Are you concerned about your babies getting enough iron and curious to know about how to boost iron absorption on their diet? Here is a closer look to know briefly about the importance and recommended iron-rich foods for your babies.
You may have learned the importance and role of iron for women, especially for those pregnant and lactating women. But this nutrient is just as important for babies as they continually grow and develop through the years. Iron is one of the essential nutrients known as the key component in our red blood cells that transports oxygen to all parts of our body. If we don’t have enough iron in our body, the red blood cells cannot be produced sufficiently and so our tissues and organs inside our body can’t get enough oxygen to function. Likewise, if the baby is deficient in iron, they may experience cognitive deficits as well as behavioral development delays. Babies are usually born with enough iron stores in their bodies that came from the blood of their mothers while they are in their mother’s womb, and it will last until their 6 months of age. Yet, it is important to provide them with enough iron through their diets after 6 months to continuously supply them before their iron reserves depleted. Babies can absorb iron from breastmilk but once they have reached six months which is also a time of rapid growth and development, it is recommended to give them iron-rich foods. A diet with a good amount of iron will help the baby to prevent anemia known as iron deficiency anemia (IDA). That is why it is very important to supply or sustain enough iron for their continuous growth and development.
Animal protein such as beef and shellfish are very good sources of iron. The type of iron that can be found in these foods is called “heme iron” which is much more absorbed by the body than from non-animal food sources (“non-heme iron”), though plants like spinach, soybeans, peas, and lentils which are naturally high in iron are also good sources.
Here are some best iron-rich foods for babies:
- Beef, ground
- Bean puree
- Egg (scrambled or boiled egg mashed with water)
- Infant fortified cereal
- Chicken (finely shredded or ground)
- Green bean puree
One way to better absorb iron in our body is to supplement our diet with foods high in vitamin C such as tomato, red pepper, papaya, orange, peach, kiwi, cabbage, strawberry, and other citrus fruits. Moreover, the consumption of tea and coffee is also discouraged as these beverages can alter iron absorption.
The inclusion of iron-rich foods in the diet of our babies is highly needed for their rapid growth and development. There are 3 main dietary sources of iron: breastmilk, heme iron, and non-heme iron. All are good for the baby’s iron needs. Always remember that sufficient iron is vital because this is among the many essential nutrients that our babies require for their optimum growth and development.
NO I Kimberly Tanador, RND
References:
Iron-rich foods for Kids
https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/iron-rich-foods-for-kids/
Iron
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/vitamins-minerals/iron.html
Iron needs of babies and children
https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/pregnancy-and-babies/iron_needs_of_babies_and_children
