Best Iron-Rich Foods For Kids


Iron is an essential mineral for your child, which they get most from their diet. However, iron deficiency is commonly seen in kids because of a lack of iron-rich foods in the diet, or improper routine. Sometimes, a nutrition-rich diet is not enough to fulfill the iron deficiency in children. For them, supplementation of liquid iron supplements is recommended by doctors. According to Health experts, an infant(7-12 months) requires 11 mg of iron daily, whereas toddlers(1-3 years) and kids(4-7 years) need 7mg and 10 mg, respectively. 


The daily iron recommendation may differ depending upon the food your child consumes. There are two types of iron we get from food one is Heme, and another is non-heme. Both are good for children’s health, growth, and development. Certain food items which are rich in iron, and you should introduce in your kid’s diet are as follows:


Red Meat 
Red meat is a great source of heme iron. Your child gets the highest amount of iron from the beef liver that is around 7mg of iron in a four-ounce serving. Though it is quite challenging to make your child eat beef liver, you can try serving hamburgers or meatballs having ground beef. If your child refuses to eat them too, you can try making meat-based tomato sauce. They will surely fall in love with it. The tomato sauce is also rich in iron and Vitamin C that aids in better iron absorption. 

Leafy Greens
The amount of iron in green vegetables varies according to the type, but dark leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and collards hold a good amount of non-heme iron. You can accompany these leafy green with fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C to boost iron absorption. Try serving your child with kale and tomato pasta, they will love them. Also, you can add some sweet peppers and strawberries to a spinach salad for making it more delicious. Additions like these make food tastier and healthier too. 

Eggs
Egg Yolk is an efficient source of iron for combating anemia and low energy in children. Egg yolk contains around 2.7 mg of iron in it. These sources have heme iron, try serving your kids with hard-boiled or scrambled eggs. You can also use cookie cutters to make fun shapes of scrambled eggs and make snack time more fun. Give egg to your child in whichever form they like, whether fried, scrambled, boiled, or poached, they offer good amounts of iron. 

Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are a versatile ingredient that you can put in numerous dishes, whether sweet or salty. They can add a delicious flavour and healthy touch to your serving. Certain dried fruits are highly rich in iron, including cashews, raisins, pistachios, prunes, apricots, and more. Make your child’s meal tastier and healthier by adding nuts to your child’s cereals, muffins, pack them for afternoon meals, etc. Doctors recommend giving dried fruit in powdered form to younger kids of age 12 to 20 months because they can be a choking hazard. 

Beans 
About half a cup of beans can provide your child with 2-3 mg of iron. The beans that are great sources of heme iron include lentils, pinto beans, and chickpeas. These are known as a vegetarian-friendly powerhouse. You can make healthy additions to pasta and salads, come up with a delicious meal that your kids will love. If your child is a fan of chickpeas, then you can blend it and make a puree to create homemade hummus. It is recommended to add lemon juice to your meal for giving Vitamin C to your snack for better iron absorption. Besides, you can provide a meal with a mixture of both heme and non-heme iron by adding beans in ground beef. 

There are bountiful options of food items that are rich in iron, some of them are mentioned above that are loved by kids. You can make additions as per your child's preference. Serving your child with a nutrition-rich diet is essential for their body’s growth and development. However, despite feeding them an iron-rich diet, they sometimes experience its deficiency. Therefore, you can supplement your child with chewable iron supplements for kids that are easily available nowadays.

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