NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Protein

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 14 Grams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 16 Grams
Importance of Protein: Maintains & builds body tissue & is therefore critical to a growing child. It also supplies part of the baby’s daily energy requirements.
Good sources of Protein: Pureed meat, fish, poultry, eggs, peanut butter, dairy products & tofu.

Calcium

Dietary Reference Intakes:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 270 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 500 Milligrams
Importance of Calcium: Used for bone & tooth formation. Calcium is also critical for such vital functions as nerve conduction, muscle contraction & blood clotting.
Good sources of Calcium: Dairy products, dark green veggies, dry beans, canned tomatoes, whole wheat flour, blackstrap molasses, tofu made with calcium salts & fortified foods such as calcium-fortified orange juice & soymilk.

Phosphorus

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 275 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 460 Milligrams
Importance of Phosphorus: Together with Calcium, phosphorus helps form bones & teeth. It also helps the body form the genetic DNA & RNA, & thus is necessary for growth. In addition, it is an important part of cell membranes.
Good sources of Phosphorus: Dairy products, meats, fish, dry beans & whole grains. It is plentiful in foods so there is no need to worry about deficiencies.

Magnesium

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 75 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 80 Milligrams
Importance of Magnesium: Aids nerve & muscle functions, builds strong bones & teeth, and allows enzymes in the body to work properly.
Good source of Magnesium: Fruits & veggies such as apples, citrus fruits, avocados, corn & peas. Plus whole grains, dry beans & soybean products.

Sodium

Estimated Minimum Requirements:
nfants 6 months to 1 year: 200 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 225 to 300 Milligrams
Importance of Sodium: Helps the body maintain fluid balance. Sodium works with Potassium to bring water in & out of body cells. This mineral is also necessary for nerves to work properly.
Good sources of Sodium: Unprocessed foods such as grains, fresh fruits, veggies, meat & dairy products contain small amounts of Sodium. Table salt contributes a significant portion of Sodium to the American diet, while processed & prepared foods yield the highest amounts. Healthy infants don’t need more sodium than what is naturally available in their food sources.

Potassium

Estimated Minimum Requirements:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 700 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 1,000 to 1,400 Milligrams
Importance of Potassium: Works with sodium to maintain fluid balance in body cells. It helps regulate blood flow & works with magnesium in the synthesis of protein. It is considered a heart-healthy mineral because it helps regulate heartbeat & blood pressure. It’s a good idea to get more of this mineral than the minimum listed above.
Good sources of Potassium: In general, all fruits & veggies. Rich sources include potatoes, spinach, cantaloupe, bananas, green leafy veggies, citrus fruits & dry beans.

Iron

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 10 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 10 Milligrams
Importance of Iron: Necessary for the proper formation of oxygen-rich red blood cells. At birth, an infant possesses body stores of iron sufficient to sustain red blood cell production for four to six months. If additional iron is not supplied after that time, progressive iron deficiency can occur. Iron-deficiency anemia (low blood iron levels) can lead to fatigue & long-term, possibly irreversible effects on the mental development of children. Iron carries oxygen in the bloodstream, & without enough oxygen the brain & muscles suffer.
Good source of Iron: Organ meats, red meats, poultry, fish, dry beans, dark green leafy veggies & enriched flour products such as bread.

Zinc

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 5 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 10 Milligrams
Importance of Zinc: Helps many enzymes work properly, synthesizes DNA & RNA (genetic material cells need to reproduce), helps with vision & taste perception, & is a protector against infections & autoimmune disorders.
Good source of Zinc: Meats, fish, oysters, yogurt, whole grains & dark leafy greens.

Iodine

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 50 Micrograms
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 70 Micrograms
Importance of Iodine: Necessary for proper functioning of the thyroid gland & for normal reproduction.
Good source of Iodine: Seafood, iodized salt, dairy products & bakery products (due to dough conditioners). Infants do not need more iodine than what is provided to them naturally in their food sources.

Manganese

Estimated Safe & Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 0.6 to 1.0 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 1.0 to 1.5 Milligrams
Importance of Manganese: Good for bone formation, for proper functioning of the central nervous system, for processing carbohydrates, & for reproduction.
Good source of Manganese: Whole grains, dry beans, nuts.

