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Winter Foods That Boost Kids' Health
Take advantage of seasonal vegetables to boost your child's potassium intake.
Winter squashes, such as acorn and butternut, are high in potassium, a mineral kids' bodies need to help build and contract muscles, regulate blood pressure, promote regular heartbeat, and control the water balance in their tissues and cells. Add cubed or mashed squash to soups, stews, casseroles, and stir-fries for extra flavor and nutrition.
Wondering what the recommended dose of this mineral is? For kids, it ranges from 700 milligrams to 4,700 milligrams per day, depending on how old they are.
Here's the breakdown by age group:
| 7 to 12 months | 700 milligrams |
| 1 to 3 years | 3,000 milligrams |
| 4 to 8 years | 3,800 milligrams |
| 9 to 13 years | 4,500 milligrams |
| 14 to 18 years | 4,700 milligrams |
One cup of cubed squash contains almost 900 milligrams of potassium. Winter squash varieties include acorn, spaghetti, butternut, turnip, Hubbard, banana, and carnival. These potassium-rich gourds can be baked, boiled, or steamed until the flesh is tender.
Serve squash as a side dish by pureeing butternut squash with a bit of olive oil, lime juice, and nutmeg. Or serve it as the main course by making a savory soup out of butternut squash, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, olive oil, chives, and spices. Other good sources of potassium include dried peaches and apricots, potatoes, bananas, watermelon, tomato paste, and yogurt.
