Healthy fats are vital for your little one’s growth, brain health, and overall well-being. But the key is, knowing what fats should be added to their diet.
For babies, fats from breast milk or formula are essential at first. As your little one gets older, introducing healthy fats like avocados and olive oil is important and oily fish is also a great option.
Here, we’ll be exploring the different fats, where to find them, and how to add them to your child’s meals.
Key Takeaways about How to increase healthy fats intake
- Healthy fats are essential for the optimal growth, brain development, and overall health of babies, toddlers, and children.
- Breast milk and formula provide essential fatty acids for babies in their first months.
- Introducing a variety of healthy fat sources, such as avocados, olive oil, and oily fish, is crucial as children grow.
- Incorporating healthy fats into meals and snacks supports your child’s healthy development and establishes good eating habits for life.
Why fats are essential for your baby's development
Fats are key for your baby’s growth, especially in the first years. As the brain is almost 60% fat, baby’s need fat to help their brain grow fast.
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for babies as they help with eyesight and brain function. These fats also boost their immune system and help fight off sickness and diseases.
Fats help the body use vitamins A, D, E, and K too. These vitamins are important for eyes, bones, and more.
Understanding the different types of fats for your baby
As a parent, knowing about the different fats is key as not all fats are good for your little one…
Saturated fats
- Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products like meat and dairy and while they are needed, too much can harm your baby’s health later. Choose lean meats such as chicken and turkey, and low-fat dairy for your baby’s diet.
Unsaturated fats
- Unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats and support your baby’s brain development and vision. Add foods like avocados and olive oil to your baby’s meals to reap these benefits.
Trans fats
- Trans fats are the least healthy fat. It’s best to avoid foods like biscuits and fried items made from trans fats. Instead, choose whole foods for your baby’s diet.
Best sources of healthy fats for infants and young children
There are many sources of healthy fats for your little one. Each one offers different nutrients to support your baby’s health.
Breast milk and formula
- Breast milk is perfect for infants, as it’s full of essential fatty acids and it changes to meet your baby’s needs at every stage. For those who can’t or don’t want to breastfeed, formula is a good alternative as it has DHA and Arachidonic acid (ARA), just like breast milk.
Avocado
- Avocados are full of healthy fats, great for your baby’s development! They’re creamy and easy to mash making them perfect for first foods and avocados also help your baby absorb vitamins and support their brain and eyes.
Olive oil
- Olive oil is good for the heart and full of healthy fats. It’s great for cooking and adding flavour to your baby’s meals. Use extra virgin olive oil for even more benefits such as antioxidants.
Oily fish
- Oily fish such as salmon are full of omega-3s, especially DHA which is key for brain and eye development. If you can, start introducing fish at 6 months to ensure your baby gets enough omega-3s. Choose low-mercury fish and cook them until soft.
Incorporating healthy fats into your baby's meals and snacks
Adding mashed avocado to fruit or veg purees makes meals creamy and nutritious. For solids, drizzle olive oil over steamed veggies for extra flavour and fat.
As your baby gets better at eating, try small pieces of oily fish like salmon. These are full of omega-3s and protein. For toddlers, make snacks like almond butter on whole-grain bread or yoghurt with flaxseeds.
Start with small amounts of fat and increase as your baby gets used to new tastes.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions to help guide you through introducing solids.
The best fats for your baby are healthy unsaturated fats from avocados, olive oil, and oily fish. Avoid saturated and trans fats, which are bad for your baby’s health. Omega -3 and omega-6 fatty acids are also important for your baby’s health.
Try foods such as pureed or mashed avocado, small pieces of oily fish such as salmon, or drizzle olive oil over their meals. For babies, breast milk and formula are also rich in omega-3s. For better fat absorption, offer a variety of nutrient-rich foods including colourful fruits and veggies.
Nuts and nut butters are good fats, but be careful of allergies. Talk to your paediatrician before introducing them and start with small amounts of creamy nut butter on bread or in purees.
Your little one might like a chopped up boiled egg or even some mashed avocado blended with other vegetables and spread on a cracker.
It’s best to avoid low-fat or fat-free products and rather than butter or jam, try nut butters instead as these contain healthy fats. Use olive oil as a dressing rather than a shop-bought dressing too.
