The child's nutritional requirements

Food plays a very important role during the child's first years, as it ensures proper growth and development and also helps to prevent health problems and diseases.

In order to function properly, the child's body requires five fundamental nutrients:

- Proteins: these are essential substances for the formation and development of the body and for tissue regeneration. They are found in foods from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products) and plant sources (peas, beans, lentils, etc.).

They should account for approximately 12 per cent of your child's daily energy intake.

- Carbohydrates: these are the body's main source of energy. They are divided into simple and complex: the former act immediately, giving a quick energy boost (sugar, honey, milk and fruit); the latter provide energy over a longer period (cereals, potatoes, pulses, chestnuts, etc.).

They must represent a significant proportion, 60 per cent (10 per cent simple and 50 per cent complex), of our daily energy requirements.

- Vitamins: these serve to regulate and coordinate the activity of all our cells. Vitamin A is necessary for our sight, skin, growth and circulation. Vitamin C helps to boost the body's defences, and group B vitamins are highly valuable for the nervous system.

Vitamins are present in almost all food groups: fish, meat and eggs are rich in B vitamins and vitamins D, K and PP; milk, other dairy products and vegetables are rich in vitamins A and B2; cereals and nuts contain vitamins B1 and PP; and fruit and vegetables contain vitamins A and C.

- Mineral salts: these are essential for the body as they have many functions: calcium (dairy products, vegetables and pulses), phosphorus (dairy products, fish and nuts) and fluoride (fish) help to build bones and teeth; iron (meat, eggs, pulses and vegetables) forms red blood cells; sodium and potassium (meat, cereals, vegetables and fruit) are beneficial to the nervous system, heart and muscles.

- Fats: these are the energy-rich nutrients par excellence. They are involved in the formation of the nervous system and cell membranes in the brain. They are also essential for the body to absorb certain vitamins (A, D, E and K). They are divided into two groups: saturated fats (those from animal sources), which are found in butter, cream, red meat, cheeses and sausages; and non-saturated fats (those from vegetable sources), which are present in olive oil, certain white meats and some types of fish.

They should represent 25-30 per cent of our daily energy intake (20 per cent non-saturated fats and 10 per cent saturated).

A balanced diet must include these substances on a daily basis at each meal. Here are the recommended daily amounts of these nutrients (per kilogram of body weight), according to the child's age:

Each food has a specific function and provides very specific nutrients. Learning to combine foods and establish a proper diet is essential for your child's development and health.

The following table shows an example of the daily diet that your little one should follow: