Some parents are confused about fats, thinking that they should limit fats even in very young children in order to keep their cholesterol level down. But a diet rich in healthy fats is essential for the growing infant, and no wonder why fat-rich breast milk is perfectly programmed by nature to provide exactly the right kind of fat and the right proportion to fulfill this need.

For children less than two years of age, full-fat foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are recommended. Fat provides toddlers with a great source of energy and essential nutrients. Toddlers should not be given low-fat milk, soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk until they are two years old.

The American Heart Association recommends that from the ages of 2 to 3 only 30 to 35 percent of your child’s daily calories come from fat. And since a single gram of fat is equivalent to 9 calories, a 1,300-calorie diet can consist of 43 to 50 g of dietary fat. On average, children between the ages of 2 and 3 can have 1,000 to 1,400 calories a day. Depending on activity level, girls between the ages of 4 to 8 can have 1,200 to 1,800 calories, while boys within the same age range can have 1,400 to 2,000.

All the following foods contain essential oils for children.

• Cow’s milk
• Ghee
• Flaxseeds oils
• Sunflower and sesame oils
• Pumpkin seeds
• Blanched almonds & walnuts
• Soybeans (in the form of tofu, flour ,oil)
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Fresh Herbs

Besides feeding your child’s growing brain, fat is essential for building the bones and muscles. Fats helps in membrane development, cell formation and cell differentiation. Fat also contains antioxidants.

Happy Feeding !

— Deepti Arora —

Deepti Arora, Founder of Deliver Delights, and a Nutrition Consultant for kids is committed to helping parents make real food happen in their homes, understanding their child’s feeding temperaments and helping their child with Extreme Picky Eating.

Here are also some ways to increase your baby’s appetite and help him gain weight.