Why your toddler should be a fathead

Your child will need healthy bones and muscles and making sure they get enough play time in the park is important so they grow up as happy and healthy members of society who will live a long, happy and useful life. While their little muscles have some specific nutritional requirements you need to cultivate, both Mom and Dad can’t overlook the fact their toddler’s brains are sprouting along with their physical bodies and need some healthy fuels of their own to keep pace.

Breast milk and formula contain everything your child needs for the first few months of life but by the time they are six months old, solid food becomes the best way to encourage the billions of brain cell connections being made at this stage of their young lives . This is where Mom and Dad need to start putting together a menu with the right ingredients to foster their developing grey matter.

Healthy food for kids

Concentration is one of the foundation blocks that needs to be put in place and the protein and nutrients in eggs are a great food to lay the groundwork for a smart toddler who will grow into an accomplished adult. Young children need about 11grams of protein a day and the protein/carb combo of scrambled eggs and whole grain bread will give your son or daughter the clean energy they need to get through the next part of their day without a sugar induced crash.

Healthy snacks for kids

Remember that fun food and healthy food options that are good for their brains don’t need to be in opposite corners. Greek Yogurt is another excellent protein-laden option that becomes irresistible to young growing children when dark chocolate chips are added. These contain the polyphenols that increase the blood flow to grease the wheels of mental development even further.

You should also encourage your child to be a fathead. Now, while there are parents out there who call their whirling-dervish-two-year-olds just that, we’re talking about another one of the essential ingredients for a healthy brain menu. Mom and Dad need to understand their child’s grey matter is 70% fat and there are certain types like omega-3 fatty acids that are essential to proper development and mental health. Greens are one of the best choices here and smoothies or lasagna made with spinach is a great way to get this important food into their mental mix.

Memory loss

Those omega-3s are essential to building a brain that’s protected from memory loss later in life and fish is an excellent way to start. While they might hold their noses up to salmon, herring and sardines if you present those options in their natural form, offering dipping sauces and/or adding these healthy foods to tacos will almost certainly pique your toddler’s interest.

Don’t forget fruit. Apples and plums are excellent ways to satisfy your young children’s craving for sweets while supplying even more of those antioxidants that help to develop that most important organ that will guide them through their lives.

 

Read more info like this at All My Children.
Author: Rob Starr