A recent Nutrition Journal study showed that kids burn through fat quicker than adults do, due to the growth process and quicker protein synthesis, and that fat is needed in their diets to support normal development. Besides being an energy source, fat helps produce cell membranes and eicosanoids (compounds that help regulate blood
pressure, heart rate, blood vessel constriction, blood clotting and the
nervous system.) Dietary fat carries fat-soluble vitamins — A, D, E and K — from food into the body, and it also helps
maintain healthy hair and skin, protects vital organs, and keeps the body
insulated.
For all those reasons and then some, far more fat is required by a child's body than an adult's: kids 3
and older should be getting 35% of their daily calories from fat, while
babies and toddler should be getting up to 40% of their calories from
fat (adults should get no more than 20-35% of their daily calories from
fat).
So, how do you know if your kid is eating enough fat? Well, you can start by talking with your pediatrician, and checking your child's progress on the growth chart. If the kid is on track - most kids are - great. If your kid needs a little help in the fattening up (oh, what I wouldn't give to hear my doctor say that to me!), try experimenting in the kitchen with foods that are high in poly and monounsaturated fats, and omega-3 fatty acids. Foods like:
- Avocados (guacamole, chilled avocado soup, mango/avocado salsa)
- Nuts (nut butters are a staple, but nuts can also be great when toasted and tossed into stir-frys, salads, and pan sauteed veggies).
- Oils (I cook anything that can be cooked in butter - from eggs to veggies to pancakes - in vegetable oil, and it's also great on salads, with your choice of vinegar, and can be slipped into a smoothie, or mixed with herbs and drizzled over bread or rice.)
- Fish (Okay, this one is probably the hardest. Salmon burgers? Herring donuts? Mackrel pie? Just kidding.)
Other great, kid-friendly sources of fat include dairy products, meat, and fried lard. Gotcha again!
