Real Foodie that I am, I tend to evaluate the worthiness of everything that goes into my mouth or onto my table, which occasionally makes me wonder if I might be instilling a bit of food neurosis into our children. We all know people (and might be one ourselves) with a love-hate relationship with food, or who've yo-yo dieted in the past and fluctuate between deprivation and overindulgence (with the energy deficit and excess weight that accompanies).
But I want my kids to enjoy food without obsessing over it, to have hearty appetites, but be able to just as easily take or leave a plate of cookies–and not blimp out if they do eat the plate (the cookies, not the plate). I want them to maintain consistent, healthy weight and energy levels, to be “lean, mean, eating machines”….Food Ninjas, as Matt Stone would call them!
(Get “Food Ninjas” Here!)
According to Matt, it all starts before they're even born. Did you know that adults whose mothers were exposed to famine-like conditions (extreme calorie restriction) during the first half of their pregnancies are 80% more likely to be obese? As it turns out, our amazingly-intelligent bodies will program themselves for a life of scarcity or abundance, depending on the conditions thrust upon them. So if you want your kids to be Ninja Warriors, don't eat like wimpy birds while you're pregnant or breastfeeding!
And while plenty of calories from fats, carbs, and protein is of utmost importance in growing Food Ninjas, the type of fat consumed plays a big role as well.
Notice how nuts and seeds are most abundant in the fall, before many of our furry friends decide to hibernate for the winter? As it turns out, nuts and seeds are very high in linoleic acid, a type of polyunsaturated fat. Research has shown that animals who do not consume enough linoleic acid in the fall cannot slow their metabolisms down enough to successfully hibernate for the winter. However, Ninjas don't hibernate, they need lots of energy to do Ninja things!
Matt points out the vast difference in quality between different mothers' breast milk, depending upon the mothers' diets. Moms who eat large quantities of linoleic acid, abundant in oils from nuts and seeds (liquid vegetable oils like corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed), not only slow down their own metabolism, but also produce a lot of arachidonic acid in their bodies and milk, converted from linoleic acid. Arachidonic acid is highly inflammatory, enough so that high enough levels can trigger an asthma attack in some people. To be a Ninja, children need both a zippy metabolism, and low inflammation and stress.
So what type of fat do Ninjas eat? (You're going to love this!)
Metabolism-supporting, low-inflammatory saturated fats like coconut oil, chocolate (yay!), butter (grass fed is best), egg yolks, full fat milk and dairy products, and red meat (with fat) from grass fed animals. Why grass fed? It's not only the natural diet for ruminant animals, but whole grains also contain a lot of linoleic acid, which converts to arachidonic acid in the animals' bodies, and so it goes.
Which leads to the question of grains and starches.
Matt loves starches and grains just as much as fats and proteins for Ninja fuel, and as you might have guessed by now, refined grains, such as white rice and white flour, are actually more metabolism-supporting than whole grains because the linoleic acid is removed with the bran and germ, along with the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that make grains difficult to digest for many people. (Whaaaaat?! Does this rock your world, after we've been told for years that ‘whole grains' are best?! Doesn't it make you wonder if the huge switchover to whole grains in recent years has led to the increase in gluten intolerances, since it is so difficult for many to digest? Traditionally whole grains were properly prepared, which makes them much more digestible. I still say that a true sourdough is the healthiest bread on earth.)
And it's not just food that's necessary to build a strong metabolism, but hydration levels influence it as well, though not as you might think. Turns out, over-hydration slows down metabolism, and can even lead to an emergency-type stress state within the body. Matt shows how to recognize signs of over-hydration and to quickly remedy it if the need arises. Don't force your little Ninja to down water if he's not thirsty, and forget about the “8 8-ounce glasses per day” rule”. This is an example of a principle Matt emphasizes repeatedly: we need to get out of the way of the body's innate ability to regulate itself.
