Iron-rich Food For Children

Iron is one of the most important nutrients for the proper health and development of infants and children. Unfortunately, it also happens to be the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. (See Reference 1). Essential for oxygen transport and nerve signaling throughout the body as well as for growth and immunity, iron is one mineral that should not be overlooked in your child's diet.

Significance

Known best for its role as an anemia-fighting mineral, iron is the essential component of hemoglobin in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen throughout the body. Sufficient consumption of iron gives children the oxygen they need for optimal performance and endurance in everyday activities like walking and thinking. Simply put, iron is the mineral that helps keep your child's body and mind energized. This essential nutrient is also necessary for proper digestion, development and immunity.

Daily Requirements for Your Child

Children are born with enough iron to last them between four and six months, but by the middle of their first year, infants deplete these stores and begin to require outside sources of iron either through continued breastfeeding, iron-fortified formula feeding or more traditional food sources. From ages 1 to 3 years, children require 7 mg of iron each day. This need increases to 10 mg per day from ages 4 to 8 years then decreases slightly to 8 mg from ages 9 to 13 years. During adolescence, girls have a heightened need for iron, increasing from 8 to 15 mg daily, due to the blood loss that occurs monthly during menstruation, while the need for boys increases only slightly from 8 to 11 mg daily.

Kid-Friendly Foods

Childhood iron requirements can easily be met with a wide variety of kid-friendly foods such as iron-fortified cereals and breads, dried fruits, eggs, red meat, poultry and tuna.These foods are easy on your wallet, quick fixes in the kitchen and appealing to most simple palates. Be sure to choose the whole-grain, low-fat or no-sugar-added varieties of these foods to get the most nutritional bang for your buck.

How to Use These Foods

Whole grain cereals and breads are simple food choices that will give your child an added boost of iron and fiber with his breakfast or brown-bag sandwiches. Dried fruits, otherwise known as nature's candy (such as raisins, apricots, peaches and prunes) can be eaten alone or chopped up into oatmeal, baked into granola bars or breads, or combined with nuts (another excellent source of iron) for a quick trail mix.

Eggs, especially egg yolks, are a low-calorie option that can be served in a variety of ways to appeal to your child: scrambled or fried, omelet or frittata, and deviled or baked in desserts. In addition to eating eggs, your child will obtain the best protection against developing an iron-deficiency with the occasional hamburger, grilled chicken or tuna salad sandwich, so be sure to include these options as a regular part of his diet. If you are concerned about the added fat and cholesterol, choose lean varieties and avoid frying.

Considerations

The plant-based forms of iron, which are called nonheme, include foods like cereals, breads and fruits. These are the most common forms of dietary iron, but unfortunately do not absorb into the body as well as their animal-based counterparts known as heme iron. Heme derives from the hemoglobin that transports oxygen throughout our bodies. Examples of these iron-rich foods include red meat, eggs, poultry and tuna. Combining heme with either nonheme iron sources and/or foods rich in vitamin C will significantly increase the total absorption of iron into the body. A grilled hamburger with sliced tomato on a whole-wheat bun with a side of strawberries for dessert is an excellent kid-friendly meal to give your child a boost of iron for the day.

Warning

Foods that are high in calcium like milk, cheese and yogurt or high in caffeine like sodas and teas will decrease the absorption of iron when consumed simultaneously with iron-rich foods. In fact, children between the ages of 1 to 3 years who are at the greatest risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia should limit their intake of milk and other dairy products to two servings a day.