How Nutrition Supports Toddler Brain Development

How Does Nutrition Support Toddler Brain Development?

Your baby’s brain did a lot of cooking in the womb, but during the toddler years, things continue to grow. In fact, more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second during your baby’s first years.¹

What your toddler eats directly affects this process. The brain is a nutrient-hungry organ, and during toddler brain development stages, it depends on a steady supply of specific nutrients to build neural connections. Gaps in nutrition during this period can affect cognitive development, attention, and learning capacity.²

What Nutrients Are Most Important for Toddler Brain Development?

A toddler’s brain requires support from a number of different nutrients, and what you feed them can help.

Key Nutrients That Support Brain Growth in Toddlers

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a policy statement that explains which nutrients are the most important for early toddler brain development. Some of them include:³

• Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. These are important for vision development.³ One example of a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid is docosahexaenoic acid, better known as DHA.
• Iron. In particular, iron helps the hippocampus develop, which is the part of a toddler’s brain responsible for memory and learning.²
• Vitamins. B6, B12, and folate are important for brain function and nervous system development, as are vitamins A and K.³
• Minerals. These include everything from zinc and copper to selenium.³
• Protein. Protein helps support long-term memory development in toddlers.²

Foods that Support Brain Development in Toddlers

A balanced, varied diet is a good foundation for supporting your toddler's brain. No single food does it all!

Some of the best everyday foods for toddler brain development can include:²

• Eggs. A strong source of choline, healthy fats, and protein.
• Fatty fish. One of the best ways to get healthy fats for toddler brain development, including DHA.
• Leafy greens. Provide folate, iron, and other important vitamins.
• Beans and lentils. Good sources of iron, zinc, and fiber.
• Dairy. Provides iodine, choline, zinc, and protein.
• Nuts and nut butters. Provide healthy fats and zinc.

How to Build a Brain-Nutritious Diet for Your Toddler

Ready to support toddler brain activity? Try these diet-building tips.

Practical Tips for Everyday Nutrition

• Offer a variety of foods—even the rejected ones. Repeated exposure to a wide range of foods is how toddlers build the dietary variety that covers all their nutritional bases. It can take 10 or more tries before a toddler accepts a new food, so keep offering without pressure.⁴
• Stick to regular meal and snack times. Skipping meals or grazing throughout the day can lead to energy dips. Aim for three small meals and two to three snacks at consistent times each day.
• Prioritize brain-supporting nutrients at each meal. You don't need to hit every nutrient at every meal—but building meals around a protein source, a healthy fat, and a fruit or vegetable covers a lot of ground.
• Consider a toddler nutritional drink when diet has gaps. During a particularly picky eating phase, a toddler nutritional drink that has DHA can help fill the gaps.

Support Toddler Brain Activity With a Balanced Diet

It’s amazing how quickly a toddler’s brain can grow. Support them along the way by meeting their nutritional needs. You don’t need to get it perfect every day, but doing your best to offer a nutrient-dense diet goes a long way. For more help with balanced toddler meals, join Enfamil Family Beginnings. It’s a free program that offers toddler nutrition tips, product samples, and support at every stage of your child's development.

References:

1. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/brain-architecture/↗
2. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/baby-brain-food-7-foods-to-fuel-brain-development↗
3. Sarah Jane Schwarzenberg, Michael K. Georgieff, COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION, Stephen Daniels, Mark Corkins, Neville H. Golden, Jae H. Kim, C. Wesley Lindsey, Sheela N. Magge; Advocacy for Improving Nutrition in the First 1000 Days to Support Childhood Development and Adult Health. Pediatrics February 2018; 141 (2): e20173716. 10.1542/peds.2017-3716
4. Spill M, Callahan E, Johns K, et al. Repeated Exposure to Foods and Early Food Acceptance: A Systematic Review [Internet]. Alexandria (VA): USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review; 2019 Apr. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPEATED EXPOSURE (TIMING, QUANTITY, AND FREQUENCY) TO FOODS AND EARLY FOOD ACCEPTANCE? Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582166/↗
5. https://www.firstthingsfirst.org/early-childhood-matters/brain-development/↗