How to ensure your child gets enough Iron?

Iron rich foods - An important nutrient for your child's growth

Iron is an essential mineral required by the body. It is used to synthesise haemoglobin, an essential component of blood cells, which carries oxygen throughout your child’s body. Iron rich foods for kids is required to support rapid growth, and to ensure that your child has enough energy to learn and play. Therefore, it is important that your child has an adequate iron intake from the diet they consume.

When the diet lacks iron rich food for kids, he or she is likely to suffer from iron deficiency. If your child shows symptoms such as generalised weakness, pale skin and lips, irritability, slow growth, decreased appetite and an overall lack of enthusiasm, visit a doctor to check if he or she suffers from iron deficiency. Since young children have a higher iron requirement per kg body weight than adults, they are more likely to develop iron deficiency, which means that iron rich food for kids is necessary.

Foods such as eggs, lamb, pork and fish are perfect iron rich food for kids. Green vegetables, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, dates and whole wheat are also good sources of iron rich foods for kids. Alternatively, food such as iron-fortified cereals may also be given to ensure that your child gets the required quantity of iron.

Iron requirement for toddlers

During preschool years the recommended iron intake is 13 mg per day for 4- to 6-year-old children and 9 mg per day for 1- to 3-year-old children.

Some tips to boost your child’s iron intake

Iron rich breakfast: Give eggs or multigrain cereal fortified with iron for breakfast along with fruits such as orange, pineapple, berries, kiwifruit to enhance the absorption of iron.

Healthy Snack time: Try to give some dry fruits like dates or nuts to your child during snack time instead of foods that are high in salt, sugar or fat.

Nutritious midday meal: Include pulses, green leafy vegetables and meat in your child’s midday meal. Also add vegetables having vitamin C such as tomato, capsicum and broccoli to help increase iron absorbtion.