Is your child feeling sluggish and tired? Having trouble fighting colds? One possible explanation may be that your child is low in iron. In the body, iron aids with the transport of oxygen in the blood to the muscles and tissues. In the tissues, iron helps produce energy, support the immune system and aids in brain development. Thus, when the body doesn’t have enough iron stores, it can result in poor academic performance, fatigue, trouble maintaining body temperature, and decreased immune function.
The recommended intake for children aged 4-8 is 10 mg/day and for children aged 9-13, the recommendation decreases to 8 mg/day. You can help your child meet these levels by offering plenty of foods high in iron such as lean beef, turkey and pork, enriched breads and cereals, and beans. Preparing food in an iron skillet can also transfer some iron from the skillet to the food being cooked. Also, vitamin C boosts the absorption of iron from food. Therefore, serving an iron-packed lean beef burger with a vitamin C-rich slice of tomato gets you a double punch of nutrition.