WHY THIS GIRL HAS NEVER TASTED REFINED SUGAR
PARENTS USE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES FOR 4-YEAR-OLD
Four-year-old Noor Shaikh is not allowed desserts filled with refined sugar that most children love, but she is not missing out on the fun.
Her Indian expat parents have gone to great lengths to ensure that Noor eats healthy organic food. Yasir Shaikh, a cybersecurity consultant and his wife Nehal Ahmed, a digital strategy consultant, prepare an array of home-made gluten and refined sugar-free dishes for Noor, studying in FS1.
“As a child I loved desserts, but I later realised refined sugar is not healthy,” Yasir said. “It can effect a child’s mental and physical well-being. So when he decided to start a family, mu wife and I took a decision that our child will be given only organic healthy food.”
Yasir even took a diploma course in hospitality, specialising in Patisserie. “A year before my daughter was born I took this course just so I could make customised healthy organic desserts for my child,” he said.
Noor’s menu
Noor’s breakfast, according to her father, is similar to any other growing child. “She enjoys dosas [rice crepe], eggs. I make granola for her which she enjoys a lot. We also stock up on gluten free bread to make sandwiches for her. Pancakes are a favourite in the house.
“I buy gluten-free flour to make pancakes for her. Noor loves gelatin so we make gelo at home. It’s really simple and easy,” Yasir said.
Noor is gluten-intolerant and cannot eat the wheat-based Indian rotis. “Instead I found a substitute for wheat called ragi [millet]. When it cames to ketchup I substituted date powder for sugar. For meringue, I use honey to replace the sugar.”
So is little Noor (fondly called Noozi by family, friends) denied a yummy meal just to be on the organic healthy eating path? “Not at all,” said her the father.
“My wife and I bake, cook everything that a child her age loves to eat. From waffles to pancakes to burgers everything is made at home organically. There is no dearth of ingredients, flavours and sugar substitutes for our customised cooking. Date powder, coconut powder, cocoa have proved to be great substitutes.”
Noor gets to eat homecooked food which is gluten and refined sugar free.
Yasir said: “We don’t want our child to be introduced to packaged food which comes with unhealthy fats. As parents we are doing our best to keep her away from unhealthy food. Hopefully it stays with her as she grows up.”