I have been busy researching recipes for my Little Zoie’s foods that could make her eat more…
Yes, she’s becoming a PICKY-EATER… haist!
Research said that growing children ages one to three can be difficult, especially in meal times. They need to be supplied with healthy foods to develop their body system, so their little bodies can avoid getting sick. Eating the right kind of foods, can help their little bones, teeth and muscle grow strong!
I’m sharing important vitamins and minerals your little tyke needs as they grow:
Vitamins
Vitamin A, this vitamin helps in developing good eyesight, healthy skin, boosting their immunities and, also in cell development.
Vitamin C, helps the immune system of the body, tissue growth, helping wounds to heal, helps our body in absorbing iron in foods, and important for developing healthy bones.
Vitamin D, is one essential vitamin because this vitamin is needed to absorb minerals to our body. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and other minerals. Also, this is required to help the kidneys in functioning well. All of us know that one good source of vitamin D is the sunlight, this should also be part of our children’s dietary supplement.
Vitamin B Group, this is also a very important nutrient. This helps in producing antibodies and red blood cells, required to absorb zinc and Vitamin B12, essential to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and protein.
Minerals
Iron, this is mineral is necessary in production of hemoglobin in red blood cells, also necessary to immune activity. This mineral is also required in the functions of the liver and needed to supply oxygen to the cells.
Calcium, needed for developing strong bones and teeth, required by the brain and the nervous system, also required by the body for the absorption of Vitamin B12. A mineral that is necessary for the structuring of the cells, for the action of the muscles and needed for blood clotting.
Magnesium, helps the body in producing energy, helps in relaxation and the contraction of the body’s muscle (especially the heart), necessary for bone development because it binds the calcium we get from foods to the bones and teeth.
Zinc, this is needed in metabolizing Vitamin A and distributing it to the body, required for growth, energy metabolism, and immunity, and necessary for insulin storage.
Protein, according to experts, it is suggested that toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 only require 16 g of protein a day.
Energy, kids that are active and growing fast needs more energy than kids that are less active. Between the ages of 1 and 3 years, children need about 1300 kcal or 5500 kJ a day.
Also, an important note:
Toddlers have a very small stomach capacity and cannot handle a lot of food at a meal.
Their little tummy is just a size of their small fist, so I’ll be sharing a basic rule in feeding our toddlers, is one tablespoon of each food for every year of life, meaning:
- A 1 year old child would be given one tablespoon at a time of cereal, pureed fruit, cooked meat, cooked vegetable, and one egg, and milk and dairy products in portions of a cup at a time.
- A 2 year old child would be given two tablespoons at a time of the different foods.
- A 3 year old child would be given three tablespoons at a time of the various foods.
With all these, I also researched on foods with rich of these Vitamins and Minerals, will be sharing those foods for the next part of For My Picky-Eater.
source: Vitamins and Minerals for Toddlers, healthy-vitamin-choice.com
September 16th, 2010 
