­A good diet has loads of benefits for your toddler — from keeping him healthy and helping him grow, to boosting his brainpower and giving him all the energy he needs to enjoy life.

Strong teeth

A healthy diet — one that’s low in sugar — will keep your toddler’s teeth strong. This is because the more times your toddler has sugar in his mouth each day, the more often the enamel on his teeth is under attack. And tooth decay is not only painful, it can damage your toddler’s second teeth, too.

Try to limit sweet sugary foods to meal times only and encourage your toddler to drink water or milk rather than sugary fruit drinks between meals. If you give him juice, dilute it with water and only offer it at mealtimes. When he needs a snack, instead of letting him dip into the biscuit tin, offer him something healthy like a breadstick, cubes of cheese or some chopped-up fruit.

Lots of energy

Your lively toddler is constantly on the go, having fun and trying out new skills, such as running and jumping. A healthy diet with lots of high-energy foods will help him live life to the full. The best sources of energy are foods packed with carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals, rice and couscous, so offer them at every meal. Don’t give him too many wholefoods like wholegrain bread and brown rice though. These are fine for adults, but in young children they can make food move so quickly through the digestive system, that your toddler’s body doesn’t have time to absorb all the nutrients properly.

Brainpower

Want to give your toddler a head start at nursery? A healthy diet with lots of foods rich in essential fatty acids will help to boost his brain development. Oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines, pilchards, eel and fresh tuna, is a good source. Try sardines on toast, salmon fish cakes or fish pie made with a mixture of oily and white fish.

Guidelines from the Food Standards Agency say that boys can eat oily fish up to four times a week. Girls, however, should only eat it twice a week as some oily fish can contain traces of toxins such as mercury that may cause health problems in any babies they may have in the future.

Other good sources of essential fatty acids include avocados and sunflower oil. Avoid peanuts until your toddler is three if you have a family history of allergies or allergic diseases like asthma, eczema and hay fever.

Normal weight

About a third of children are now overweight, and an unhealthy lifestyle — including a poor diet — is the main cause. Help your toddler stay a healthy weight by limiting foods that contain lots of fat and sugar, such as butter, margarine, oils, cakes, biscuits and ice-cream. Keep cakes or biscuits for after meals only, and offer your toddler water or milk to drink rather than squash or fizzy drinks.

It’s not a good idea to give your toddler low-fat foods. You can start giving him semi-skimmed milk once he’s two, but other low-fat foods like yogurts and reduced-fat cheese should be kept for adults only. Offer your toddler full-fat versions instead.

Lifelong health

A healthy diet will keep your toddler strong and healthy now and it will also help him avoid life-threatening illnesses like diabetes and heart disease when he’s older too.

Eating plenty of vitamin-packed fruit and vegetables, for example, will help your toddler develop a strong immune system. And helping him learn to love real food instead of processed food — which is often high in salt and saturated fats — will keep his heart, liver and blood pressure healthy.

Healthy digestion

A healthy diet with the right balance of fluid and fibre will keep your toddler’s digestive system in tiptop condition and avoid problems like constipation. Fruit and vegetables are a great source of fibre — encourage him to eat five portions a day — a portion is the size that would fit in his palm. Other good sources of fibre include sugar-free wholegrain cereals, porridge, instant oats and baked beans.

And don’t forget fluid, too. Your toddler should have at least six drinks a day in a beaker holding 150ml of fluid, such as water, diluted juice or milk.

Steady growth

Your toddler is growing fast and needs plenty of protein to feed his developing muscles and organs. Aim to offer a portion of protein at one or two meals each day. Protein-rich foods include meat, fish, peas, beans and eggs.

Good behaviour

Is your toddler sometimes a bit wild? Processed foods and drinks like cakes, pies, ready meals and fizzy drinks often contain additives, preservatives and high amounts of sugar. These have been proven to increase hyperactive behaviour in some children. Try to avoid these types of foods by making homemade meals with fresh ingredients for your toddler as often as you can.

Find out more

• Food Standards Agency
  www.eatwell.gov.uk
  
  
• Healthy Food for Young Children by Henrietta Fordham (£12.99, Usborne)
  
  
• Optimum Nutrition for Your Child's Mind by Patrick Holford and Deborah Colson (£10.99, Piatkus)
  
  
• Now read our features on feeding picky eaters and getting your child to eat
  
  
• Watch our short film on encouraging your child to try new foods