7 Important Nutrition Tips for Children Under Five

Resilience is about enhancing a child’s ability to bounce back in the face of adversity and not getting stuck in the problem situation. The 5 core pillars of Resilience are Perseverance, Daringness, Resourcefulness, Self-Reliance and Adaptability.  It is very important for a child to be Resilient so that they can succeed in the future despite all the challenges the world thrown at them. However, helping to build and nurture a child’s Resilience is not easy. Firstly, a child must start with a healthy body and immunity plays a very important role in this.

Children who are exposed to outdoor activities are at higher risk of catching germs. Depending on the quality of the air outside or the sanitary conditions they play in, they could catch a cold or worse. That is why it’s important for mothers to provide proper nutrition to help improve the immune system of children under five. As long as their nutritional requirements are fulfilled, you don’t need to worry about your child falling ill or at risk of catching a disease and with this; you can expose your child to the world to help build their Resilience.

What are the necessary nutritional requirements to support your child’s immune system? Read below for more tips.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are food for good bacteria. Prebiotics encourage the good bacteria to multiply and grow exponentially in your child’s body. A healthy level of good bacteria is required to defend child’s body against potentially harmful bacteria. Hence, foods containing prebiotics provide a natural increase for your child’s immune system.

Prebiotics are found naturally in the following foods:

Bananas, Onions, Tomatoes, Asparagus, Chicory, Garlic, Artichokes, Whole-wheat foods

Some growing up milks also contain prebiotics and can help supplement a balanced diet.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that would give your child health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts (a.k.a the good bacteria). These good bacteria help to fight against the bad bacteria which are in your child’s body. Probiotics can be found in various foods such as yogurt that contains “live cultures”, tempeh & cottage cheese that contains “live cultures”

Did you know? Not all Probiotics are the same! The strain designation is important, as different strains of the same species may have different health effects. Probiotics need to be widely studied and the strain must be proven to bring benefits to the gut & immune health. Robust safety profile has been documented in clinical trials for some probiotic strains, such as Bifidobacterium Breve M-16V (BBM-16V).

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are an efficient source of energy. Hence, it’s important to choose good sources of carbohydrates for your child. Sources of good carbohydrates are apples, green beans and sugar snap peas, dairy products, fresh fruits, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, and grains.

Proteins

Protein is a growth nutrient which plays a role in repairing and replacing body tissues. Sources of protein for your child are seafood (e.g. salmon), dairy products (e.g. cheese and yogurt), fabacea (leguminosae) (e.g. soybean, tofu and green beans), beef, poultry meat, eggs, peanut butter, and grains.

Fibre

Fibre is an indigestible part of carbohydrates. It is a natural laxative that helps in emptying bowels easily. Crunchy and chewy foods such as grains and fabacea (leguminosae) are sources of good fibre. Other sources of good fibre are fruits and vegetables.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients for the body. They help with the consumption of food and improve the overall function of the body.

The 13 essential vitamins that are important includes:

● Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium for bone formation
● Iron and copper are needed for blood cell production
● Zinc is needed for body immunity
● Sodium and potassium are needed to regulate water balance of the body.

Fat

Fat functions as the most concentrated source of energy in the body. The development of your child’s brain requires the proper types and right amount of fat. The brain consists of 60% fat and uses up to 60% of your child’s total energy consumption. Some foods that are high in healthy sources of fat are avocado, corn, cheese, fish, coconut and olive oil. 

Now you should have known what to give your child to optimize their immune system. With a strong immune system, they are ready to be exposed to the world to help build their Resilience for their future success.

Want to learn more about Resilience? Click here to find out more!