Foods that should be part of the daily diet of children up to 5 years old

The first 2, days of life, as the period from conception to 5 years is known, is a critical time for the physical, cognitive, social and emotional health of children.

Several studies show that everything that happens in that period of time can have an impact throughout childhood and even adulthood.

Specialists consulted by BBC News Brazil highlighted, in particular, the importance of a correct diet during this period.

“In the first years of life, every second more than a million new neuronal connections are formed and a healthy diet is essential to determine the performance of this neurological development, in addition to adequate growth and weight gain” says pediatrician Mônica Moretzsohn, from the scientific department of Nutrition of the Brazilian Society Pediatrics (SBP).

Based on interviews with doctors and nutritionists, and consultations with food guides prepared by official agencies, we tell you everything a child should eat on a daily basis to ensure adequate nutrition.

Breast milk

Up to six months of age, doctors recommend breastfeeding exclusive.

No water or tea should be offered. “Breast milk is enough,” says José Nélio Cavinatto, a pediatrician at the Albert Einstein Hospital.

Breast milk is the only one that contains antibodies and other substances capable of protecting the child from many diseases, such as diarrhoea, respiratory infections and allergies.

In addition, it reduces the risk of developing asthma, type 2 diabetes and obesity in adulthood.

According to the specialist, it is necessary for the mother to take special care with her own feeding when breastfeeding, with in order to ensure nutritious milk.

“The mother needs to ingest sufficient and quality calories. We recommend, for example, eating an egg a day and a fish a week, to ensure the supply of important nutrients for brain development”, he says.

The doctor also recommends avoiding excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods and , if necessary, take vitamin D, omega and iron supplements.

“These supplements are expensive and we know that not everyone can have access, therefore the importance of mothers ingesting as many nutrients as possible in their diet”, he clarifies.

For children with some restriction or inability to receive breast milk, it is indicated to give them formula milk.

The World Health Organization ( WHO) recommends breastfeeding for 2 years or more.

The first foods should be introduced after six months of age, according to the SBP.

The body recommends supplementing breast milk with porridge and fruit puree once a day at 6 months and twice a day at 7 and 8 months.

From the ninth month, the recommendation is to gradually switch to family meals with adjustments in the consistency of food and condiments.

This meal must include cereals or tubers, legumes, animal proteins, vegetables and oil. It can be seasoned with parsley, chives, rosemary and basil, but without adding salt.

“Healthy dish”

With the introduction of food, experts say that it is necessary to pay attention to the variety of nutrients that children consume.

To do this, it is recommended to use a scheme that divides food into groups and recommends the amounts indicated for consumption.

According to Moretzsohn, the so-called “healthy plate scheme” should be used in planning the two main meals of the day: lunch and dinner, and can serve as a guide not only for infant feeding, but for life.

Stephanie Amaral, officer of Health of Unicef ​​in Brazil, also highlights that, in addition to taking care of the variety of food, parents must be aware of the origin of what is consumed.

“It is necessary to look for a healthy diet, free of processed and industrialized, that is, with a minimum consumption of sweeteners and other artificial elements”, says the nutritionist .

Vegetables

The foods that cannot be missing, both in the meals of children and adults, are vegetables, which should represent at least the 50% of plate.

The SBP recommends that children from 1 to 2 years old consume two servings per day, and that children from 2 to 5 years old consume three servings daily.

Moretzsohn explains that it is very important to vary the foods from this group throughout the week, but ideally parents offer them to their children every day.

Between the vegetables, those of ho Jas are a good source of fiber and vitamins and minerals such as folic acid and iron.

“Iron is essential for neurological development in early childhood and fundamental for several metabolic processes that are especially important in this period of life”, says the doctor.

The deficiency of this nutrient is one of the most common in the world. In its most severe form, it is known as iron deficiency anemia and can have a major impact on the cognitive development of children.

Folic acid is essential for the development of the central nervous system, and its deficiencies can be detrimental to children’s cognition and, in severe cases, irreversible.

The lack of fiber in the diet has been linked to a series of disorders in children, such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies and immune system problems.

