Nutrition for Child Development – Childhood is the peak of the development and growth of the little one’s body. Knowing like that, a good environmental condition is needed to support the process of growth and development. In addition, one of the factors that will affect your little one’s growth is the nutrition he gets from the food he consumes. There will be no nutrition that can work alone in maximizing children’s growth, because all of them have their respective roles. Children need a variety of nutrients so that their growth can run quickly and normally.
So what are the nutrients needed for child growth and development? Well, in the discussion below we explain what are the nutrients for child development and what foods contain these nutrients.
Nutrition For Child Development
Do you know? Even though your little one is smart to eat and eat three times a day, it does not mean that he will always be healthy. The reason is, it is not certain that the food he eats contains enough nutrients needed for growth and development. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the nutritional needs of your child by preparing healthy food. Before you give healthy food, it is important to know the following important nutrients for child development. (Also read: Healthy Child Diet )
Calcium
One of the important nutrients that children must get is calcium. Calcium has a function to help the growth of children’s bones and make their teeth stronger. In addition, calcium can also maintain muscle function and is beneficial for healthy nerves. Calcium can help the blood clotting process, and can help the body convert food into energy.
Knowing the good benefits of calcium for children, it is important to meet calcium needs for children. You can include food sources of calcium such as fish, cheese and milk in their diet.
Essential Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids have many benefits for children, especially for their growth and development. Essential fatty acids will help in cell formation, blood flow, regulate the nervous system, strong immune system and help the body absorb nutrients.
Fatty acids are also needed to maintain brain function to regulate children’s vision. To get essential fatty acids, you can provide foods that contain these nutrients such as tuna, eggs and nuts.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral needed for children’s growth and health. Magnesium has many health benefits such as stabilizing heart rhythm, keeping bones strong, supporting the immune system and helping muscle and nerve function.
So that your little one gets this important nutrient, you can process foods that contain magnesium such as fish, tofu, vegetables and fruits.
Iron
Iron has a role in producing hemoglobin and myoglobin. If the child is deficient in iron, then he will experience anemia or lack of blood. When the child experiences this condition, he will feel weak, tired and easily irritated. You can provide these nutrients through their food. Some foods that contain iron include egg yolks, fish and meat.
Potassium
The next nutrient for child development is potassium. Potassium is a nutrient that has a role in maintaining blood pressure and controlling water in the body whether it is balanced or not. In addition, potassium helps heart rhythm and muscle function. In the long run, this nutrient will help reduce the risk of osteoporosis and kidney stones.
To get potassium intake, you can give your child some foods that contain potassium such as tomatoes, bananas and milk. (See also: Tips for dealing with difficult children to eat )
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an important nutrient for children that is useful for maintaining eye growth and bone health for the little one. Even this vitamin can protect the body from infection, able to support the health and growth of cells and body tissues such as nails, hair and skin.
To meet your little one’s vitamin A needs, you can give him foods that are a source of this vitamin. Some foods that contain vitamin A include chicken liver, beef, milk and red fruit.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C has benefits for the repair and formation of red blood cells, bones and tissues in the body. In addition, vitamin C can help maintain the health of children’s gums, boost the immune system, help the wound healing process, prevent infection and help the body to absorb iron from food. It is important to meet these nutritional needs and you can get them from pineapples, papayas and melons.
Vitamin D
No less important than other nutrients, vitamin D can help your little one’s body absorb minerals such as calcium for the formation of teeth and strong bones. The development of children’s bone mass is important for you to pay attention to. To meet the needs of vitamin D for children, you can provide foods such as tofu, eggs, tempeh and fish meat.
Vitamin E
In the period of growing children vitamin E is needed to ward off free radicals. As we know free radicals can cause cell damage. Not only that, vitamin E has a role in your little one’s immune system, the body’s metabolic processes and DNA repair. Get enough vitamin E in your child by providing foods such as spinach, avocado and whole grains.
Zinc / Zinc
Zinc (zinc) is a nutrient for child development that is important to fulfill. Zinc is needed by enzymes in the body so that it can carry out its respective functions in the digestive system, child growth and metabolism. You can meet your child’s zinc needs by providing foods such as spinach, tomatoes and broccoli. (See also: How to Increase Your Child’s Immunity )
In order for optimal child development
There are three factors that support and are important for children’s growth, namely nutrition, stimulation and parental love.
Every parent certainly wants the child’s growth and development to run optimally, be smart, healthy, creative and have good behavior. But this would not have happened without the role of the family. The role of a family that is able to optimize children’s growth and development begins when the child is still in the womb. The main thing, even after the child is born, is nutrition. Your role as a mother, of course, is to consume foods that contain balanced nutrition. Meanwhile, a father plays a role in supporting and providing for the needs of the mother during pregnancy.
When your little one is still in the womb, you can provide stimulation. For example, ask the fetus to talk or rub the stomach. Meanwhile, after your little one is born, you can stimulate hi
m by inviting him to play, tell stories or provide good examples. Stimulation affects the brain. That is why children will hear, see, imitate, understand and repeat what their parents or people around them do. To build self-confidence and security in your child, you can give love by hugging, kissing or giving praise.
In addition, the protection or how parents protect their children from disease also has an effect. Protection from parents includes fulfilling nutritional needs, immunization and providing a safe and clean environment for children.
Thus, meeting the nutritional needs for child development is important. You can include foods containing these nutrients in your little one’s diet. Those are some nutrients for child development. Hope it is useful.
This article is reviewed by Midwife Pevi Revina sTR. Keb
