Sussanna Ngodoo Jacob
Giving your child an early start with healthy nutrition is crucial. Like adult children also require good amount of nutrients in their diet routine for proper growth, repair, development and maintain good health in general!
Without adequate nutrition a child’s diet is incomplete and may affect all their growth, development, weaken their immune system and even affect their intelligent quotient (IQ)
Nutrients are the elements in foods that offer the needed fuel for the bodily to utilize, also nutrients harnessed from whole plant-based foods are said to absorb better that those created in the laboratory. it is therefore important to understand how to source these nutrients from foods and what foods offer better potency of some of the nutrients listed below.
Some eessential nutrients in a child’s diet plan and their healthier food sources:
1.Protein
2.vitamins-A
3. Iron
4.Vitamin – B
5.Vitamin-C
6.Calcium
7. Vitamin – D
8. Vitamin-E
9. Folate
10. Vitamin – K
11.Zinc,etc
1. Vitamin A:
Vitamin-B is available in a variety of plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables (leafy & root vegetables) such as berries, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.
Vitamin A helps strengthens the immune system, supports eyesight, healthy skin, growth and development of a child’s mental and physical well-being.
2. Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
Vitamin-B 1 is available in especially plant-based food sources such as wholegrain and breads’ especially sprouted bread such as Ezekiel bread
Vitamin-B 1 supports overall health in multiples ways especially the nervous system and muscles function, and the release of energy from foods to the body.
3. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin – B2 Is also available in multiple foods such as eggs, wholegrain breads, milk, yoghurt, meat, etc. This vitamin assists multiple bodily functions especially the release of energy from food for the body to utilize.
4. Vitamin- B3 (niacin)
Like all the other vitamins Vitamin – B3 is also present in multiple food sources such as, yeast, nuts, meat, fish, chicken, etc. It offers similar benefits to the other B-complex groug of vitamins. It helps release energy from food for the body to utilize.
5. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin- B6 is available in a variety of foods such as vegetables, nuts, A meat, fish, wholegrain, etc.
Vitamin – B6 is key to promoting good health.
Among its numerous benefits it especially supports the releases of energy from protein and helps with red blood cell production and brain function.
6. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
This is one of the most essential vitamins especially for vegans (people who consume no animal food sources in their diet plan)
Vitamin-B12 is mostly available in animal foods including meat, fish, eggs and milk.
Vitamin B12 works as a co-factor vitamin along side iron to support the production of red blood cell and promotes growth.
7. Vitamin-C
Vitamin-C is available is available in multiple foods such as fruits and vegetables. It is especially abounding in citrus fruits like kiwi, lemon, lime, pineapple, oranges, Strawberries and guava.
Vitamin C is known to support iron absorption, promoting a strong immune system, it also supports strengthening of teeth, bones and gums. Unfortunately, vitamin C loses its potency when applied to heat.
8. Vitamin D
Vitamin-D is a very unique vitamin. It is naturally harnessed from sunlight (8_10pm and from 4pm) the other times the sun says are too strong and may cause harm. Our bodies make most of the vitamin D we need with the help of the sun, however when living a sedentary lifestyle due to health challenges a vitamin D supplement is encourage to be taken every day. It can also be harnessed from small oily fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and mushrooms.
Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium to keep bones strong and healthy.
9. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants helps to neutralize free radicals in ordes to protect cell damage. You get vitamin E from nuts, seeds, oils among other foods.
Vitamin-E Supports strengthening your immune system and helps with the development of healthy skin, eyes and a host of other benefits.
11. Vitamin K
Vitamin- K is found in abundance in green leafy vegetables like amaranth leaves (Alefu) , fluted pumpkin(ugwu) and other vegetables such as broccoli. The healthy bacteria in your gut also make vitamin K. Vitamin K is important for helping your blood to clot.
12. Folate Folate is the natural nutrient harnessed from food sources while folic acid is a chemically composition of the nutrient Folate so they are not the same.
Folate is gotten from green leafy vegetables, liver, legumes and wholegrain breads and cereals. Folate helps you absorb protein and form new blood cells and DNA. Getting enough folate before and during pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects. Cooking and processing food – for example, as part of the refining process – reduces the amount of folate in food.
13. Calcium
You get calcium from dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt, fish with edible bones, like sardines and salmon, tofu and some green leafy vegetables, like kale and bok choy. Calcium builds strong bones and teeth.
14. Iodine
Iodine is available in a variety of foods such as seafood, Vegetables grown in iodine-rich soil, iodised salt among others. Iodine is essential for normal growth and tissue development, and helps control the ways your cells make energy and use oxygen. Pregnant women need higher levels of iodine.
15.Iron
You get iron from meat, liver, chicken, seafood, dried beans, egg yolks, etc. It is worthy of note that there are two types of iron, heme. Iron and none- heme iron. None-heme iron is she one harnessed from plant-based foods. None- heme iron usually requires combining the iron rich food with a vitamin C rich food to help make the Iron more absorbable.
Iron is especially important for brain function and red blood cell production, and it also helps carry oxygen around the body.
16. Zinc
You get zinc from meat, chicken, seafood, milk, seeds, tofu and wholegrain cereals.
Zinc helps with growth, wound healing and immune system function.
The nutrients highlighted above are only some of the amazing elements in foods that help support our bodies functions.
We believe that knowledge is power, but attitude is every thing. So we encourage you to get into the attitude of putting knowledge acquired into practice.
Your health, our passion!!
