Why Fish Is A Nutritious Superfood For Toddlers And How To Serve It

The food we eat plays a pivotal role in our health. A balanced diet provides adequate amounts of all nutrients in the required proportions.

A balanced diet includes a combination of the four basic food groups in our daily diet.

• Cereals and pulses
• Vegetables and fruits
• Milk, milk products, meat, and fish
• Oils, fats, nuts, and oilseeds

Why Fish Is a Superfood for Your Toddler’s Growth and Development

Toddlerhood is a stage of growth spurt. This is a transitional phase from dependent to independent feeding when your child starts to acquire self-feeding skills and develops individual food choices. The practice of feeding a typical omnivorous diet to your child sets in during this phase. When it comes to non-vegetarian foods, parents are often baffled by the number of choices and cooking methods available. However, fish deserves special attention.

Key Nutrients in Fish That Benefit Young Children

Fish offers potential health benefits, particularly in your child's neurodevelopment. This is attributed to the type of fat present in it. Fat is classified as saturated and unsaturated. The latter is healthier. Unsaturated fat is further classified into monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) - omega-3 and omega-6. The low levels of saturated fats and the high levels of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, namely eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—the key factors in brain development—make fish unique in its nutritional value. Thus, fish has an edge over other non-vegetarian foods, which in the long term may result in positive health outcomes in your child's life.

Nutrients in fish

In terms of the nutritional composition of fish, it is not a great source of carbohydrate, but an excellent source of protein quality and quantity. The biological value (per cent of given nutrient utilized by the body) of fish protein is 80. It is rich in essential (non-synthesized by the body) amino acids such as lysine and methionine. Fish contains fat-soluble vitamins and a few water-soluble vitamins (Niacin and B12) as well. Fish is rich in calcium, particularly small fish consumed with bones. Marine or ocean fish are a good source of iodine, selenium, and fluoride. Shellfish such as prawns, crabs, lobsters, and oysters are rich in iron, copper, and zinc.

Health benefits of fish

The long-chain PUFAs present in fish, especially the DHA and EPA, carry a high significance during the growing years, as they are important for the proper functioning of every cell in the body, especially the brain, eyes, and heart. Scientific evidence proves that deficiencies of these fatty acids may contribute to behaviour and learning disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and autism. Fish also exhibits anti-asthmatic potential. According to the Indian Food Composition Tables (2017), the varieties of fish rich in DHA and EPA are: salmon, pomfret, catfish, sardine, pink perch, and seer fish. For example, 50g of the edible portion of salmon contains 203mg of EPA and 592mg of DHA. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recommends a daily intake of EPA+DHA = 100-150mg for children aged 2 to 4 years.

Fish contamination

Despite the nutritional goodness of fish, it is also a major source of mercury burden for children worldwide. Mercury is incorporated into the muscle of the fish that lives in polluted marine or freshwater. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates methyl mercury as a potential neurodevelopmental toxicant in children. The hard fact is that cooking does not eliminate mercury from fish muscle. A study conducted by Bose-O'Reilly in 2010 has identified the following species to be high in mercury contamination: Mackerel, king, shark, swordfish, and anchovy. Avoiding these types of fish in your child's diet is a key step to prevention. In addition, evidence suggests that nutritional supplements of Vitamin E, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, and garlic (a source of selenium) aid in reducing mercury toxicity.

Fish allergies

Another caution about fish is that it is one of the eight major food allergens in the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (the Act) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If your child is allergic to fish, foods enriched with DHA and EPA, such as breads, pastas, juices, spreads, milk, malted beverages, yoghurt, and supplements (prescribed by a physician), are healthy alternatives. More evidence is required to evaluate the consumption of sea algae and their byproducts in place of fish. Algae could perform as a super food if you are a vegetarian or if your child is allergic to fish, to strike the fatty acid balance and prevent its deficiencies that lead to neurological disorders.

Last updated on: August 1, 2025

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