5 Essential Nutrients Your Kids Need For Optimal Mental And Physical Growth

In order to ensure healthy growth and development in children, nutrition must be given the utmost importance. Lack of proper nourishment in the early days can lead to serious health issues later in life. A toddler needs adequate levels of each nutrient to support vital body functions and facilitate mental and physical growth.

If you are struggling to decide how much and what you should feed your toddler, then nutritionist Lovneet Batra shares the recommended dietary allowance for kids aged between 2 and 3 years.  

• Protein - The nutritionist suggests that toddlers' daily intake of protein should be 11.3 grams. This can be ensured by including food like moong dal, rice, and milk in your kid's diet.

• Fat - The recommended daily intake of fat for toddlers is 25 grams. The nutritionist says that if the intake is kept below this level then it can affect the growth in children. Nuts, seeds, A2 milk, and ghee are good sources of fat.

• Calcium - Toddlers need to take at least 500 mg of calcium daily. The requirements of calcium depending on the deposition of the mineral in the body during the growth period. Yoghurt, almonds, and beans are rich in calcium.

• Iron - 8 mg of iron per day has been recommended for toddlers. Sources of nutrients are orange, beetroot, and kidney beans.

• Vitamin A - According to Lovneet Batra, vitamin A level is found to be low in children in India. The recommended daily intake of vitamin A is 390 µg. Foods including sweet potato, carrot, papaya, and mashed potatoes can be given to provide adequate levels of the mineral.

• Vitamin C - Found in fruits like bananas, strawberries, and oranges, the daily recommended intake of vitamin C is 27 mg.

The nutritionist suggests that a toddler of age 2 to 3 years should consume 1,010 kcal per day and the fluid intake should be 1.3 litres daily.

Giving tips on introducing new food to kids, Lovneet Batra says that one should give food to kids every week for 10 days. To make sure that they don't hesitate trying new foods, one can present the food item in mashed or puree form. One can also consider making the food vibrant so that it is appealing to look for the kid while mixing the new food with the old one also helps. Parents should also make their kids choose healthy snacks and ensure that the food is stored well and is available when needed.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.