Lead study author Minghua Tang, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at University of Colorado Denver-Anschutz, in the US said, "Meat, such as pork, provides important micronutrients, is an excellent source of protein and can be an important complementary food for infants who are ready for solid foods." She added by saying: "Our research suggests introducing higher amounts of protein and introducing meat, such as pork, into the diet at five months could be potentially beneficial for linear growth (length gain)".
The researchers had conducted the study by increasing the protein-intake of a group of infants between five and 12 months old. The protein-intake of the kids in the sample size was increased from two grams per Kg per day before the study, to three grams per Kg, per day. While one part of the group was fed protein-rich foods in the form of pureed meats, the other part was fed dairy-based complementary foods. While the amount of protein was increased, the amount of fat and calorie-intake was kept the same for both parts of the group.
The study found that protein-rich meals like pureed meats promoted greater rate of length gain than dairy-based foods in the infants. The results showed that the group that ate more protein-rich meat showed a length growth of an inch more than the group that was fed the other type of food.
(With IANS inputs)
Protein-Rich Superfoods Perfect For Your Summer Diet Watch: Little Girl Caught Gorging On Food From Fridge, Her Reaction Is Epic Protein Diet: 5 Easy Ways To Add More Proteins To Your Evening Snacks Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death "Strong Indications" Bangladesh Security Forces Used "Unnecessary" Force: UN Delhi Experienced 15 Consecutive Days Of Rainfall, Says Weather Department Pilot Dies After Plane Crashes During Aerobatic Show In France Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.