Beta carotene overdose/omega for babies

Question
2 questions! Should I be worrying about omega 3 and 6 for my veggie baby (13 months), we don't eat fish.
Second question trickier! My friend has "yellow palm syndrome", she was eating 6 big carrots a day and has been told she has betacarotene overdose. She went cold turkey on the carrots a month ago, when will she loose the yellow palms, and should she get a blood check?

Answer
Hi Emma,

Yes, it is important to make sure your baby gets essential fatty acids. They are crucial for brain development.

The following information is adapted from an article on Vegfamily.com:

While I usually suggest flax oil as a vegetarian source of omega-3s, and it is safe in small amounts for babies, it is possible to overdo it. A product with an appropriate blend of essential oils for infants and toddlers is  Essential Balance Junior, which you can find in most supplement stores and health food stores, or online at www.omeganutrition.com.

As your baby's diet becomes more varied over time, you can switch from the infant essential oil blend to omega-3 rich foods, including flax seeds and flax seed oil, leafy green vegetables, canola oil, hempseeds and hempseed oil, walnuts, omega-3 enhanced soy milk, and soy products. Add these foods to your child's diet as he/she becomes old enough to eat them.  Non-omega-3 fatty acids (monounsaturated fats and omega-6's) are also important, but easier to get in the diet than the omega-3's. Olives and olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, and most margarines are good sources. Grind up seeds and nuts for children aged 1-3 years, and avoid nut butters, which may be a choking hazard (however, you may use nut butters as an ingredient in baked goods and smoothies). Please note that if there's a family history of food allergy, hold off on the nuts and nut butters until age 3.

As far as the beta carotene overdose, I can't find any references that state specifically how long it will take for the yellow skin discoloration to fade (they all say "gradually"!). Beta carotene overdose is generally considered harmless, I don't think your friend needs any specific follow up unless it has been recommended by her doctor.

Karen
www.getfitwithkaren.com  

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