Voici un sujet qui me tient particulièrement à cœur et qui a toute son importance pour les 0/3 ans. Je suis Tiffany DEROYER, diététicienne-nutritionniste spécialisée en pédiatrie depuis une dizaine d’années.
What is the purpose of these fats?
Despite their bad reputation, fats are the main source of energy for the youngest children, accounting for about 50% of their daily intake !
They are not "little adults", they have, as you can see, very specific needs.
During their first year of life, infants triple their birth weight and gain an average of 25cm! Even in their teenage years, they won't do that to you again!
An essential role for baby
Fats play an essential role in the development and functioning of the brain, in the regulation of inflammation and immunity.
They are also constituents of the body's cell membranes. And some essential vitamins (A, D, E, K) are only found in fats !
In practice, how is this done?
In the first few months, breast milk (or infant milk), the only food for newborns, provides these essential fats.
Then, at the time of dietary diversification, these foods are still perfectly adapted to the nutritional needs, which is why it is necessary to maintain the intake of milk (or equivalent).
However, it is important not to forget to add milk to the meals.
But be careful, not just any old way! Avoid cooking them! They should be incorporated "raw" just before serving the dish to maintain all their nutritional qualities. It will be necessary to vary the vegetable oils (rapeseed, walnut, olive...), without forgetting butter or full cream in order to discover a maximum of flavours... We will start with 1 teaspoon in the first weeks of diversification then we will not hesitate to add 1 tablespoon later.
The little extra on vegetable oils: if possible, we prefer organic oils, " first cold pressed " and in glass containers that we keep in a cupboard (away from light). It has been noted that the French population no longer consumes enoughomega-3s, which are present in flaxseed, walnut and rapeseed oils, for example... So don't hesitate to use them for baby's meals. There are also oil blends to make your daily life easier.
D’autres aliments apportent aussi ces éléments comme les laitages qu’on privilégiera au lait infantile ou au lait entier. Certains poissons gras seront très intéressants à donner à votre enfant comme le saumon, la sardine, le maquereau, le thon…
Alors, pour résumer, on n’oublie pas, pour les petits, il faut… du GRAS, du GRAS, du GRAS !
Source: Les apports en lipides chez l'enfant de moins de 3 ans en France. Development and recommendations of the Nutrition Committee of the French Paediatric Society.
Dietician - Nutritionist specialising in paediatrics
