PurebabyRose-Feeding your Bubba.
As a mother of a 10 month old beautiful baby girl, it is very important to me to be aware of what all children need to eat to help them grow and develop properly.
Nutrients are very important to maintain proper health and development in all children.
Essential nutrients you should include in your babies diet when planning meals.
Iron is a critical nutrient that is responsible for proper brain development and if your baby does not get enough of the iron they could lack important motor skills.
Foods high in iron are Tuna, sardines, canned salmon, cracked wheat ,wheat germ, cornmeal, millet, brown rice, farina, bran, breads, iron fortified cereals, breast milk and iron fortfied infant formula, broccoli, mushrooms, meat and poultry, spinanch, broccoli, egg yolks, dried fruit, figs apricots, prunes. raisins, tofu.
Calcium is another essential nutrient that your baby is going to need. Calcium is essential for proper bone growth and development of bone mass.
Breastfeeding is the best way to meet your baby's calcium needs. Infant formula provides calcium for babies who can not be breastfed. Milk, yogurt and cheese are very high in calcium. Other good sources include calcium enriched orange juice, rice beverages, and soy beverages
Zinc is also a nutrient that is essential for your baby, and is essential for brain cognition as well as development. Zinc is a nutrient that helps cells grow and repair while also maintaining a proper immune system function.
Baby formula is a great source of zinc, which is not found in breast milk. If you are breast feeding it is important you supplement your own milk with baby formula to ensure your baby is getting the essential zinc nutrients. Once your baby is old enough for solid foods, you can introduce fortified cereals, turkey, eggs, fish, whole milk, and cheese into their diet to ensure that they are getting the proper amounts of zinc.
Vitamins A, E, D, and K are also essential nutrients that your baby will need and is essential for a healthy baby. Vitamin D helps calcium be absorbed into the body and helps facilitate bone growth while E vitamins provide antioxidant powers that help cell growth and nervous system development. Vitamin A is essential for vision and healthy skin and K vitamins are essential in helping the blood clot properly.
If you breast feed your baby you should give them a supplement of D vitamins to make sure they get the right amount. Once your baby becomes old enough to get more solid foods, they will get enough of these vitamins as long as they eat enough fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat.
Vitamins C and B are also essential for your baby to get and vitamin C helps improve iron absorption while B vitamins are important for your immune system and nervous system.
Vitamin C and B are found in many foods such as meat, poultry, vegetables, and whole grains so you should give your baby a variety of foods once solids are introduced. You can also get these vitamins in breast milk and baby formula if your baby is too young for solid foods
Vegetarian Baby
When and why should we introduce meat into a babies diet?
Meat is one of the best sources of complete protein available. Along with meat, some excellent sources of protein are eggs, nuts, and dairy products. If you choose not to introduce Meat into your babies diet protein is also found in plants such as legumes, some vegetables, grains and even in fruits - though many of these sources of proteins are considered incomplete proteins.
Whether or not you choose to introduce meat into your baby's diet prior to 12 months of age, if at all, is entirely a personal decision. Rest assured however that meat itself is not a necessity in an infants diet , Protein is the necessity. Your child can receive all the proteins needed by combing the foods that contain both the complete and the incomplete proteins without ever having to eat meat.
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Raising a Vegetarian baby
Although many parents, and even some Paediatrician’s, think that it is unhealthy for children to be on vegetarian diets, if well planned, a vegetarian diet can provide all of the nutrients that your child needs to be healthy.
Types of vegetarians:
There are actually many different types of vegetarians, ranging from those that just avoid red meat (semi-vegetarian) to vegans, who do not eat any foods that contain animal products.
Semi or partial vegetarian: avoids red meat only
Ovo-lacto-vegetarian: avoids meat, seafood and poultry, but does consume milk products and eggs
Lacto-vegetarian: avoids meat, seafood and poultry and eggs, but does consume milk products
Ovo-vegetarian: avoids meat, seafood and poultry and milk products, but does consume eggs
Vegan: avoids all foods that contain animal products, including meat, seafood and poultry, milk products and eggs
Vegetarian diets can lead to health problems in children and deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals if the diet is not well planned. And the more restrictive the diet, the higher the risk of problems. It may be helpful to see a nutritionist that specializes in vegetarian diets for children, especially if your child's diet is very restrictive, such as a macrobiotic diet.
