Eating Habits for Early Child Development

During early childhood, the body is growing at an alarming rate. A child needs adequate dietary intake to provide enough nutrients for them to grow. In addition, almost half of the adult skeletal mass is built during adolescence. A healthy diet, rich in calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals, will enable optimal skeletal and physical growth.

Brain development can be affected by the quality of your child’s diet. Poor nutrition during fetal development and early life can lower IQ scores and lead to learning disorders, according to Dr. Reynaldo Martorell, professor of International Nutrition at Emory University. Furthermore, attentional issues, as well as behavioral and social problems, could occur. Providing adequate energy, vitamins, minerals and macro nutrients is necessary to provide enough nutrition for brain development.

Organic foods have lower pesticide residue, as well as, lower levels of cadmium, a known carcinogen, and higher levels of antioxidants. 

Organic fruits and vegetables may contain as much as 18 percent to 69 percent more antioxidants than pesticide-treated produce. As antioxidants play a critical role in the prevention of diseases and illnesses, these higher levels of nutrients, in combination with a lower toxicity level, make organically grown foods a superior choice.

Researchers found epidemiological data demonstrating the negative effects of pesticide exposure on the cognitive development of children and determined these effects would be minimized eating organic foods, especially during pregnancy and during early infancy.

These plant-based antioxidant compounds have been linked to the reduction in a number of different diseases, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative conditions, cancers, and slowing the aging process.

Antioxidants are a class of molecule that are capable of inhibiting the oxidation of free radicals that cause damage in your body.