Are Fats Healthy for Kids?

For years we were told to avoid fats in our kids' diets.

We now know fats play a critical role in healthy development, so as parents we need to choose foods that provide beneficial fats and avoid ones that do not. 

But first, what exactly do fats do for our kids' bodies? From the website About Kids Health:

Healthy fats play a key role in our kids' brain development, growth, and energy needs.

So how do we choose foods that contain healthy fats? 

There are two main types of fats to remember: saturated and unsaturated.

An easy way to distinguish between the two is to remember that saturated fats are mostly solid at room temperature (think animal fats), while unsaturated fats are mostly liquid at room temperature (think oils). 

While research is conflicting about whether saturated fats have negative impacts our health, it's clear that unsaturated fats provide positive benefits. 

In additional to the benefits listed above, healthy unsaturated fats also help keep our kids full and satiated longer. 

Here are some foods high in unsaturated fats that you should prioritize in your kiddos' diet: 

• Nuts

• Seeds

• Olive Oil

• Avocado

• Fish

• Eggs

Try to mix in these foods to provide your kiddo with healthy, unsaturated fats to help them grow, build healthy brains, and maintain sustainable energy.