Selenium

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 15 Micrograms
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 20 Micrograms
Importance of Selenium: As an antioxidant, selenium protects cells & helps prevent cancer & heart disease—it works hand-in-hand with Vitamin E. It also helps activate thyroid hormones, which regulate the body’s rate of metabolism.
Good source of Selenium: Beef, fish, egg yolks & shellfish, plus grains & seeds grown in selenium-rich soil.

Molybdenum

Estimated Safe & Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 20 to 40 Micrograms
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 25 to 50 Micrograms
Importance of Molybdenum: This trace mineral is part of the enzyme that converts xanthine oxidase, which aids in the mobilization of iron from the liver.
Good source of Molybdenum: Dry beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts & dark green leafy veggies.

Copper

Estimated Safe & Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 0.6 to 0.7 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 0.7 to 1.0 Milligrams
Importance of Copper: Needed for the formation of red blood cells & collagen. Collagen is the foundation of all body tissues from internal organs & bones to skin & teeth.
Good source of Copper: Meats, liver, dry beans, whole grains, raisins & nuts. (Raisins & nuts should not be given to a child under two years old to avoid choking.)

Chromium

Estimated Safe & Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 20 to 60 Micrograms
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 20 to 80 Micrograms
Importance of Chromium: Needed for normal glucose metabolism. Chromium helps to stabilize blood sugar levels.
Good source of Chromium: Red meats, whole grains grown in chromium-rich soil, & egg yolks.

Fluoride

Estimated Safe & Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 0.5 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 0.7 Milligrams
Importance of Fluoride: Actively becomes part of your baby’s teeth & bones, making them stronger & the teeth more resistant to cavities (permanent teeth start forming in infancy).
Good source of Fluoride: Tea, seafood, seaweed, & some water sources. Call your local water company to determine whether your water contains fluoride. Fluoridation of municipal supplies is a controversial issue. Health care providers have recently changed their recommendations for fluoride supplementation.

B Complex

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: Varies by individual vitamin
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: Varies by individual vitamin
Importance of B Complex: Crucial for energy & growth & to help the body process food.
Good source of B Complex: Breast milk (if mother’s intake is good), dairy products, whole grains, meats & veggies.

Vitamin C

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 35 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 40 Milligrams
Importance of Vitamin C: Vitamin C strengthens collagen, the material that forms the basis of all body tissues such as bone, internal organs, & so on. It makes strong bones, teeth, gums & healthy skin. It also helps the body absorb iron, so always serve Vitamin C-rich food with iron-containing foods.
Good source of Vitamin C: Breast milk (if mother’s intake is good), & fresh produce in general, especially citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, potatoes, sweet potatoes & tomatoes.

Vitamin A

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 375 Micrograms
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 400 Micrograms
Importance of Vitamin A: Important for growth, eyesight, strong bones, good immune function & possibly preventing cancer.
Good source of Vitamin A: Breast milk, fortified dairy products, liver, egg yolks, yellow/orange veggies & fruits & dark leafy veggies.

Vitamin D

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 5 Micrograms
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 5 Micrograms
Importance of Vitamin D: Regulates how the body uses calcium, therefor Vitamin D is essential for bone formation.
Good source of Vitamin D: Fortified milk, tuna & fatty fish such as salmon. In addition, when sunlight hits the skin, it prompts the body to make Vitamin D.

Vitamin E

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 4 Milligrams
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 6 Milligrams
Importance of Vitamin E: Builds healthy red blood cells & prevents the destruction of blood cells. Acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells.
Good source of Vitamin E: Breast milk, lightly processed vegetable oils, eggs, spinach, Brussels sprouts & leafy greens.

Vitamin K

Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Infants 6 months to 1 year: 10 Micrograms
Toddlers 1 to 3 years: 15 Micrograms
Importance of Vitamin K: Promotes normal blood clotting.
Good source of Vitamin K: Green leafy veggies, plus peas, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, kelp & liver. In addition, helpful intestinal bacteria produce Vitamin K. Newborns don’t have bacteria in their intestines so they are often given an injection of Vitamin K at birth. This provides sufficient Vitamin K until intestinal bacteria gets established & begins making Vitamin K.