Cheng Qian, Professor of Child Care Department, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University
Parents often ask, "Doctor, when can children eat oil and salt?" Today, I will discuss with you about edible oil.
Each of us will be exposed to lipids every day, including the newborn baby, because about 48% of the mother's milk is lipids, which is an important energy source for babies from 0 to 6 months old. Breast milk has a very rich variety of fat, which is easier for babies to digest and absorb and keep their intestines healthy. Some fatty acids in breast milk are also important guarantees for babies' neural development, such as various unsaturated fatty acids in breast milk such as DHA and EPA, which are very important for babies' brain development. If breast-feeding is not available, the proportion of fat energy supply in formula milk is close to that of breast milk, so healthy babies within half a year of age do not need to add additional fat. After 6 months, with the increase of month age, the baby's demand for nutrition changes. At this time, complementary food needs to be added. At the same time, you can gradually add edible oil to the baby as the case may be.
According to the recommendations of the Chinese Nutrition Society and the Maternal and Child Branch of the Chinese Nutrition Society in 2018 for the balanced diet pagoda for children from July to April in China, the recommended amount of oil for children from 6 to 12 months of age is 0 to 10 grams per day; 5-15g in 13-24 months; 10-20g for 2-3 years old; 20-25g for 4-5 years old.
Any complementary food should be added step by step. The recommended amount does not mean that the baby at this age must reach the corresponding amount, but the amount gradually reached. For example, 8 month old babies do not have to eat 10 grams of edible oil every day, but gradually add it according to the actual situation. (Zhong Yuanfeng)
