Is your child getting all the key nutrients essential for his/her proper growth and development, especially in those early picky eating phases? As parents, taking care of your child’s food habits is of utmost concern. So, ensure nourishing your child’s daily diet with a mix of all essential minerals. But, you must also remember that there’s one mineral, in particular, that plays a crucial role in boosting your child’s immunity and nutrition levels – Iron. The overall health and development of babies and kids is greatly dependant on the right intake of iron since their early childhood days. It carries oxygen to the body’s tissues and keeps the cells healthy and functional. It also helps the brain and nerves to develop properly. A lack of proper iron stores in your child’s body leads to iron-deficiency anemia – a condition where the blood is deprived of adequate red blood cells leading to a disruption of oxygen supply in the body. As a result, the body starts showing iron-deficiency anemia symptoms such as shortness of breath, paleness, coldness, lack of concentration, and irritability. However, all’s not yet, if you refurbish your child’s diet with a right blend of iron-rich foods and iron supplements for kids. Let’s discuss at length.
5 steps to take to avoid iron-deficiency anemia in your child
Serve a variety of iron-rich foods in meals – The right proportion of animal sources of iron (heme-iron) such as meat, poultry, fish, and plant sources of iron (non-heme iron) such as beans, peas, leafy vegetables are responsible for building your child’s immunity against iron-deficiency anemia. Although our bodies do not easily absorb non-heme iron sources it is best to include some amount of heme-iron in your child’s diet to boost absorption levels.
Watch your child’s milk intake –Milk tends to fill up tummies quickly, leaving lesser space for the body to absorb the nutrients from iron-rich foods. So, instead of serving milk or dairy products such as yogurt and cheese to your child at regular intervals, try serving water in between meals.
Cook in a cast-iron skillet – Cast-iron skillets are a preferable alternative to non-stick pans while cooking meals for your child. Cast-iron skillets conduct heat well and often add iron content to your food while cooking, especially while cooking acidic foods such as tomatoes, etc.
Bring in variation in your child’s meals – If your child is a picky eater, go for replacing bland meals with interesting recipes. For instance, dried fruits can be served with muffins, and your child is going to love it!
Try Iron supplements for kids–Iron supplements for kids help retain elemental iron in your child’s body. This ensures storing optimum iron levels in the body. Iron supplementation, if provided in fair amounts alongside a nutrient-enriched balanced diet, results can work wonders at boosting your child’s iron intake.
The goal is to ensure that your child is provided with the right combination of iron-rich foods and oral iron supplementation in the form of tablets, powder, or capsules. This can help your child stay healthy and resilient to iron deficiency anemia.