A Food Ninja's body will tell it if it's thirsty or hungry, just like a mouse's body lets it know. The problem is, we humans tend to over-intellectualize and override our bodies' signals, which is exactly what Matt is trying to de-program out of his readers so they don't impose these weird ideas onto their kids.
And while the above factors that play into metabolism are a bit scientific, there are other, just-as-important factors that are less so.
One of the biggies is “neutrality”. Food Ninjas don't view food as either a reward or punishment and don't categorize it in terms of “good” or “bad”, because these attitudes tend to create impaired eating behaviors. Kids who have a healthy relationship with food recognize their own satiety cues and never feel a need to binge. Their parents don't make them finish their vegetables (a price to pay) before they can have a bowl of ice cream (a reward). So they never feel the need to “make up” for times they may be deprived or “reward themselves” by binging on an entire carton of ice cream.
But for parents whose children have unhealthy eating habits, whether finicky with low appetites, or insatiable, over-indulging tendencies, Matt teaches strategies for bringing them to a place of balance. I will say that some of these strategies might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but that's probably because I'm not Ninja enough to have thought of it on my own!
Yes, balance is key, and as Matt says, “No modern childhood is complete without some glowing orange cheese dust from time to time.” 🙂
There is more to the book, but you will have to read it yourself to learn about his approach to exercise, how to recognize signs of an improving metabolism, and the 5 Ninja Training Tests your kids must pass to become true, modern Ninja Warriors.
Food Ninjas is not a book about reversing food allergies, healing digestive disorders, or addressing other health conditions (other than low metabolism), but I think it can be a great book to balance the type of over-analytical approach to diet that competing therapeutic dietary protocols can leave a person with. Even though it points out some specific dietary factors that affect metabolic rate, it is mostly a liberating “chill pill” that could help return parents and their children to an easier-going and more enjoyable relationship with food, even if they must remain on a somewhat restrictive diet (like gluten-free).
It's a fun read and highly recommended, that is, if you want to be Ninja!
Get Matt's book: Food Ninjas!
Eileen Frank says
Hello. Could you please clarify? Is it being advocated that we not eat nuts or other plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, nor whole grains, in order to keep our metabolisms revved up (like a “ninja”) rather than slow (like a hibernating, nut-eating animal)? I really wouldn’t/couldn’t agree with such a claim from all I have studied & encountered. Truly, all “research” is not created equal, with very specific criteria for what makes it considered sound/valid; which is an area of real concern in the diet/supplement industry. Thank you–
KitchenKop says
Hi Elaine,
Remember this was a book review, but I believe that nuts are best eaten properly prepared (https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/02/recipe-for-crispy-nuts-healthy-snack.html) and that most important is making sure all of us, kids included, eat enough healthy fats (https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/08/healthy-fats-oils.html) and avoiding the heart-killer oils like soy, corn, canola.
Kelly
Commenter via Facebook says
It sounds great on paper, but how to make it work in the face of sugar addiction, false and devious marketing, and peer pressure? There’s a lot of dangerous stuff out there posing as food. Has anyone really succeeded in raising their children into adulthood to eat a truly healthy diet? Just wondering.
tina says
I recently had a conversation with my daughter’s teacher. The teacher had recently taken a trip to France after all their children graduated from college, husband had a health scare and they decided to treat themselves. She is in absolute awe over the food there…everything was real, no plastic containers, yogurt in glass jars that they washed and reused, and veggies and real meats/eggs for breakfast, no food touching plastic, concern for the environment etc.
We talked about my daughter’s health needs ( Food allergies, GAPs etc.) She told me that I would be glad to be this diligent regarding food when my children get older. She raised her children to respect food, eat real, avoid sugars/chemicals etc. One daughter has a goat farm, other family members are active runners etc…all eat clean and appreciate clean upbringing.
So many people tell us that we need to worry about “depriving” our children of “normal” children food like mcnuggets, candy made with GM corn, soda etc.. I gently try to explain that I am not “depriving”, I am “protecting”…and I’m fairly certain that the curtain is going to open on many of these issues before my children reach adulthood. Even Dr. Oz ( yeah, I know…but people do watch and listen to him!) is starting to discuss gut health, good bacteria, overuse of antibiotics, the dangers of pesticides in our food supply etc.
