It can be hard to get little ones to eat what makes them grow up to be big and strong. Because veggies and other foods are known to improve and maintain good gut health, parents have to be the “bad guy” and lay down the law.

What if we could tell you that there was a way to make sure that your children’s gut health is being taken care of without every meal being a throwdown. Keep reading to learn a few tips and tricks to getting your fussy eater to eat well and how you can maintain their gut health for them with the help of a probiotic supplement and certain foods.

Picky Eating & Gut Bacteria

Children, just like you, have gut bacteria that need to be taken care of. What is known as “gut health” is the state of one’s gut microbiome, made of micro-organisms like viruses, yeasts and bacteria. The state of your little one’s microbiome is dependent on factors such as location, age, stress level, health and diet. Because the goal is to support your child’s health, the goal is to help the “good” bacteria that promote good digestion and mood.

The key to helping your fussy eater is keeping an eye on their gut health.

Gut Health & Eating Habits

Did you know that things like your child’s cravings, digestion, taste and appetite can all be linked back to the state of the gut microbiome?

Cravings

Studies show that gut bacteria let our brains know about which foods they prefer we eat. Depending on the type of bacteria, the craving will be different. As an adult, cravings are difficult enough to resist, imagine feeling the pull as a small human. Your “fussy” eater may be experiencing cravings that make healthy foods difficult to stomach. Now let’s discuss how probiotics for picky eaters can support gut health and reduce cravings.

Digestion

Some gut bacteria have the job of helping us digest our food. When food is broken down, feel-good chemicals are released. Because some foods make your child feel good after eating them, it may be challenging for them to resist and choose to eat other foods instead. This is where probiotics for picky eaters come in and help support the digestion of a broader range of foods.

Taste

There is evidence that gut bacteria affect our taste buds. The reason being, to help themselves grow, they will make certain foods seem more appealing than others. The bacteria that you want to support in your children is gut bacteria that thrive on fibre-rich foods like veggies. The “bad” bacteria thrive on sugar and processed foods.

Appetite

Your child’s overall appetite is affected by the bacteria residing in your gut as well. A picky eater will not have much of an appetite. This is where probiotics can help the most as the support that their gut biome gets can help them feel more like eating and more willing to try new foods.

As you can see, the state of your child’s gut health can affect their behaviour, so the best thing to do for a fussy eater is to make sure that their gut health is good.

Promoting Good Eating Habits With Probiotics

If children have more bad bacteria than good, it is known as dysbiosis, meaning an imbalance. Here are a few ways that you can address the imbalance and reduces fussy eating habits:

1. Eat foods that contain probiotics
2. Eat food that supports healthy gut bacteria
3. Take probiotic supplements

As you begin supporting your picky eater’s behaviour, keep in mind that introducing healthy foods that are rich in fibre as well as naturally probiotic-rich foods will be a great help. Probiotics supplements are perfect daily additions as they are a no muss, no fuss healthy solution. The changes that you will see in your child will be better digestion and an overall better mood for them and you.

If you are looking for a probiotic to help your kids stay healthy, check out Royal Warton's product page.