Some areas that you should pay special attention to if your child is on a vegetarian diet include:
Energy/Calories. Vegetarian diets may have less calories than diets that include meat and dairy products. Although it isn't necessary to count calories each day, you should ensure that your child is receiving enough calories for their optimal growth. In general, if your child is eating a well balanced and varied vegetarian diet, is gaining weight and developing normally and is active, with a lot of energy, then he is probably getting enough calories.
Vitamin B12. This vitamin is only absorbed from animal products, so your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with Vitamin B12 (check nutrition labels), including fortified soy milk and some meat substitutes. Also, nutritional yeast as a great way to get B-12.
Vitamin D. This vitamin is present in fortified milk, egg yolks, and fish. Your body also makes Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, so most children do not have problems with Vitamin D deficiency. If your child is not exposed to the sun very often, then you should consider Vitamin supplements or a soy milk that is fortified with Vitamin D.
Iron. In general, the absorption of iron from meat, chicken and fish is much higher, around 15-30%, than other sources, which have absorption rates of only about 5%. This means that even though some vegetables and fruits contain iron, it is usually not absorbed as readily as the iron from meats. Check the nutrition label to choose foods high in iron, choose foods that are fortified with iron (cereals, bread, rice, and pasta) and consider a vitamin suppletment that contains iron.
Calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is mostly present in your child's bones. Having a diet with foods that are high in calcium to meet daily requirements is necessary for the development of strong bones. It is also an important way to prevent the development of osteoporosis in adults. Many vegetables contain calcium, especially broccoli, sweet potatoes, great northern and navy beans, and leafy greens. You can also give your child soy milk or orange juice that is fortified with extra calcium.
Protein. You can make sure that your child gets enough protein and amino acids by eating a good balance of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, vegetables and fruits.
Zinc. Your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with zinc to get enough of this important mineral, since the best sources of zinc are meat and yogurt. Zinc is also found in whole grains, brown rice, legumes, and spinach
Vegan babies/children
Raising Vegan Children...
A vegan does not eat any foods that contain animal products. This means no beef, chicken, fish, pork or veal; no milk, cheese, butter, eggs, sour cream, or cottage cheese.
Instead a vegan eats fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and legumes.
Is a vegan diet healthy for an active, growing child? Absolutely.
Children raised on a vegan diet eat more fruits and vegetables than their meat-eating counterparts. They are sick less often, and don't have as many food allergies. Even vegan junk food is healthier than regular junk food, containing fruit juice instead of sugar, and whole wheat flour instead of white flour.
Feeding Vegan Babies
The breast milk of vegan women is refreshingly void of many toxins and pesticides that are found in the breast milk of meat-eating women. This affords a vegan baby an even better chance for short and long term health.
Feeding Vegan Infants
The first foods any child eats are usually mashed fruits, soft veggies, and iron fortified rice cereals. All of these items are vegan so nothing special needs to be said for starting solids. Avoiding cow's milk and eggs are probably good advice for the first year of any child's life anyway. After that, simply give your vegan child samples of food from your own plate and see what she likes.
Feeding Vegan Children
As your child gets older you can incorporate the things most kids enjoy eating. Below are some suggestions for things most vegan children will enjoy and will ensure that he has a well balanced and varied diet:
French fries
Burgers, hot dogs and sandwich slices made of tofu and other meat substitutes
Whole wheat bread (3-4 slices each day)
Grilled soy cheese sandwiches
Mashed potatoes
Veggie pizzas with soy cheese
Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon
Pancakes with pure maple syrup
Vegetables, including green leafy and deep yellow vegetables
Baked potato with broccoli and tofu sour cream (non dairy)
Rice and beans
Spinach lasagna
Calcium-fortified orange juice
Calcium-fortified soy milk (3 cups each day).
Iron-fortified cereal with calcium-fortified soy milk
supplements: a vegan multivitamin to provide Vitamin B12 and zinc, and extra iron and calcium
Fruits, cut up into bite sized pieces for children under 4 (4-5 1/2 cup servings with at least 2 servings of citrus fruit or juice each day)
Trail mix
Fresh berries and sorbet (all fruit without sugar)
Fruit smoothies
Popcorn
Vegans can't eat white sugar, and most candy is made with it. But there are some vegan chocolate companies that make some good stuff, and a gummy bear substitute that isn't bad made with fruit juice. Vegan cakes, donuts, cookies, and pies are abundant though.
