High Fat Diets for Infants

By the time most infants reach their first birthday they will have tripled their birth weight and have grown 10 inches. They need the right diet to aid their development. Doctors and dietitians recommend that infants have a calorie-rich high-fat diet because fats allow them to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, protect their vital organs and contribute to the health of their brain, which itself is composed of 60 percent fat. Infants can get their recommended fat intake from both liquids and solids.

Milk

Infants get the majority of their nutrients from breast milk, the most natural source for fat for the baby. The World Health Organization suggests that exclusive breastfeeding is optimal in the first six months, after which breastfeeding may continue in conjunction with solid foods and water for a further two years. If the mother is incapable of providing breast milk then full-fat cow's milk is a good alternative although this shouldn't be given to the child before they reach a year old.

Formula

Formula is the best substitute for breast milk as it seeks to replicate the nutritional content of breast milk. Formula recipes vary from one manufacturer to another but most products usually use vegetable oils for a fat source. The World Health Organization has stated that while breast milk is ideal, formula is a more than adequate alternative and the Food and Nutrition Board considers formula to promote more efficient growth in children than milk.

Cheese and Yogurt

Dairy products such as cheese and natural yogurt are high in good fats, protein and calcium and many infants like them. Mild cheeses such as colby and Monterrey jack can be introduced to an infant's diet from 8 months old and up, providing they have no allergies to dairy. You can also give an infant natural full-fat yogurt from the age of 8 months old although most dietitians recommend leaving it until they are a year old as there is a fear that yogurt will replace the more nutritionally beneficial breast milk, formula or cow's milk.

Avocado

Avocado is extremely high in fat, particularly monounsaturated fat, which makes it the most suitable vegetable for infants by far. The fact that the texture of avocado is smooth and creamy also makes it perfect for infants who are being weaned off breast milk and being put onto solid foods. Avocados are also a rich source of vitamin E and C and potassium which have antioxidant qualities and regulate the heartbeat.