Are Protein-Rich Foods Better Than Carbs and Fats for Kids?

Introduction:¹

Most of the parents are aware of the importance of proteins in a child’s growth; hence they often worry “Is my child having enough protein rich foods?” Most parents are unaware, carbs and fats are also essential nutrients, wonder if protein rich foods are better than carbs and fats for kids? Let’s find out in this blog, which protein rich foods for kids can be included, what are good fat foods for kids and what are good carb foods for kids.

Table of Contents

• Understanding Nutritional Requirements for Kids
• The Role of Protein-Rich Foods in a Child’s Diet
• The Importance of Carbs for Kids’ Energy and Brain Function
• The Essential Role of Healthy Fats in Kids’ Development
• Protein-Rich Foods vs. Carbs and Fats – Which is better for Kids?
• How to Incorporate Protein, Carbs, and Fats into Kids’ Meals
• Common Myths About Protein, Carbs, and Fats for Kids

Understanding Nutritional Requirements for Kids

Given below are age-wise energy and protein requirements as per Indian 2024² guidelines:

Recommendations for carbohydrate and fat intake for children as per Indian 2024 guidelines:

• 30% of total energy from fats, with 10% from each saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats.
• 50-60% carbohydrates of total energy intake. Minimum of 100-130g carbohydrates must be included in daily diet for all ages 1 year above.

The Role of Protein Rich Foods in a Child’s Diet:³

Proteins are building blocks of the body, help in muscle growth, repair and maintenance, synthesis of hormones, and immune system functioning. They are involved in most of bodily functions and deficiency can lead to poor health, and hence including protein rich foods for kids is of utmost importance.

The Importance of Carbs for Kids Energy and Brain Function:⁴,⁵

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy, especially for the brain and central nervous system. Children need to be attentive and active during school hours, physical education period, as well as during their playtime. Including complex carbs for kids from whole grain cereals, whole pulses, vegetables, and whole fruits, gives them sustained release of energy (glucose) through the day, along with other essential nutrients, where as simple carbohydrates from white or table sugar, sugary drinks and candies have poor nutritional value and raise the risk of obesity, hence needs to be restricted.

The Essential Role of Healthy Fats in Kids’ Development⁶

It is important to include healthy fat foods for kids because these are important for your child’s brain development, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and overall growth. Sources of healthy fats include nuts and seeds -almonds, walnuts, pistachios, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and fatty fishes like tuna, salmon, mackerel, etc. Unhealthy fats from processed and deep-fried foods should be avoided.

Protein Rich Foods vs. Carbs and Fats – Which is Better for Kids?

A balance of all macronutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, along with micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water, is essential to support growth and development of your child. A balance of all these essential nutrients in the required proportion is crucial to support a well-functioning body of your child.

How to Incorporate Protein, Carbs, and Fats into Kids’ Meals

A well-balanced meal plate should include carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Parents should make sure their kids are eating all food groups like cereals, millets, pulses, vegetables, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and sufficient water. Herbs and spices can be added to make meals tasty and loved by kids.

• Carbs⁵:

Planning a variety of carbs for kids is vital to get a good mix of different nutrients.  You can include carb foods for kids like whole wheat flour, broken wheat, oats, variety of millets like ragi, jowar, bajra, unpolished rice, dals, and pulses, to keep them full of energy through the day.

These carb foods for kids can be given as wraps, roti, bhakri, thepla, rice pulao, millet pulao, khichdi, dal rice, rajma rice, rice dosa/idli, millet dosa/idli, etc.

• Proteins³:

Protein rich foods include milk, curd yogurt, paneer, buttermilk, eggs, dals and pulses, soybean and its products, lean meats- chicken, fish, nuts, and seeds. You can add curd/yogurt/paneer or dal/pulses/soybean and its products to main meals as protein rich foods for kids. Curd raita, paneer bhurji or curry, paneer tikka, dal/pulse/soy curry, soya tikkis, rajma chickpea tikkis, moong tikkis etc. some ways of incorporating these protein rich foods in meals.

Alternatively, you can also include yogurt fruit parfaits, curd dips, egg omelet, egg bhurjee, boiled eggs, chicken/fish, dal chilla as protein rich foods for kids.

• Fats⁶:

Healthy fat foods for kids include nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, mackerel etc. Avocado dip (guacamole), nuts as it is or powdered along with fruits, or added to porridges, pancakes, chia seed pudding, flax seed chutney, fish (grilled/curry/steamed/cutlet) are ways of incorporating healthy fat foods for kids.

Common Myths about Protein, Carbs, and Fats for Kids

Myth 1: Proteins cause bloating and cannot be digested easily.⁷

Proteins are further broken down to simple units called amino acids, your child’s body is capable of digesting these amino acids. Make sure that your child is drinking enough water and having sufficient fiber in meals to aid in better digestion of proteins.

Myth 2: Carbs cause lethargy and kids need to avoid carbs⁵

Fact: Carbs are necessary for energy and better functioning of the brain and attentiveness.  It is important to focus on giving complex carbs for kids and avoid giving simple carbs for sustained release of energy and to prevent lethargy.

Myth 3: Fats make kids gain weight and need to be avoided⁶

Providing healthy fats from nuts, seeds, cooking oil, fish, etc. in the required amounts is important. If taken in the required amount and with a physically active lifestyle for children, it will not cause weight gain.

Conclusion

So, carbs, proteins and fats are all equally important for normal growth and development of children. Planning meals with protein rich foods, incorporating carb foods for kids, as well as including fat foods for kids in the required proportion must be emphasized.

Sometimes you may be unable to meet your child’s daily nutritional requirements through food due to preferences, or simply your child may not be able to eat enough. You can add nutritional drinks like Complan to a balanced diet for additional nutrition support. Complan not only provides 63% more protein than the other malt-based nutritional drink but also has a total of 34 vital nutrients essential for your child’s growth and development.

References:

¹ Faizan, U., & Rouster, A. S. (2023, August 28). Nutrition and hydration requirements in children and adults. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562207/

² ICMR-NIN Expert Group. (2024). Revised short summary report–2024: Recommended dietary allowances (RDA) and estimated average requirements (EAR)–2020 (Updated 2024). Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition.

³ Wang, J. (2024). The importance of proteins: Building blocks of life. Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences, 14(55). https://doi.org/10.35248/2155-9600.24.14.55

⁴ Naveed, S., Venäläinen, T., Eloranta, A. M., Erkkilä, A. T., Jalkanen, H., Lindi, V., Lakka, T. A., & Haapala, E. A. (2020). Associations of dietary carbohydrate and fatty acid intakes with cognition among children. Public Health Nutrition, 23(9), 1657–1663. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980019003860

⁵ Wasyluk, W., Zdunek, G., & Pedrycz, A. (2019). The impact of carbohydrate intake on the behavior and cognitive functions of children and adolescents. Polish Journal of Public Health, 129(2), 64–67. https://doi.org/10.2478/pjph-2019-0015

⁶ Huffman, S. L., Harika, R. K., Eilander, A., & Osendarp, S. J. (2011). Essential fats: How do they affect growth and development of infants and young children in developing countries? A literature review. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 7(Suppl 3), 44–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8709.2011.00356.x

⁷ LaPelusa, A., & Kaushik, R. (2022, November 14). Physiology, proteins. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555990/ (Accessed March 4, 2025)