Has your toddler eaten fish today ?
Let’s be honest, fish tends to have a strong fishy flavour, not necessarily unpleasant, but certainly something that needs a little acclimatization.
When junior is being introduced to solids, fish pate is probably not on the menu, but it should be.
Babies need lots of omega-3
Brain development is still in high gear in young children, as the brain wires itself up. Good wiring, requires a steady supply of the basic building blocks.
Chemically speaking, the brain is primarily constructed of fat, especially docosahexanoic acid (DHA), better known as omega-3 fatty acids. A growing brain needs an abundant supply of these omega-3 fatty acids, for all the frenzied building and pruning work going on.
Breast milk and formula provide this vital building block, but as baby transitions to solid food, the diet needs to provide this omega-3.
Going gaga for fish requires practice
Like and dislikes are learned in the early years.
Liking something, is often about getting used to it. The first time exposure to many foods, is often met with disdain, lots of spitting and dribbling. But as the flavour continues to be experienced, a familiarity sets in, so baby grows accustomed to eating it.
A child pre-disposed to liking fish, is likely to grow up to be a regular fish eater. Regular fish eaters accumulate health brownie points, because of the better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.
A love of fish, a gift that goes on giving
There is lots and lots of evidence that eating fish regularly, stacks the odds for better body chemistry and better health……
- The side effects of obesity stopped by omega-3s
- Lubricate those joints with a daub of fish oil to prevent osteoarthritis
- To stick nerves back together use a tube of omega-3 glue
- Being slapped by a fish once a week makes you smarter
Fishy foods for babies ?
Finding fishy foods in the baby food aisle, might not be so easy, because few commercial products exist. But since fish flesh is a lot softer and squishy than meat – whipping up a little salmon entree or a haddock mornay for Little Lord Fontelroy, is do-able at home.
Load up that silver spoon, with a load of fish, so junior ends up being not only rich, but healthy too.
Effect of Inclusion of Salmon Roe on Characteristics of Salmon Baby Food Products. Journal of Food Science (2010) 75(4):S231-236. F.A. Desantos, P. Bechtel, S. Smiley, M.S. BrewerInterested in learning more about better body chemistry ?
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Further reading
Eating diet foods causes children to flunk out of calorie school | How to raise a child that loves vegetables | Too much iron can turn your child into a dunce |
The 7 Big Spoons™…. are master switches that turn health on.
Balance Eicosanoids | Rein in insulin | Dial down stress | Sleep ! | Increase Vit D | Culivate microflora | Think champion |
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