Consuming a healthy and nutritious diet is extremely important for babies. Eating healthy helps in preventing many childhood diseases and is also extremely important during the growth phase of babies. Also, the eating habits established during early childhood are likely to last longer. Suppose vegetables and fruits are not fed to a toddler, then it is certain that they will also not eat these necessary food items during their teenage and might miss out on a lot of essential elements including carbohydrates. However, the importance of carbohydrates for babies cannot be ignored at any cost. This article will explain the different reasons why a baby needs carbohydrates and what food items contain them:
Importance of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy. Nowadays, people recommend parents to cut off carbohydrates from their kid’s diet, probably because they are not aware of the benefits of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates perform many essential functions which any other nutrient cannot no matter what. Carbohydrates help baby’s body to repair and build new tissues using proteins. If a baby is not consuming enough carbohydrates, his or her body will not be able to repair or build new tissues.
Other than the repairing and building of tissues, babies also need carbohydrates because they help provide energy to the body and boost memory. For babies with extra weight carbohydrates also help in weight control, improving blood flow, strengthening the immune system, providing fibers to the body, development of bones and baby teeth, and helps babies sleep better. Also, carbohydrates act as a fuel for the nervous system and muscles.
Sources of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates basically are starch, sugar, and fiber. For adults, the sources of carbohydrates are countless, but for babies there are only limited numbers of food items containing carbohydrates. It is very important for parents to choose a source of carbohydrates that is healthy and according to the child’s choices.
Bread is the most common source of carbohydrates, the par baked bread suppliers deliver the best quality bread enriched with carbohydrates. Some other food items that can provide carbohydrates to babies over the age of six months includes formula milk, strained or boiled fruits, fruits puree, mashed vegetables or vegetables puree, infant cereals, yogurt, boiled or mashed pasta, boiled potatoes, crackers, boiled rice, fruit juices, boiled beans, corn, and oatmeal. It is always recommended asking your child’s pediatrician whether your child is able to eat these foods and about the daily quantity of carbohydrates your child should have.
Diseases due to carbohydrates Deficiency
Deficiencies of carbohydrates can cause many life taking diseases – the most common of them is Kwashiorkor. It is basically a type of acute malnutrition in kids. The symptoms of this disease include loss of appetite, dehydration, edema, swelling, infection of skin, and bloating of stomach. Another disease which too is caused due to the lack of carbohydrates is ketosis, it is not as dangerous as kwashiorkor and can be prevented by consuming carbohydrates.