I think people don’t give their children enough credit. If you teach a child to wear a bike helmet, wear a seat belt, brush their teeth, comb their hair when they are children, as they mature they generally continue to wear a bike helmet, brush their teeth, comb their hair etc. They are taking care of their body as they have been taught to. They don’t go to college or move into an apartment and immediately start driving around without helmets or seat belts, stop grooming etc. So if that is the case, why do people automatically assume that children raised to eat healthy food, care for their body by way of what they chose to nourish it with will just start eating all sorts of crap once they have the choice to make?
I have more confidence in my family than that, don’t you?
KitchenKop says
@Tina – wow! Very well-written, thank you for sharing!!!
Kelly
Commenter via Facebook says
When our modern food supply is so toxic that we all get sick from it—-it’s kinda hard not to obsess!
Commenter via Facebook says
I agree with Matt’s ideas. He’s promoting balance and avoiding extremism, not a junk food based diet. I think maybe some of his points made to balance the perfection many parents strive for stood out more than the rest of what he was saying to her.
Lily says
I agree about the not “freaking out part”. But that is more about our behavior and what it teaches children rather than our ideals. What is considered “extremism”? I want my children to be educated and confident enough in our food choices so that there isn’t even be a possibility of them accidentally eating something or even feeling “socially awkward” because they don’t partake of the cruddy food others deem as fun, normal, or an essential experience of childhood. My opinions are strong about food and I don’t hold back when expressing them to my children, but that’s quite different from “freaking out” or being controlling, and is by no means extreme. Because our food choices may be in extreme contrast to the standard American diet, it is sometimes viewed by those eating a SAD as some form of neuroses. This is simply the difference between someone who’s educated themselves about health and implements their knowledge and one who hasn’t. But in the same way we prepare our children to come across other unhealthy things in life through education, so should be done with food, as food entering the body has just as much of an impact on their potential health as wearing a helmet when they ride a bike, saying no to drugs, and abstaining from unhealthy relationships. So if they come across a food in a situation such as a friends house, they know what the heck the food is or isn’t before they make the choice of putting it into their mouths, just as they would hopefully have learned to put on a helmet when riding a bike as a matter of course. I understand that food is a social thing, a family thing, and should be a relaxed and enjoyable experience, but that shouldn’t mean we ignorantly or “accidentally” ingest food. If people are “freaking” out and causing behavioral or emotional issues for their children surrounding food that would be indicative of a controlling parent in lieu of educating the child. Children need to be empowered when it comes to food choices, by giving them the tools to know for themselves what is best for their bodies. There’s a difference between telling your kid “no sugar, sugars bad!” vs. “we should avoid this type of candy that contains corn syrup, because it comes from corn that has been genetically modified which ……(continue the lesson about it’s effects to health and environment). I, as well as I’m sure most health conscious parents, if removing foods such as corn syrup, refined sugars, gluten etc. usually find suitable replacements with satisfying foods as we are well aware of the happiness and satisfaction food brings. In my situation there’s no chance of my kids ever ingesting a cheese puff at a friends house. Not because I’m controlling, but because I’ve given my kids knowledge. My kids know their food. And if by some bizarre chance they ate a cheese puff, by no means would I freak out. I would simply question where I failed to give them the necessary information they needed to make good choices for themselves.
tina says
I think we are entering a new environment when it comes to what is food, and what is food like substances. Food used to be food, mostly nourishing, a little sugar and flour when it could be afforded ( think Little House on the Prairie or the Waltons) Most of what we ate was nourishing food. Now, MOST of what we eat as a society is JUNK food, chemically laden, not nourishing and mostly harmful. When something you eat or something your child eats is potentially more harmful than nourishing, you have to worry about that. I don’t think it’s teaching paranoia to have the children look at food and decide if it’s mostly nourishing, mostly not nourishing, or harmful. It’s sad to say and think, but a LOT of what our society eats, especially that marketed toward children IS harmful. If it has GM corn or soy, it isn’t food..really, really is NOT food.
