Healthy fats are needed for our bodies to function well. Foods that include healthy fats are avocados, coconut and olive oil, grass-fed butter, tallow and ghee, grass-fed raw milk, pasture-raised eggs, wild-caught fish, cod liver oil and hemp, chia, and flax seeds. These foods help to nourish our bodies and have many health benefits for brain development and overall health. They help minimize the risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, eczema, depression, infertility and diabetes. These foods aren’t just for adults, healthy fats are important and beneficial for the whole family, especially growing kids.

Healthy Fats for a Child’s Brain Development
Contrary to mainstream media, healthy saturated fats are an important part of a child’s diet. These healthy saturated fats come from quality animal foods and contain the fat-soluble vitamins, A, E, D, and K and cholesterol. These vitamins and cholesterol are crucial for the growth and development of a child’s brain because saturated fats and cholesterol make up almost all of the fat inside of our brains. Even a nursing mother’s milk comprises saturated fats and cholesterol, providing the proper nutrition for a baby’s developing brain. These healthy fats provide structure for brain cells, insulation for nerve fibers, and help brain cells to communicate. Research is even showing that children with brain disorders like Autism have a lower saturated fat intake than those without. Other fats that are important to brain development include DHA and EPA. These essential fatty acids can be found in grass-fed beef liver, pasture-raised egg yolks, cod liver oil, wild-caught salmon, olive oil, hemp hearts, flax seed, and chia seeds.
Cholesterol for Proper Hormone Production
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance vital to a developing baby and child. According to the Westin A Price Foundation up to a certain age, children are not able to make their own cholesterol. Cholesterol, though, is used by the body to make sex hormones, so it should be included in a growing child’s diet to obtain optimal growth now and later in life. If the proper building blocks for hormone production are deficient in a child’s diet many health issues could occur, one being infertility later in life. When choosing foods that contain cholesterol make sure to choose quality options like grass-fed, grass-finished red meats, organic and pasture-raised egg yolks. Choosing quality items will ensure your child is also receiving the nutrients needed to support all of their body’s functions and processes.
Fats to Avoid
Many believe and studies are showing that industrialized seed oils aka vegetable oils are the cause of our country’s health epidemic. Vegetable oils are not only heavily processed and treated with chemicals and deodorizers but they are also very high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Children’s diets today consist heavily of processed foods that include seed oils and nut butter which are high in Omega-6 fats (polyunsaturated fats). Our bodies need polyunsaturated fatty acids but they become a problem when they are not properly balanced with Omega-3 fatty acids. Also, seed oils can be very inflammatory. Stay away from packaged and processed foods and oils labeled vegetable oil, soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower, and safflower oil.

What to Eat: Foods that Include Healthy Fats
Overall, whole, real foods should make up most of a child’s diet ensuring they are getting the proper nutrients, including fats, needed to grow and develop. Many delicious foods include healthy fats. Choose quality options that won’t be full of unnecessary toxins. Healthy foods to eat that include healthy fats include: organic avocados, chia seeds, raw, grass-fed milk, yogurt and cheese, organic, pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed red meats, wild-caught salmon and tuna, extra-virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, grass-fed raw butter and grass-fed ghee.
Balanced Snack Ideas for Kids
- Homemade chocolate chip cookies and raw milk, make cookies with grass-fed butter and pasture raised eggs
- Avocado smoothie with cacao and raw milk or yogurt
- Hard boiled eggs and raw carrot sticks
- Raw cheese slices and naturally cured meat
- Organic yogurt topped with chia seeds and fresh fruit
- Homemade tuna salad and sourdough crackers
- Homemade custard, using pasture-raised eggs, raw milk, ghee, beef gelatin and protein powder if desired
- Sourdough pasta topped with tuna, olive oil, parmesan cheese and fresh herbs
- Raw milk hot chocolate

Want to Learn More About How to Choose the Best Fats?
Check out my Clean Eating E-Book. It goes through every category of food, including fats, and helps you to choose the best, cleanest options for your family.
If you found this article helpful, don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
Leave a Reply