Very Involved Parents (VIP)

As a parent, I am sure you will agree with me that all parents want their children to grow up to be healthy as well as developed into confident and well-rounded individuals, right?

Right! In order to make sure your child brain development and physical development are fueled with its essential nutrition and energy, a well balanced diet should be introduced to your young ones since early age.

Parents should pay close attention on the kids diets and eating habits as food are where they get their nutrients from. According to studies by the researchers at Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegenerative Research at the University of Massachusetts, early nutritional intervention and introduction into kids diets, are extremely important for early childhood development.

Here are the optimum lists of food which should be included in the diet for all children above 2 years old, who needs these crucially for their daily activities and development.

Calcium
Calcium is one of the key nutrients which is essential for young children especially those within the age range of 2-5, where their body needs all the necessary calcium for healthy strong bone and teeth development, as well as for healthy muscle development and functioning.

Daily calcium needs in accordance to children age are:

From 2-3 years old – 500 milligrams
From 4-5 years old – 800 mailgrams

It is also wise to introduce calcium rich drinks and snacks such as yogurts, milk, hard cheese as part of their diets to remedy the risk of calcium deficiency which might lead to thinning of osteoporosis later.

Protein
This is the necessary ‘fuel’ for the development of our body tissues. Protein contain amino acids which is responsible for building new cells and tissues, enzymes and human hormones. Protein can largely be found in eggs, fish, meat, milk and chicken. The requirement for protein is highest in infants, and remains high from then onwards till before they reach adolescent.

Iron
Iron is an important ingredient for normal brain development and function, it helps to distribute oxygen to our body cells for healthy development and growth. With iron deficiency, one may suffer from anemia, which may lead to weakness and lack in the ability to concentrate on your youngsters. Help to supplement dark meat, spinach, fortified breads, and grains into their diets to avoid iron deficiency for their substantial growth.

Docosahexaenic Acid (DHA)
DHA constituent 30% of the fatty acids in the brain, which is essential for the development of healthy brain and nervous system as well as for the retina of the eyes. Great memory, sharp visual, creativity, brightness are all closely associated with the supply amount of DHA in our body. The richest sources of DHA are red meats, fatty fish, animal organs and salmon fish.