Commenter via Facebook says
I think the point here Lily is that there are a wide variety of foods and food like substances out there in the world that your child will come across. If not at your house, then at the house of a friend or school, or somewhere. Teach the child to eat responsibly, listen to her body, and not to go into panic or meltdown if she eats something different from time to time. The alternatives you face if you freak out at such things are potential eating disorders or becoming a social pariah because she can’t go out with friends if they aren’t eating at Avacado Delite.
Commenter via Facebook says
I read her response and totally agree with her. And although I don’t freak out over what my son may eat at someone else’s house, I do make sure he knows why we don’t eat it at home…and he’s beginning to make those right choices for himself even away from home. He loves plenty of different kinds of foods, and has a varied diet complete with many kinds of treats. To know the difference between real food and food-like substances isn’t obsessing – it’s making sure he is raised to be a healthy adult!
Lily says
Unfortunately I still can’t get on board with most of Matt’s ideas. While some of what he says makes sense, saying things like “No modern childhood is complete without some glowing orange cheese dust from time to time.” or vilifying the GAPS diet just makes me cringe. As if somehow artificial orange cheese is an actual food, or that GAPS is some looned out dangerous diet, and damaged digestion just needs some aggressive refeeding? His style of communication is very alienating. Once you’re turned off, it’s hard to get turned back on. And btw, I don’t find it unbalanced to tell your kids orange dust is bad, or gmo rice, corn, or soy is the devil. The truth is there is a “good” and “bad” when it comes to food or what some may consider food. To be just neutral is similar to the willful ignorance and complacency people harbor in relation to all the other “bad” things that happen on this planet.
KitchenKop says
I tend to agree with you on the orange dust comment. We can NOT be food nazis but also NOT feed our kids the orange dust. I suppose that line is different for each family. If my kids have it at their friends’ house, I don’t freak, but it’s not something we buy, and I’m OK with telling them why!
Kelly
Susan says
I love when Matt talks about the amount of water we consume. I used to be one of those people who had water all the time and took it everywhere. I also struggled to get my body temps up near 98. I was always somewhere in the 96 range. Once he pointed out that we are the only animal that drinks beyond thirst, the lightbulb went off and I stopped drinking it like there is no tomorrow. And guess what? My temps went up when I stopped flooding my body.
He also made me think about water this way: My mother never went everywhere with a bottle of water and neither did my grandmothers. Didn’t this whole push on “8 glasses a day” also start around the same time bottled water became chic? I don’t know, but only drinking to thirst has helped me tremendously. I eat lots of watery fruits, drink Kombucha and raw milk, and when I am actually thirsty, I’ll have some water, too.
Sarah says
What about a child who appears to have a drive for sugar? I like sweets. I can tell that my son likes sweets but my daughter appears to have a drive for it. I make ice tea for my husband. My daughter had just finished something that was a homemade dessert. There was undissolved sugar left in the pan and she was trying to lick the pan! Disgusting!!! My husband said that he was like that as a child as well. How do you find a balance between enjoying sweets but guarding against an alarming drive for something that is unhealthy? She is 12 years old and does not seem to show much restraint where this is concerned. Is it possible that it is a calorie issue?
Cathy F. says
Interesting concepts. I couldn’t help but think back to the addictive nature of sugar. I haven’t read the book, and probably won’t, since I’m no longer raising children, but I imagine the first step in raising “food ninjas” is to feed them healthy nutrient-dense foods while you have total control of their diets, i.e. infant through school-age. Still, once sugar enters the diet, it takes the will of conviction to overcome addition. And convincing kids that sugar is deadly (eventually) when everyone around them is eating tons of it and “doing just fine” might just turn out to be impossible.
Jane says
Wow, what a great post – thank you so much for sharing! I really appreciate the reminder to not over intellectualize food and water and to listen to our innate intelligence given to us within.