How much iron do young children really need? What happens if they get too little – and how can you easily get iron into your everyday life? Together with Knodds child specialist We answer the most common questions about iron for babies – and share our best tips on how to serve iron-rich meals that are both simple and delicious.
What is iron?
Iron is an important mineral for children
Iron is a so-called essential mineral, which means that it is essential for life but that the body cannot produce it itself. Therefore, children need to get iron through food. – a varied diet is usually enough to get enough.
Most of the iron in the body is used to help red blood cells transport oxygen to different parts of the body. It is also important for growth, metabolism, and the central nervous system.
“Because young children are constantly growing, they need a lot of iron to make more blood and muscle mass. At the same time, a one-year-old doesn’t eat as much as older children and teenagers – so it’s especially important that their food is nutritious so they get what they need.”
– Berit Enqvist, pediatric specialist at Knodd
What does iron deficiency mean?
Iron deposits protect
As in so many cases, the body is ingenious and has developed systems that ensure that protect children against iron deficiency. When there is an excess of iron in the diet, the body stores the substance in depots that can then be utilized if the diet is less iron-rich for a period.
This makes it less important to get enough iron at every meal – with the help of a varied diet, the body can cope by sometimes taking iron from and sometimes adding to its stores. The system also works so that if the body has a low iron store in its stores, it absorbs more iron from food compared to when the store is full.
Long-term iron deficiency in children can lead to problems
Iron deficiency does not become a problem until you have had too little iron in your diet for so long that your stores start to run out. Then the iron deficiency turns into anemia (iron deficiency anemia). Sometimes you may notice symptoms such as the child being tired, pale, weak or having difficulty concentrating, but many people do not notice any symptoms at all.
However, having too little iron during periods of growth and development can have greater consequences. Iron deficiency anemia during early childhood can lead to impaired cognitive and motor development, and can potentially lead to behavioral problems and reduced resistance to certain infections.
While Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency Iron deficiency anemia is not very common among children in Sweden (just under 10%). It mainly occurs in the presence of an underlying illness or due to an excessively one-sided or iron-poor diet over a long period of time.
“Young children have a high iron requirement, but that doesn’t mean you have to count every milligram. Keep a few iron-rich favorites in mind and let them pop up here and there – it will go a long way.”"
– Elin Oresten, founder of
Tips for an iron-rich breakfast
At what ages is iron especially important?
During some periods, children are particularly sensitive to iron deficiency. For example, a one-year-old needs to consume about the same amount of iron during the day as a nine-year-old.
Six months to one year: Now the iron stores that the baby received in the mother's womb are starting to run out, and the iron in breast milk is not enough. Therefore, 6 months is a good time to start introducing solid foods, as a complement to breast milk.
- Around two years: This is an important growth period when the body needs a lot of iron to be able to create enough blood, so even now it is important that the diet is rich in iron.
If you are concerned that your child is not getting enough iron, talk to your child's health care provider. If your child is tired, pale and short of breath, contact your health care center or a digital caregivers.
How to get iron into your child's daily routine
When your baby starts eating solid foods, it's a good idea to introduce iron-rich foods. It's not about every bite being full of iron – it's about providing a good variety of foods over time, over weeks and months. Here are some practical ways to achieve this in your everyday life:
Offer iron in different forms and from different sources
Heme iron (from meat and organ meats) is more easily absorbed by the body. Good examples are black pudding, liver pâté, minced beef and chicken. Non-heme iron (from plant sources) is found in, among other things, legumes, whole grains, seeds and nutsIt is not absorbed as efficiently – but absorption can be improved with the right conditions (see tips below). Egg also contains a lot of non-heme iron.
An iron-rich diet doesn't have to be complicated. Here are some examples of foods that provide a lot of iron:
Combine with vitamin C
Serve iron-rich foods (especially those with non-heme iron) with foods rich in vitamin C. Peppers, tomatoes, parsley, kiwi, oranges, berries or fruit are easy additions which helps the body absorb non-heme iron better.
Iron + vitamin C = &<3
Think about the bread
Sourdough bread or bread with a long fermentation time is a good option because it reduces the phytic acid in whole grains, making the iron more available to the body.
Spread out calcium-rich foods
Calcium can inhibit the body's absorption of non-heme iron in individual meals, but it seems that the body has mechanisms to balance it out over time. However, if you have a child with iron deficiency, it may be a good idea to avoid serving, for example, large amounts of milk or yogurt at the same meal as iron-rich foods (especially if it is non-heme iron).
Enrich the food yourself!
Mixed pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or mixed whole wheat bread can be used to enrich iron in, for example, porridge, pancakes, waffles, smoothies, bread, muffins and other baked goods.
You can also make a simple "iron sprinkle" of various iron-rich finely chopped seeds and nuts to sprinkle on any food to increase the iron content.
Vary and think long-term
Young children have a high need for iron in relation to how little they eat, so it's good to often include something iron-rich on their plate. But you don't need to plan every meal in detail, the body has its own stores that help balance it out. The most important thing is variation over time. and that iron may be included in the child's diet. Some days it will be less, others more and that is completely normal.
More iron-rich recipes
The Little Iron School is designed by
/Elin Oresten
Lic. nutritionist and founder of
/Berit Enqvist
Pediatrician at Knodd