Calories.
Vegan diets may have less calories than diets that include meat and dairy products. Although it isn't necessary to count calories each day, you should ensure that your child is receiving enough calories for their optimal growth. In general, if your child is eating a well balanced and varied vegan diet, is gaining weight and developing normally and is active, with a lot of energy, then he is probably getting enough calories.
Vitamin B12. This vitamin is only absorbed from animal products, so your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with Vitamin B12 (check nutrition labels), including fortified soy milk and some meat substitutes. Also, nutritional yeast as a great way to get B-12.
Vitamin D. This vitamin is present in fortified milk, egg yolks, and fish. Your body also makes Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, so most children do not have problems with Vitamin D deficiency. If your child is not exposed to the sun very often, then you should consider Vitamin supplements or a soy milk that is fortified with Vitamin D.
Calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is mostly present in your child's bones. Having a diet with foods that are high in calcium to meet daily requirements is necessary for the development of strong bones. It is also an important way to prevent the development of osteoporosis in adults. Many vegetables contain calcium, especially broccoli, sweet potatoes, great northern and navy beans, and leafy greens. You can also give your child soy milk or orange juice that is fortified with extra calcium.
Protein. You can make sure that your child gets enough protein and amino acids by eating a good balance of grains and legumes.
Zinc. Your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with zinc to get enough of this important mineral, since the best sources of zinc are meat and yogurt. Zinc is also found in whole grains, brown rice, legumes, and spinach.
Although many parents, and even some Paediatrician’s, think that it is unhealthy for children to be on vegetarian diets, if well planned, a vegetarian diet can provide all of the nutrients that your child needs to be healthy.
Types of vegetarians:
There are actually many different types of vegetarians, ranging from those that just avoid red meat (semi-vegetarian) to vegans, who do not eat any foods that contain animal products.
Semi or partial vegetarian: avoids red meat only
Ovo-lacto-vegetarian: avoids meat, seafood and poultry, but does consume milk products and eggs
Lacto-vegetarian: avoids meat, seafood and poultry and eggs, but does consume milk products
Ovo-vegetarian: avoids meat, seafood and poultry and milk products, but does consume eggs
Vegan: avoids all foods that contain animal products, including meat, seafood and poultry, milk products and eggs
Vegetarian diets can lead to health problems in children and deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals if the diet is not well planned. And the more restrictive the diet, the higher the risk of problems. It may be helpful to see a nutritionist that specializes in vegetarian diets for children, especially if your child's diet is very restrictive, such as a macrobiotic diet.
Some areas that you should pay special attention to if your child is on a vegetarian diet include:
Energy/Calories. Vegetarian diets may have less calories than diets that include meat and dairy products. Although it isn't necessary to count calories each day, you should ensure that your child is receiving enough calories for their optimal growth. In general, if your child is eating a well balanced and varied vegetarian diet, is gaining weight and developing normally and is active, with a lot of energy, then he is probably getting enough calories.
Vitamin B12. This vitamin is only absorbed from animal products, so your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with Vitamin B12 (check nutrition labels), including fortified soy milk and some meat substitutes. Also, nutritional yeast as a great way to get B-12.
Vitamin D. This vitamin is present in fortified milk, egg yolks, and fish. Your body also makes Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, so most children do not have problems with Vitamin D deficiency. If your child is not exposed to the sun very often, then you should consider Vitamin supplements or a soy milk that is fortified with Vitamin D.
Iron. In general, the absorption of iron from meat, chicken and fish is much higher, around 15-30%, than other sources, which have absorption rates of only about 5%. This means that even though some vegetables and fruits contain iron, it is usually not absorbed as readily as the iron from meats. Check the nutrition label to choose foods high in iron, choose foods that are fortified with iron (cereals, bread, rice, and pasta) and consider a vitamin suppletment that contains iron.
Calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is mostly present in your child's bones. Having a diet with foods that are high in calcium to meet daily requirements is necessary for the development of strong bones. It is also an important way to prevent the development of osteoporosis in adults. Many vegetables contain calcium, especially broccoli, sweet potatoes, great northern and navy beans, and leafy greens. You can also give your child soy milk or orange juice that is fortified with extra calcium.
