Good nutrition is essential for the health of any child. You should take care not to confuse the term nutrition with food.
The nutritional food contains all of the necessary vitamins, minerals, and fiber vital to act as a solid foundation for both the present and future health of any child. All the way from infancy to mature adulthood and very often lays the basis for the health in adult life.
Child nutrition will vary depending on the age of the child. Let’s take a brief look at the types of nutrition important for health at various stages of child development.
The Eatwell plate from the UK Food Standards Agency
Infant Nutrition
At the infant stage, the main diet consists solely of milk either from the mother’s breast or from a baby formula. Both of which will contain the necessary nutrition for a nursing baby.
At the age of 6 months, the child will be ready for more solid forms of nutrition. Such kind of solid foods are iron-fortified cereals, strained fruits and vegetables and soft pureed meat.
Breastfeeding may continue, but by following this kind of diet the child will get the correct amount of the minerals iron and zinc sometimes lacking in breast milk.
It is also important to ensure that the infant gets a small amount of fat vital for brain development and development of the nervous system.
Let’s take a look at Nutrition food pyramid:
Toddlers Nutrition
While continuing with the inclusion of fruit and vegetables in the toddler’s diet the mineral calcium is important at this stage.
Calcium acts as a building block at this stage of the child’s development. It sets the foundation for ensuring strong bones, healthy teeth, and is readily available by drinking milk.
Read another article about foods that causes constipation.
At this time a good supply of fiber is equally important for good health. An adequate supply can be found by encouraging the toddler to eat lots of fruit and green vegetables supplemented by whole grain cereals.
#Grain free #breakfast ideas for your #child! My #baby loves her #healthy eating pic.twitter.com/tqVJlpSyDj
— Nutrition 4 Health (@nut_intervene) July 7, 2016
Good Nutrition for children
A healthy diet contains good nutrition; here are a few tips which will help serve you in ensuring a healthy diet for any growing youngster.
- Try for a minimum of five helpings of fruit and vegetable every day.
- Make the diet protein rich with offerings of eggs, lean meat and a selection of nuts.
- Fiber can easily be obtained from wholegrain bread and cereals.
- Avoid fried foods but the grill, steam or broil all meat and fish.
- Drink water and milk rather than sugary soda drinks.
- Do not offer processed or junk types of food in the diet.