According to experts, children who do not get enough daily amounts of vitamin C may be more likely to have skin damage, anemia, bleeding gums, poor wound healing, tooth loss, brittle bones, and low resistance to infections.

Meanwhile, “vitamin A deficiency is one of the main causes of preventable blindness in children under 5 years of age”, says Moretzsohn.

Among vegetables, there are examples such as pumpkin and carrot, which are carotenoids and good sources of vitamin A. Eggplant has calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin B5.

Broccoli offers vitamins A, C and K and is rich in potassium.

Cereals and tubers

The group of cereals and tubers, which should represent around the 000% of the children’s plate, includes corn, rice, oats, wheat, pasta, flour, bread, yams, potatoes and cassava.

According to the doctor Cavinatto, this group represents important and healthy sources of lipids and vitamins, but especially carbohydrates.

They are the main suppliers of energy to be used by the body in the growth, development and daily activities of children.

The lack of carbohydrates can cause discouragement and bad mood. Excessive consumption, on the other hand, can cause obesity, diabetes and even heart problems, in children in the most serious cases.

Pediatricians recommend that carbohydrates represent the 50% to the 60% of the total calories consumed each day by the little ones.

It is recommended that children from 1 to 2 years consume three servings a day, those from 2 to 3 years old five servings and those from 4 to 5 years four servings.

“It is important to vary the foods from the , because each carbohydrate has a different composition”, says Moretzsohn.

Meat and eggs

Doctors and nutritionists too recommend the presence of meat or eggs in the two main meals of children. These items should represent about ⅛ of the plate.

According to the SBP, children from 1 to 3 years old should eat two servings of meat or eggs a day. Among the little ones from 4 to 5 years old, the recommendation is a portion.

The meat can be beef, chicken, pork or fish, depending on experts consulted by BBC News Brazil.

“Meats are usually the main sources of iron”, explains the SBP pediatrician.

Animal proteins are also usually the largest providers of vitamin B. This nutrient is especially important in childhood, when its deficiency can have implications for growth and immune response and anemia.

According to Cavinatto, fish is also an important provider of docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, which, among other things, helps in the “fluidity” of electrical impulses in the network of neurons, which is of vital importance in brain and cognitive development.

Studies also show that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found mainly in salmon and sardines, are important for the development of the central nervous system and the retina and in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity and hypertension.

Experts point out that the cheapest cuts of chicken and red meat also provide the nutrients that the little ones need.

“The egg is also a food that is very rich in protein, but it is not very rich in iron, so it cannot be used as the sole source of protein for children”, warns Moretzsohn.

Legumes

The rest of the children’s plate should be filled with legumes, which according to experts should occupy about ⅛ of the total.

Some examples of foods from the group are beans, lentils, chickpeas and soybeans.

Legumes are nutritionally very rich foods. They contain many vitamins and minerals, especially iron, zinc and magnesium.

Magnesium deficiency can cause fatigue and drowsiness. Meanwhile, the lack of zinc can cause a lack of appetite, reduced smell and taste, as well as deficiencies in the immune system.

“It is very good to vary the consumption of legumes. But if a child only likes beans or the family can only offer him one, that’s fine.”

Vegetable oils

Vegetable oils must be present in infant food as condiments or in food preparation.

Some of the most common options are olive oil and oils of canola, sunflower, soybean, corn, linseed, coconut, rice bran and cottonseed.

The SBP pediatrician explains that each vegetable oil has a different composition and therefore offers different nutrients.

“Olive oil is rich in omega 9, while soybean, canola, corn, sunflower and flaxseed offer more omega 3”, he says.

Fruits

Fruits are essential for children and they should be offered as a dessert option, for breakfast or as a snack.

For children from 1 to 5 years old, the SBP recommends the intake of 3 servings of fruit per day.

It is also indicated to offer natural fruit juices. But, according to nutritionists, it should not replace the consumption of water or fresh fruit.

The type of fruit to offer must respect regional characteristics, cost, time of year and the presence of fibers .