The minerals your baby needs.
Your baby needs a number of minerals to ensure they have a healthy start on
solid foods. Importantly, by giving your baby a balanced diet, you will provide him or her with all the minerals they need.
Exactly what do minerals give our babies and ourselves? How can I be sure that I am giving my baby all they need? These issues and many more are addressed in my DVD, Yummy Beginnings. Below is a list of minerals that we all need, and where we can find them.
Calcium is essential for the building healthy, strong bones and teeth. It is found is dairy proucts such as milk and cheese, tinned fish, and in leafy green vegetables.
Iron prevents anemia by building red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body. It is found in commercially prepared rice cereal ( read the labels, and look for" Iron fortified" variety), red meat and cereals. Green vegetables such as spinach also contain iron.
Salt or Sodium is found in vegetables and it is added to many other foods. You do not need to add salt to any of your baby’s foods, as they will getenough from everything else they are eating. Salt is essential for maintaining the water balance in our body, and for good nerve and muscle activity.
Fluoride is essential for healthy teeth formation and for preventing tooth decay. It is added to the water supply in most Australian cities. Later, your child will receive additional fluoride from the toothpaste used to brush their teeth.
Magnesium helps to built healthy bones and body tissue. It is found in cabbage and potatoes.
Iodine is found in small amounts in vegetables. It aids the healthy function of the thyroid gland.
Phosphorus is required for growth and your baby will get all it needs from breast milk and/or formula.
A good source of Potassium is bananas. Potassium is a mineral present in all body cells. It maintains water balance in the body, and helps proper muscle and nerve activity.
This may all sound a bit complicated, but a balanced diet will give your baby all the minerals they need. It will also build a great foundation for healthy development, and teach them to enjoy a healthy diet they will benefit from for the rest of their lives.
For an informative and fun way to learn about what healthy foods to give to your baby look up  www.yummybeginnings.com
Kasha Dubinska, Bachelor of Science major in Chemistry with Honors
from The University of Sydney, mother and home chef of healthy baby
food.
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