Fat for Baby. Yes but good stuff!
Baby's fear of fat, a mistake with serious consequences!
According to nutritionist Patricia Boulos, “From 12 months, the baby is often wrongly considered a miniature adult, with certain unsuitable foods being introduced too early.”
Thus, in Europe, 80% of children have lipid intakes lower than the recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority ( EFSA).
This phenomenon could be explained in particular by lipophobia , in other words the inconsiderate fear of fat.
However, lipids are essential for baby's growth. In fact, the little one's fat needs are proportionally much greater than ours.
We must therefore take into account the fact that a baby needs 3 times more lipids than an adult in proportion to their body weight. Around the age of 1, Baby's brain has already reached 2/3 of its adult size, and as this organ is made up of more than 50% fat, it is therefore necessary to feed it with good fat to ensure its good health. development !
Fat also fulfills many essential functions in babies: energy intake, essential nutrient intake, vitamin assimilation, etc. Lipids also serve to develop eyesight.
Furthermore, since breast milk is naturally rich in fat (45%: Omega-3 and DHA ), baby risks lacking this essential fat when diversifying its diet. We must therefore continue to provide it through food, but this is not easy because the foods which contain it are not very present in Baby's diet (nuts, lamb's lettuce, oily fish, algae).
Not all fats are equal .
Although fat is essential to Baby's health, it should be noted that not all fats (and therefore all oils) are equal.
The main distinction is between saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids :
- Firstly, saturated fatty acids, although necessary for cellular structuring and limiting the oxidation of Omega-3, must be consumed in moderation due to their pro-inflammatory action. Being present in many everyday foods (red meats, pastries, dairy products, etc.), you should not try to add them to Baby's diet.
Two oils contain it in particular: palm oil and coconut oil, and despite popular belief, they can be harmful if consumed in excess (cardiovascular problems, obesity, etc.).
- Secondly, unsaturated fatty acids, themselves divisible into monounsaturated fats ( Omega-9 ) and polyunsaturated fats (plant Omega-3s called ALA , marine Omega-3s called DHA / EPA , and Omega-6 ).
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids are not synthesized by the human body. It is therefore necessary to provide them to our body through food. It is mainly found in linseed, walnut, rapeseed and fish oils (for Omega-3 DHA/EPA).
As for olive oil, widely identified with the Cretan diet, it remains very insufficient for Baby although it is not harmful. In fact, it does not contain the essential fatty acids most important for its health: Omega-3, Omega-6, DHA, and not enough Vitamin E. In addition, it tends to typify the taste of foods in the middle of the period. awakening. It is therefore better to limit its consumption for Baby.
Good fat, Baby's friend
As you will have understood, the construction of Baby's cells requires considerable intake of lipids (prerequisite to good growth and normal development, they also make it possible to enhance tastes and aromas ).
DHA, also called cervonic acid, constitutes more than 20% of the fatty acids in neuronal membranes. Each week, DHA needs vary between 4 and 5 mg for Baby's brain. DHA is of paramount importance for cognitive performance and will allow Baby to have good sleep and good learning.
This good fat, essential to baby's health, is however more difficult to find in our modern diet than other fats. This is partly due to the fact that it is mainly found in fatty fish (tuna, salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, etc.) and certain algae, foods that are too little consumed by European children.
Quintesens “Baby” oil represents a healthy, natural and practical solution to naturally provide Baby's plate with the essential nutrients he needs on a daily basis to grow well.