Why You Should Feed Your Baby Healthy Fats

There are so many different nutrients that play a crucial role in a baby’s life and as parents, it’s our responsibility to ensure we give our babies those nutrients to foster optimal growth and development in those precious early years. Healthy fats play a key role in the intricate process of brain development and are also a highly potent source for your baby’s rapidly growing body. As most people know, babies also have incredibly soft and delicate skin. Healthy fats largely contribute to its maintenance as they help nourish the skin from the inside out. Healthy fats come in so many different shapes and forms, and we must tap into those sources and front load our baby’s diet with a consistent consumption of healthy fats in the first 1000 days of their life.

Here are various sources of healthy fats you can easily incorporate into your baby's diet: fatty fish like salmon, flaxseeds, chia seeds, nut butters, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, and of course, ghee. 

Here’s how to use them: 

• Put ghee on a pan before making pancakes or eggs 
• Add coconut oil to boiling rice or quinoa and also put it in your baked goods like muffins 
• Spread nut butter on bananas and toast
• Mash avocado and mix it into other foods
• Drizzle olive oil on everything or mix into purees
• Mix flaxseeds and chia seeds into yogurt and oatmeal 

I can’t emphasize enough that the first 1000 days of a baby's life are a super important window for laying the foundation of lifelong health. By prioritizing healthy fats in your baby's diet, you are nurturing their physical and cognitive development. Let’s embrace these nutritional choices together, so we can watch our little ones blossom beautifully and healthfully!