Every parent knows that their children should eat a balanced diet. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, children end up choosing the same few foods over and over again, which can deprive their bodies of some of the important nutrients they need.
A healthy diet contributes to your child’s health, growth and development. It reduces the risk of chronic health problems and tooth decay and lays the foundation for learning Xi abilities. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a child’s balanced diet contains plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein. They recommend a plate full of colorful vegetables (no, french fries don’t count). The other half should be divided into lean proteins and whole grains (such as whole-grain pasta or brown rice). In addition to this recommendation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends not consuming too much sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. 3 These should be less representative of the child’s diet. When reading the label, pay attention to whether these contain less than 5% of the daily value (DV) per serving.
Read on to learn about the 11 essential nutrients you need to provide adequate nutrition for your children.
Protein
Protein helps a child’s body build cells, break down food into energy, fight infections, and carry oxygen. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, the protein requirements for children are as follows:
- Toddlers 1-3 years: 13 grams
- Children 4-8 years: 19 grams
- Children 9-13 years: 34 grams
- Children 14-18 years: 46-52 grams
Foods that are good sources of protein include:
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Egg
- Nut
- Bean
- Dairy product
If your child is hesitant to eat these protein-rich foods, try offering the following foods that provide less important nutrients:
- Crab cakes
- Parmesan cheese
- Quinoa
- Cheese
- Green beans
- Soybean
- Brussels sprouts
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are important for children’s nutrition because they are an important source of energy. They help your child’s body use fat and protein to build and repair tissues. The USDA recommends that children over 1 year of age consume about 130 grams of carbohydrates per day. This is usually easy because carbohydrates come in many different forms, including sugar, starch, and fiber.
Foods high in carbohydrates include:
- Bread
- Rolled oats
- Cereals
- Rice
- Biscuits
- Pasta
- Potato
Keep in mind that children should eat more starch and fiber and less sugar. This is because, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), high intake of carbohydrates (such as sodas, sweets, and processed foods) has been linked to obesity, tooth decay, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease.
Healthy Fats
Fat is an important source of energy for children and is easily stored in the body, allowing for the proper use of other important nutrients. Foods that contain high levels of healthy fats include:
- Full-fat dairy products
- Cooking oil
- Meat
- Fish
- Nut
The American Heart Association recommends that children ages 2 to 3 years consume 30 to 35 percent of their total daily calories, and children and adolescents ages 4 to 18 should consume 25 to 35 percent of their total daily calories. They further suggest that when it comes to child nutrition, most fats come from healthier sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
Calcium
Calcium is essential for building healthy bones and teeth in children. It is also essential for blood clotting and nervous, muscle, and heart function. Foods that contain calcium include:
- Milk
- Cheese
- Yoghurt
- Ice cream
- Yolk
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Bean curd
- Add calcium orange juice
- Fortified plant-based milk
- Fortified cereals
The FDA recommends that children ages 1 to 3 consume 700 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day, while children over the age of 4 should aim for 1,300 mg per day.
Iron
Iron is essential for children’s nutrition because it helps build healthy blood that carries oxygen to cells throughout the body. What’s more, having adequate iron stores can reduce the risk of anemia. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), children between the ages of 1 and 3 should consume about 7 mg of iron per day, while older children should consume 8 to 10 mg. 7 Adolescents should consume 11 mg; However, adolescents who have already started menstruation should be close to 15 mg. Foods high in iron include:
- Red meat
- Poultry (especially black meat)
- Shellfish
- Whole grains
- Bean
- Nut
- Iron-fortified cereals
Deficiencies in this nutrient during infancy can lead to delayed mental and social development and difficulty concentrating.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, one of the B vitamins, is essential during pregnancy and is also essential for children’s nutrition due to the important role it plays in the healthy growth and development of children’s cells. A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to folate deficiency anemia. Foods that contain folic acid include:
- Lentil
- Chickpea
- Berry
- Orange juice
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Black beans or kidney beans
- Brussels sprouts
The amount of folic acid a child needs varies depending on their age. For example, according to the NIH, toddlers need 150 micrograms per day (mcg), children ages 4 to 8 need 200 micrograms per day, children ages 9 to 13 need 300 micrograms per day, and older adolescents need 400 micrograms per day.
Fibre
Fiber promotes intestinal regularity in children. In addition, studies have found that it can also reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease and cancer later in life. Fiber also lowers “bad” cholesterol and controls blood sugar. The USDA recommends the following:
- Toddlers 1–3: 14 grams
- Children 4-8 years: 17-20 grams
- Children 9-13 years: 22-25 grams
- Older teenagers: 25-31 grams
Fiber-rich foods include:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole wheat bread and cereals
- Chickpea
- Kidney beans
- Seed
- Nut
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, if your child eats five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, they may get enough fiber.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A has a variety of uses in children’s nutrition. It promotes growth, helps the eyes adapt to dim and bright light, keeps skin healthy, prevents infections, and more. The NIH lists the following recommended intakes for vitamin A:
- Toddlers 1-3 years: 300 mcg
- Children 4-8 years of age: 400 mcg
- Children 9-13 years of age: 600 mcg
- Older adolescents: 900 mcg
Many, but not all, foods that contain high levels of vitamin A tend to be orange and yellow in color. They include:
- Turnip
- Sweet potato
- Squash
- Apricot
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Fish oil
- Egg
- Milk
- Salmon
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is stored in fat in the body.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C does more than just fight the common cold. It also binds the body’s cells together, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, heals wounds, and promotes the strengthening of bones and teeth. According to the NIH, from the age of 4 to 8, a child needs about 25 mg of vitamin C per day, about half the size of a small orange. From age 9 to 13, the recommended daily intake increases to 45 mg, and by teenage age, your child needs 65 to 75 mg of vitamin C per day.
Foods rich in vitamin C include:
- Citrus fruits (such as oranges and grapefruits)
- Orange juice
- Strawberry
- Tomato
- Potato
- Bell pepper
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Hami melon
Vitamin D
Vitamin D not only aids in calcium absorption, but also strengthens bones and teeth. In addition, vitamin D is especially important in children’s nutrition because it promotes cell growth as well as immune and nervous system function. According to the NIH, children over 1 year of age and in their teenage years should consume about 15 micrograms (600IU) of vitamin D per day.
Foods that contain vitamin D include:
- Fortified dairy products (such as milk and some yogurt)
- Fortified cereals
- Fish and fish oil
- Egg
- Fortified orange juice
- Mushroom
- Pork
In addition to food sources, sunlight also provides this essential vitamin. Remember to also use sunscreen to protect your child’s skin from the sun.
Potassium
Potassium regulates a variety of bodily functions, including heart rhythm, nervous system, and muscle contractions. Low levels of potassium can lead to muscle weakness and abnormal heart rate. According to the NIH, children should consume the following amounts of potassium per day:
- Children 1-3 years of age: 2,000 mg
- Children 4-8 years of age: 2,300 mg
- Children 9-13 years of age: 2,300 to 2,500 mg
- Children 14-18 years of age: 2,300 to 3,000 mg
Foods high in potassium include:
- Potato
- Avocado
- Spinach
- Bean
- Acorn pumpkin
- Prune juice
- Milk
- Yogurt salmon
- Banana