Iron-rich foods are important throughout life, but especially important to consider when it comes to young children.
Why? Well, because at six months the iron depot that the child has received from the mother runs out, and the need, which increases drastically at this point, must now be covered by iron from food. Since the amount of food for a small child is not that large, it is important to prioritize iron-rich food. The recommendation from the Swedish National Food Agency is 8 mg of iron/day for children from 6 months of age. This corresponds approximately to the iron requirement of an adult man. Small children therefore have a very high iron requirement in relation to their energy requirement.
Foods containing iron
Foods that contain a lot of iron are mainly offal and blood foods, such as black pudding. Meat (mainly beef), eggs and shellfish also contain iron. Vegetable sources of iron are nuts, beans, lentils and dried fruit. In general, the body absorbs iron more easily from animal sources. When feeding a vegetarian diet to children, it is therefore particularly important to pay attention to iron requirements. Vitamin C, and also fish, help the body to absorb iron from vegetable sources. Calcium in milk and phytic acid, which is found in whole grain products, instead inhibit the absorption of iron. It is because of the inhibition of iron absorption that it is usually advised not to give regular milk to children under 1 year of age.
Despite the high iron requirement in children, breast milk contains a very low dose of iron, only about 0.03 mg/dl. To put that in perspective, for example, oatmeal contains 2 mg iron/dl, walnuts 0.8 mg/dl, 1 slice of rye bread contains about 1 mg, 50 g of beef 1.3 mg and 1 slice of black pudding (50 g) 9.8 mg iron. You can read more about the content of different foods on the Swedish National Food Agency's website .
It is believed that the reason why breast milk contains so little iron has to do with the fact that there was an evolutionary advantage in keeping microbes out of the gut. Bacteria thrive in iron-rich environments, so keeping levels low in the infant's gut has been thought to have been (and is) a protection against bacterial attack.
Iron-fortified foods
Baby porridge, gruel, complementary food or milk drinks that you buy in the store are almost always iron-fortified, and are therefore usually considered a good idea to supplement your child's other food with. For those who make their own porridge from scratch, it is recommended to enrich it with iron yourself to be able to meet the child's iron needs. Consult your BVC nurse and/or child dietitian if you are unsure or have questions about your child's food!
What does iron do?
Iron is important for a number of functions in the body - it is included in hemoglobin, which transports oxygen in the blood. Iron is also fundamental for brain development.
Iron deficiency in children
Because children grow and develop so quickly, their need for iron is high, and so is their susceptibility to iron deficiency. It is not uncommon for children to get too little iron, which can lead to iron deficiency and anemia, also known as iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia can be difficult to detect (the most common symptom is fatigue), but it is known that it can lead to impaired brain development. Talk to your BVC nurse if you are unsure about your child's iron intake or are concerned about iron deficiency in your child.
Latest research - iron supplements and late umbilical cord clamping
It is known that the time in the womb plays a role in the iron stores that the baby builds up. Premature babies therefore have a smaller iron store than full-term babies when they are born, which is why it may be appropriate to give iron supplements to premature babies before the age of 6 months. Research is also being conducted on how full-term babies are affected by iron supplements. For example, a study is being conducted at Umeå University where children from four months to nine months of age are given a small iron supplement in the form of drops. The children are then followed up on given occasions during their growth. The latest research also indicates that the important iron store that the child receives from the mother benefits from leaving the umbilical cord attached for a while after birth, by applying so-called late umbilical cord clamping.
References:
Central Child Health, VGR. Advice on iron for children 0-5 years . March 2022.
Läkartidningen. Children's iron needs and how we can best protect the children's brain. 2014;111:CH9D
National Handbook of Child Health Care. Vegetarian diets for children. 2022-03-01.
SVT.se. Umeå researchers in study on iron supplements for babies . 2020-02-20.
