According to health statistics in Ireland, Many children do not meet the dietary recommendations for their fruit and vegetables. To make matters worse, one fifth of an Irish child’s energy intake comes from sugary drinks, biscuits, confectionary, chocolate and cake. With these statistics in mind, it can be worrying for parents to wonder if they children are getting their RDA’s especially of important nutrients like Iron.
Iron: The Buzzword in Today’s Toddler’s Nutrition
If you have a toddler, and especially a one year old, you may be familiar with the some of the latest Irish Research that is telling us our toddlers are not getting enough iron (IUNA 2012). As a mum of a fussy-eater one year old, I wondered if my daughter was getting enough iron, and how would I know if she wasn’t?
- Iron is crucial for your baby’s brain development, as it is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
- Best sources: dark leafy greens (spinach and kale), beans and pulses (white beans and lentils), seeds (pumpkin/sunflower/chia), nuts, whole grains (quinoa and oats), meats (NIH 2015).
Know how to spot deficiency: Your toddler will be pale and showing signs of unusual tiredness, irritability and poor appetite. This could prove difficult for parents, as many toddlers can display these symptoms every other day. It is important if you suspect iron deficiency to request a blood test diagnosis from your GP.
7 Tips on how to increase your toddler’s iron intake:
- Add to porridge: milled or crushed sunflower/pumpkin/chia seeds, a tsp desiccated coconut (source of iron) and a sprinkle of raspberries (almost double the iron of blueberries!)
- Make your toddler a daily delicious fruit/veg smoothie, packed with Vitamin C (which increases iron absorption)
- Add white beans/butterbeans/chickpeas to homemade vegetable soups
- Add lentils when you’re making shepherd’s pie and cooked quinoa to casseroles!
- If you choose to give your toddler cow’s milk / growing up milk / alternative milks such as coconut or nut milks that are fortified with calcium, offer them in-between meals, as calcium interferes with the absorption of iron.
- Try not to give your toddler too much bread/bread products throughout the day. Phytates in bread block iron absorption. –Or always give them an orange (Vit C) with their bread!
- Do not be tempted to give your toddler tea. Not only is the caffeine unsuitable, but the tannins in tea also block iron absorption
This tip was brought to you by Nutritional Therapist Donna Walsh.
You can find more tips on children’s health here – https://www.facebook.com/Niabia-386325258229622/timeline/
