Are you feeding your toddler TOO MUCH fruit and veg?

Nutritionists are warning that too much fibre and too little fat can lead to vitamin deficiencies and stunt growth in children under-five.

According to experts, young toddlers have different dietary requirements to school-age children, their developing bodies cannot cope with high quantities of fruit and vegetables.

A trading standards study of nursery menus found the majority were not serving the children in their care enough food. Only 30% were providing meals with enough calories.  

After studying the results of the survey, Sarah Almond, a paediatric dietician said: “We expected the study to show nurseries were serving children food that was too high in calories, fat, saturated fat and salt, and low in vegetables and fruit.

“Instead, we found the majority of nurseries had gone to the other extreme and appeared to be providing food that was too low in calories, fat and saturated fat and too high in fruit and vegetables.”

Giving youngsters extra small portions and denying foods with fat, meant the nurseries were putting the toddlers at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies.

Mrs Almond said toddlers’ need energy-rich foods. Too much fibre can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb other nutrients, including key minerals such as iron, which is essential for growth.

Fibre also fills children up quickly, stopping them from eating the calories they need to grow.

This study is published the same day newspapers are also reporting that parents are buying less ‘junk’ food than a year ago. Sales of fruit and veg have risen, while sales for sweets and chocolate have fallen.

Yoghurts, bananas, apples and carrots showed the biggest increase in sales over the past year.