Why do children need fat?
First, because during the first years, they have a very strong growth in weight and size. Thus, they need 1 calories per day around 100 years and between 2 and 1 between 200 and 1 years. And fat is a great help in meeting their calorie needs. “Then, their nervous and sensory system is in full construction and they need essential fatty acids, the famous omega 700 and 3 which are provided by fats, in particular vegetable oils”, specifies Professor Régis Hankard, specialized in infant nutrition.
What fats to offer children and in what quantity?
Yes, rapeseed and walnut oils are the best balanced in omega 3 and 6. And we offer from time to time olive oil, grape seed or soya. Peanut oil can be introduced from 6 months without fear of promoting an allergy. “We rely on diversity to provide a wide range of essential fatty acids”, adds Professor Hankard *.
The right quantities? Generally, we recommend 1 teaspoonful for children under a year old, for lunch, and 2 teaspoons from the age of 2. In all cases, the addition of fat becomes necessary when the child only drinks two bottles of milk per day, around 10 months.
To vary the fat intake, once or twice a week, we offer fats of animal origin: 1 knob of butter or 1 teaspoon of crème fraîche. To provide “good” fatty acids, we also think of fatty fish. They contain omega 3 and 6.
In practice, it is good to put fish on the menu twice a week in an amount adapted to the age: 25-30 g for 12/18 months and 50 g maximum from 3/4 years. And there again, we vary: once an oily fish – mackerel, salmon, sardine – and once a lean fish: cod, halibut, sole … Finally, we can offer fried foods, but reasonably and in quantities adapted to age . After cooking, drain on absorbent paper.
In video: Fat, should it be added to baby dishes?
Before 3 years
Lipids should represent 45 to 50% of their daily energy intake!
After 3 years
The recommended intakes drop slightly to reach 35 to 40% *, which corresponds to those of adults.
* Recommendations from the French Food Safety Agency (ANSES).
Industrial products, what good reflexes?
Trans fatty acids and saturated fats contained in industrial products increase bad cholesterol in adults, but no study proves that they have a
negative effect on the cardiovascular system of toddlers. They also do not promote obesity. This is no reason to eat too much of it! Can he consume products containing palm oil? Palm oil is often demonized because it contains more saturated fatty acids than others. “But palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid, is a normal constituent of human milk!
And like all saturated fat consumed in excess, it can promote cardiovascular disease, ”notes Professor Régis Hankard. Its bad reputation is also linked to environmental concerns since the cultivation of palm trees leads to significant deforestation in some countries.
Concretely, we limit the consumption of mayonnaise – from 18 months – and crisps. As a reminder, 50 g of crisps contain 2 tablespoons of oil! When it comes to cold meats, apart from white ham that can be put on the menu from 6 months old, it is better to wait until 2 years old for sausages, pâtés, terrines …
As for pastries, pastries, spreads, they are reserved for feast days.
And the cheeses? They contain a lot of fat. But they are also good sources of calcium. We favor pasteurized cheeses – brie, munster… from 8-10 months and those made from raw milk from 3 years old to prevent the problems of listeriosis and salmonellosis, responsible for fever and diarrhea.
* Prof. Régis Hankard specialized in infant nutrition and member of the Nutrition Committee of the French Pediatric Society (SFP)