A survey of today's food market reveals a wide variety of fortified foods, including those fortified with vitamins such as A, B, B2, C, and D; those supplemented with minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and iron; and those with added proteins such as lysine and methionine. The range of fortified food products is also extensive, including milk, infant formula, biscuits, beverages, bread, dried noodles, salt, jam, and more.
First, we need to understand the concept of fortified food: supplementing certain special nutrients in food is called food fortification. The added nutrients are called fortificants, and the food made from this process is called fortified food. So, is it good to give children fortified food or not?
First, nutritionists, based on the physiological characteristics of children, advocate that the nutrients needed for children's growth and development should come from natural foods. They recommend feeding infants and young children the various foods that nature provides for humans. This is one of the principles that should be followed in providing nutrition for children, namely, the principle of natural law. These foods include grains (a mix of coarse and fine grains), meat and offal from livestock and poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits. They should be combined in certain proportions and cooked in ways suitable for a child's digestive ability to ensure the child eats well. As long as the food variety is diverse, the quantity is sufficient, the quality is high, the nutrition is complete, the ratio of nutrients is appropriate, and the cooking and preparation are scientific and reasonable, coupled with not being picky eaters, children can fully obtain all the various nutrients their bodies need without needing fortified foods.
At the same time, it must be understood that although fortified foods do have positive effects on certain aspects of the body, the human body can only maintain health when it is in a balanced state of various substances. Unilaterally strengthening a certain function is bound to disrupt the body's balance.
Of course, from another perspective, due to the large differences among individual children, some children grow and develop too quickly and require more nutrients; some children have poor gastrointestinal absorption functions; and some children may have unhealthy eating habits such as pickiness and partiality, leading to a narrow diet and nutrient deficiencies, such as calcium, zinc, or iron deficiency. In such cases, it becomes necessary to reasonably select fortified foods to expand the child's channels for nutritional supplementation.
Thus, it is not a one-size-fits-all decision whether to give children fortified food; it should be based on the child's specific situation. How to select fortified foods
First, targeted supplementation: the nutrients supplemented must be what the child needs or lacks. For example, for artificially fed infants, the ideal food is milk, but it lacks sufficient vitamin D. It is advisable to choose milk fortified with vitamins A and D, which can effectively enhance the baby's disease resistance and prevent the occurrence of rickets. If a child is picky, has a poor appetite, or their diet is insufficient or lacks certain nutrients, in addition to increasing foods rich in these nutrients, foods with added specific nutrients can also be used, such as B-vitamin fortified flour or bread. Which nutrient a child lacks should be determined through a doctor's examination and diagnosis before selecting the corresponding fortified food.
Second, balance: the proportion of all supplemented nutrients must be reasonable, avoiding one-sided or excessive supplementation. The various nutrients in food have very complex relationships. For example, excessive iron intake can accelerate the oxidation of vitamin E; excessive calcium intake can affect zinc absorption. Therefore, in principle, children should eat a balanced diet. In underdeveloped remote mountainous areas or in less affluent families, children may not have easy access to iron-rich foods like fish, meat, eggs, and soy products. Coupled with rapid physical growth and high demand for iron, iron-deficiency anemia can easily occur. If iron-fortified flour can be used to make steamed buns, soft pancakes, noodles, etc., it can play a role in preventing and treating mild anemia. If a child lacks calcium due to rapid growth, calcium-fortified biscuits, bread, or infant formula can be chosen, which are more easily accepted by children compared to eating vegetables. Some vitamins and minerals, if supplied in excess, are not only beneficial but can also harm a child's health. For example, excessive intake of vitamins A and D can cause toxic reactions; excessive intake of elements like iron and zinc can affect the balance between elements and is not conducive to a child's health.
Third, safety: attention must be paid to ensuring that the fortified foods selected are of qualified quality and meet hygiene standards. Therefore, parents must purchase fortified foods from regular stores, choosing brands that are approved by the state, inspected and approved by the health department, and have not expired.
In summary, fortified foods are neither nutritional medicines nor health products for preventing disease. Parents should not buy them indiscriminately and give them to children as regular food. They should actively follow the guidance of doctors to prevent any deviations.