Protein. You can make sure that your child gets enough protein and amino acids by eating a good balance of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, vegetables and fruits.
Zinc. Your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with zinc to get enough of this important mineral, since the best sources of zinc are meat and yogurt. Zinc is also found in whole grains, brown rice, legumes, and spinach
Vegan babies/children
Raising Vegan Children...
A vegan does not eat any foods that contain animal products. This means no beef, chicken, fish, pork or veal; no milk, cheese, butter, eggs, sour cream, or cottage cheese.
Instead a vegan eats fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and legumes.
Is a vegan diet healthy for an active, growing child? Absolutely.
Children raised on a vegan diet eat more fruits and vegetables than their meat-eating counterparts. They are sick less often, and don't have as many food allergies. Even vegan junk food is healthier than regular junk food, containing fruit juice instead of sugar, and whole wheat flour instead of white flour.
Feeding Vegan Babies
The breast milk of vegan women is refreshingly void of many toxins and pesticides that are found in the breast milk of meat-eating women. This affords a vegan baby an even better chance for short and long term health.
Feeding Vegan Infants
The first foods any child eats are usually mashed fruits, soft veggies, and iron fortified rice cereals. All of these items are vegan so nothing special needs to be said for starting solids. Avoiding cow's milk and eggs are probably good advice for the first year of any child's life anyway. After that, simply give your vegan child samples of food from your own plate and see what she likes.
Feeding Vegan Children
As your child gets older you can incorporate the things most kids enjoy eating. Below are some suggestions for things most vegan children will enjoy and will ensure that he has a well balanced and varied diet:
French fries
Burgers, hot dogs and sandwich slices made of tofu and other meat substitutes
Whole wheat bread (3-4 slices each day)
Grilled soy cheese sandwiches
Mashed potatoes
Veggie pizzas with soy cheese
Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon
Pancakes with pure maple syrup
Vegetables, including green leafy and deep yellow vegetables
Baked potato with broccoli and tofu sour cream (non dairy)
Rice and beans
Spinach lasagna
Calcium-fortified orange juice
Calcium-fortified soy milk (3 cups each day).
Iron-fortified cereal with calcium-fortified soy milk
supplements: a vegan multivitamin to provide Vitamin B12 and zinc, and extra iron and calcium
Fruits, cut up into bite sized pieces for children under 4 (4-5 1/2 cup servings with at least 2 servings of citrus fruit or juice each day)
Trail mix
Fresh berries and sorbet (all fruit without sugar)
Fruit smoothies
Popcorn
Vegans can't eat white sugar, and most candy is made with it. But there are some vegan chocolate companies that make some good stuff, and a gummy bear substitute that isn't bad made with fruit juice. Vegan cakes, donuts, cookies, and pies are abundant though.
Calories.
Vegan diets may have less calories than diets that include meat and dairy products. Although it isn't necessary to count calories each day, you should ensure that your child is receiving enough calories for their optimal growth. In general, if your child is eating a well balanced and varied vegan diet, is gaining weight and developing normally and is active, with a lot of energy, then he is probably getting enough calories.
Vitamin B12. This vitamin is only absorbed from animal products, so your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with Vitamin B12 (check nutrition labels), including fortified soy milk and some meat substitutes. Also, nutritional yeast as a great way to get B-12.
Vitamin D. This vitamin is present in fortified milk, egg yolks, and fish. Your body also makes Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, so most children do not have problems with Vitamin D deficiency. If your child is not exposed to the sun very often, then you should consider Vitamin supplements or a soy milk that is fortified with Vitamin D.
Calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is mostly present in your child's bones. Having a diet with foods that are high in calcium to meet daily requirements is necessary for the development of strong bones. It is also an important way to prevent the development of osteoporosis in adults. Many vegetables contain calcium, especially broccoli, sweet potatoes, great northern and navy beans, and leafy greens. You can also give your child soy milk or orange juice that is fortified with extra calcium.
Protein. You can make sure that your child gets enough protein and amino acids by eating a good balance of grains and legumes.
Zinc. Your child will need to take supplements or eat foods that are fortified with zinc to get enough of this important mineral, since the best sources of zinc are meat and yogurt. Zinc is also found in whole grains, brown rice, legumes, and spinach.
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