So, did your little one just step into the toddler phase? He must have already started to walk around the house and mouth some words. Even though the pace of overall growth in babies gets slower after the first year, it is still important for them to receive the right nutrition to support their health and development.
Here is a guide to the macronutrient needs of your 1-year-old baby:
Protein is an essential nutrient that helps your child with growth and development of muscles, tissues, cells, and organs as well as his immunity against disease and infection-causing pathogens. Include foods like meat/poultry, fish, beans, peas, nuts, eggs, milk and other dairy products etc. in your little one’s meals to provide enough protein.
Another important nutrient that is a must for growing children is fats or lipids. These not only provide great amounts of energy but also store energy for later use. Fats are also essential for functions like brain and organ development. The foods that contain fats essential for your little one are meat, fish, cooking oils, nuts, fruits like avocado, olive, and coconut.
One of the most important sources of energy for your baby is carbohydrates. They are broken down to Glucose, which provides the energy required to carry out the body functions. Include foods with more fibre and starch into your baby’s diet. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates are dairy products, fruits, grains, legumes, starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and corn) etc.
Your child also needs fibre-rich foods that will help with bowel movement and digestive health, such as chickpeas, seeds, lentils, kidney beans, whole-grain cereals, and nuts etc.
Macronutrient needs should be met through a balanced diet - one that includes all or most of the food groups in each meal, so that your child has enough energy as well as the right nutrition for healthy growth. As one can see, there are many foods that your child needs to consume to meet the macronutrient needs, but there is only so much a child can eat as children have a limited stomach capacity. Hence, it is crucial that the child is fed nutrient-dense foods such as fortified cereals to keep up with the growing demands.
Read Part 2 here, which will give you a guide to vitamins and minerals for your little one!
Disclaimer: All the information provided in the blog is for reference purposes only. Please do not consider this as a medical advice. Start Healthy Stay Healthy programme is for educational purposes only, in partnership with doctors. Always consult a doctor if you have any questions related to your own health or the health of your child.