As parents, we are often preoccupied with ensuring our toddlers receive a balanced diet to support their growth and development. However, there's a critical factor that often goes unnoticed - the body's ability to absorb these nutrients.
Imagine having all the puzzle pieces but lacking the right glue to hold them together; it is the same with nutrients. Even with a balanced diet, if your child's body struggles to absorb these essential elements, it can limit the benefits of good nutrition.
And that’s why, gut health matters.
A healthy gut is the foundation of your child's well-being. A healthy gut facilitates the efficient breakdown and absorption of nutrients from food. This is especially critical in toddlers as they experience rapid growth and need proper nourishment.
What may surprise you is that a significant portion, approximately 70%1 , of the immune system resides in the gut. This thriving community of 'good' bacteria, comprising the gut microbiome, acts as a guardian against infections and plays a pivotal role in keeping your toddler healthy.
Let’s look at some key nutrients necessary for a strong gut, robust immune system and holistic development.
Key Nutrients Essential For Your Child’s Gut Health and Immunity
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Milk Oligosaccharides (MOs)
Milk Oligosaccharides (MOs) are a unique and essential component found in milk, which actively contributes to shaping the developing immune system during the crucial early stages of life. In fact, MOs are the third largest solid component of milk after fat and carbohydrates.
There are at least 200 MOs, belonging to three major families that have been identified till date. This includes 2’-FL, DFL, LNT, 3’-SL, 6’-SL, which collectively represent nearly half of the MOs found in nature.3-7
Milk Oligosaccharides play a pivotal role in enhancing your child's immunity in four fundamental ways:
- Promoting the Growth of Good Bacteria: MOs serve as food for the good bacteria in your child’s gut, particularly bifidobacteria, aiding their thriving. At the same time, they act to curb the growth of potential disease-causing bacteria, such as certain strains of Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, and Clostridia.
- Reinforcing Gut Barrier Function: Infections, whether bacterial or viral, hinge on pathogens binding to the gut lining. MOs prevent disease-causing pathogens from attaching to the gut lining, facilitating their removal through stools.
- Preventing Pathogen Attachment: Some MOs, like 2’-FL, have structures similar to receptors in the gut. They act like decoys, binding to disease-causing bacteria or viruses and preventing them from reaching the gut lining and causing infection.
- Directly Modulating the Immune System: MOs help balance the immune cells, reducing the risk of allergies. This balanced response supports immune development in young children.
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Probiotics
Every child has a unique mix of both 'good' and 'bad' bacteria in their digestive system. Some strains of bacteria, like Bifidus and Lactobacillus, are good for health, while others like Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Salmonella can be harmful.
Several factors can upset the balance between good and bad bacteria, such as taking antibiotics and a child's diet, which may harm the good bacteria.
This imbalance can make a child more likely to get sick or develop allergies due to a weaker immune system and fewer good gut bacteria. That's where probiotics come in.
Probiotics are live bacteria that are good for your child's health. These "good bacteria" can benefit your child's digestive health and immunity in the following ways:
- Balancing Gut Flora: Probiotics help increase the good bacteria, maintaining a healthy balance of protective microbes in your child's gut. This balance is crucial for overall digestive health and a strong immune system.
- Fighting Harmful Bacteria: Probiotics actively target and combat harmful bacteria in the digestive system, reducing the risk of infections and digestive problems.
Probiotic-rich foods include yoghurt, cheese, kimchi, miso, kefir, buttermilk, tempeh, and sourdough bread. Probiotics can also be found in certain formula milk, fermented foods, beverages, and even some supplements.
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DHA & ARA
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Arachidonic Acid (ARA) are essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, respectively. These nutrients not only support brain and eye health but also contribute to a robust immune system.
Brain Development: DHA, in particular, is vital for optimal brain development. It supports memory, problem-solving abilities, and overall cognitive function.
Eye Health: Both DHA and ARA contribute to maintaining healthy eyes, ensuring clear vision and eye function.
Immunity Boost: These essential fatty acids play a key role in immune function2, helping to fortify your child's natural defences. They contribute to the body's ability to ward off illnesses and infections, ensuring that your child stays healthy and resilient.
Elevating Your Toddler’s Diet
Mums and dads, providing a well-balanced diet to support your child's growth and development can be a rewarding yet challenging task. As children develop their food preferences, ensuring they receive all the essential nutrients can become a concern. In such cases, fortified milk enriched with vital vitamins, minerals, and nutrients can serve as a valuable supplement to complement their diet.
NAN SUPREMEPRO H.A. 3 is thoughtfully designed to offer advanced, science-based nutrition while being gentle on your child's tummy. This hypoallergenic formula is exclusively formulated for Singapore --- the First and Only brand with 5-MO COMPLEX (a proprietary blend of 2’-FL, DFL, LNT, 3’-SL, 6’-SL); and SUPREME PROTECTORS, NAN SUPREMEPRO H.A. 3 helps support your child's immunity. Additionally, the partially hydrolysed formulation with optimised proteins contains smaller proteins for easier digestion and reduces the risk of cow's milk protein allergy. Besides that, this breakthrough formula also contains the highest# combination of DHA and ARA to support essential brain and eye development.
If you're interested in discovering how NAN SUPREMEPRO H.A. 3 can benefit your child, you can sign up for a sample at https://nes.tl/SPTAP .
#Compared among formula milk brands in Singapore, based on declared value per 100g
References:
- 1 The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies
- 2 Impact of ARA and DHA Supplementation
- 3 Impact of maternal characteristics on human milk oligosaccharide composition over the first 4 months of lactation in a cohort of healthy European mothers
- 4 Temporal Change of the Content of 10 Oligosaccharides in the Milk of Chinese Urban Mothers
- 5 Human Milk Oligosaccharides in the Milk of Mothers Delivering Term versus Preterm Infants
- 6 FUT2-dependent breast milk oligosaccharides and allergy at 2 and 5 years of age in infants with high hereditary allergy risk
- 7 Time of Lactation and Maternal Fucosyltransferase Genetic Polymorphisms Determine the Variability in Human Milk Oligosaccharides