

The body is comprised of about seventy percent water. This water is involved in almost every body process, including digestion, circulation, elimination and transportation of nutrients. At least eight glasses of water are needed daily to ensure proper functioning of the body’s many systems. Water can also be taken in the form of freshly-pressed fruit or vegetable juices, vegetable broths or herbal teas. The ideal source is pure, natural spring water, but an effective water filtration system at home will help to remove the chemicals and heavy metals that may be in the water supply. Water supplies the trace elements we need, and helps to maintain the acid-alkaline balance in the body.