Tips for Balanced Nutrition in Kids with Food Allergies

Allergies are a common occurrence at an early age. They may be provoked by various allergens such as birds, insects and mostly food. So parents, whose little ones are prone to allergies, are surely worried about the diet and the number of nutrients they get. We all know that a balanced and nutrient-rich diet is extremely important for a kid’s growth, development and well-being. So let’s talk about some tips for nutrition in kids with food allergies.

First of all, consult your health provider

Allergies may seem an easy issue while a baby has a little rush, itch or a runny nose. But it’s unwise to ignore it, as it can turn into more serious symptoms such as coughing, breathlessness, diarrhea, feeling sick, swollen eyes, lips, mouth and so on.

If you don’t want your little one to have such consequences, ask a more experienced and qualified person on this topic. A doctor can observe your child’s reaction to different foods, create a plan for a healthy diet without harmful ingredients and recommend useful supplements if necessary.

And second of all, do your best to improve your child’s overall diet. 

While having a healthy diet, children have more energy to overcome various types of issues as the immune system gets stronger. From the very beginning make sure your little one gets only healthy baby food. After starting eating solids try to diversify the diet with different kinds of fresh and organic fruits, veggies, cereals, dairy, meat and others. In addition, try to give various colors, flavors and textures.

Let’s dive into specific allergies’ tips.

Milk allergy

It’s one of the most widespread forms of food allergies among young children. But milk provides a little one with beneficial elements like protein, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin A and others. You need to think over how to replace these essential nutrients. So protein actually has other alternatives such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and legumes. If we talk about non-dairy food sources of calcium, it could be leafy greens. Your doctor may also recommend getting some supplements to satisfy all the nutrient needs.

Egg allergy

Eggs are rich in iron, biotic, folacin, riboflavin, vitamins A, D, E and B12 and selenium. A child with an egg allergy should avoid not only eggs themselves but baked goods as well and consequently lose some calories. So, it’s necessary to substitute them with high-quality proteins like meat, milk, poultry, fish and legumes. In case your family is vegan, you have to consume more nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes to get the right amount of protein.

Nut allergy

Nuts are quite important for a healthy and balanced diet. They are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, copper, manganese and others. So you need to make sure your kid gets enough nutrients from the different food groups mentioned above.

Wheat allergy

If your child has this kind of allergy, you can replace it with other grains such as rice, buckwheat, barley and corn. But make sure you get fortified and enriched grains as they have high nutritional value.