Dr. Görkem Astarcıoğlu
Now that information is easier to access, most people have become much more aware of nutrition. We pay attention to what we eat and what we feed our children and babies. We know that poor nutrition and poor living conditions are at the root of many diseases.
Functional foods can be defined as foods that reduce the risk of disease and improve existing health.
The two leading functional foods in child and infant nutrition are omega-3 and probiotics.
Omega-3
Omega-3 is a fatty acid that our body cannot produce, so it must be obtained from food. It is a fundamental building block for healthy brain development and also supports cognitive function. It helps babies develop sharp vision and supports mental health. It has anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive (blood-pressure-lowering) and antilipidaemic (cholesterol-lowering) effects. Even though it is a fatty acid, it blocks the enzyme that turns sugar into fat, which reduces weight gain and can even help with weight loss. It lowers insulin resistance, which helps protect against diabetes, and it helps prevent obesity.
About 1 g of omega-3 is needed per day. DHA and EPA are animal-derived omega-3s, found in oily sea fish, shellfish, eggs and, of course, BREAST MILK. ALA is the plant-based form of omega-3, found in flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, strawberries, kiwi, avocado and broccoli.
Omega-3 content per 100 g:
- Salmon: 2–2.5 g DHA & EPA
- Mackerel: 1.2–2.5 g DHA & EPA
- Sardines: 1.5–2 g DHA & EPA
- Anchovies: 1.5–2 g DHA & EPA
- Trout: 1 g DHA & EPA
- Canned tuna: 0.25 g DHA & EPA
- Flaxseed oil: 50 g ALA
- Flaxseed: 23 g ALA
- Chia seeds: 17.5 g ALA
- Walnuts: 7–9 g ALA
- Avocado: 0.15 g ALA
If we cannot add 1 g of omega-3 a day to our children’s diet – for example by giving them 100 g of salmon three times a week – a supplement is needed. For this, you can give one spoonful a day of a fish oil syrup prescribed by your doctor.
Görkem ASTARCIOĞLU
