If you grew up in the “low-fat” era like I did, it can be hard not to feel a little suspicious of fat.
For years, fat was labeled as something to limit. Food producers churned out low-fat products left and right, sending the clear message that less fat was healthier. (Now we’ve started treating carbs that way — but that’s for a different blog post.)
Parents often ask my opinion about low-fat milk, removing egg yolks, or avoiding cooking with oil. And here’s what we now know:
First, different types of fat have different effects in the body.
Second, we need fat — and children especially need fat.
Growing bodies are building brains, insulating nerves, producing hormones, strengthening immune systems, and laying the foundation for lifelong heart health.
Let’s talk about why fat matters so much in childhood.
Fat Builds the Brain 🧠
Childhood — especially early childhood — is a time of rapid brain growth and development. In fact, the brain is nearly 60% fat.
While your child is growing taller on the outside, their brain and nervous system are developing at an incredible pace on the inside. Fat isn’t just stored energy — it’s part of the brain’s physical structure.
Fat forms what’s called the myelin sheath, a protective covering around nerves. Think of it like insulation around electrical wires. This insulation helps messages travel quickly and smoothly throughout the brain and body. When that communication system is well supported, it supports learning, focus, coordination, and emotional regulation.
Fat is also part of the outer layer of every brain cell. Those cell membranes need to stay flexible so brain cells can “talk” to each other efficiently. The types of fats kids eat influence how well those cells function.
One group of fats that is especially important for the brain is omega-3 fatty acids.
DHA is a specific type of omega-3 that is highly concentrated in the brain and eyes. It supports memory, attention, and overall brain development — especially during periods of rapid growth.
Here’s the challenge: omega-3 fats are found in the highest amounts in fatty fish like salmon and sardines. And let’s be honest — many kids aren’t eating fish two times per week. Some won’t touch it at all.
That’s why being intentional about including healthy fats for kids on a regular basis matters. Growing brains depend on them.
Fat Supports Hormone Development
Fat also plays an essential role in hormone production.
Hormones may not feel like a major concern in early childhood, but behind the scenes your child’s body is constantly producing hormones that regulate growth, stress response, sleep, appetite, and metabolism. These chemical messengers help coordinate nearly every system in the body.
Many of these hormones are made from fat — and specifically from cholesterol.
Cholesterol often gets a bad reputation, but it’s actually a critical building block for important hormones, including growth hormones, stress hormones like cortisol, and the sex hormones that later guide puberty and reproductive development.
During childhood, the body is laying the groundwork for these future stages. Adequate dietary fat supports the body’s ability to produce and regulate hormones appropriately — not just now, but in the years ahead.
This doesn’t mean children need excessive amounts of fat. But it does mean that overly restricting fat or fearing cholesterol-containing foods (like eggs or full-fat dairy) can work against normal developmental processes.
Growing bodies need nourishment, not restriction.
Fat Helps Kids Absorb Key Nutrients
Did you know that some vitamins can only be absorbed with the help of fat?
Certain essential vitamins are called fat-soluble vitamins, which means they require dietary fat to be properly absorbed and used by the body. These include:
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Vitamin A
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Vitamin D
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Vitamin E
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Vitamin K
Without enough fat in a meal, the body may not fully absorb these nutrients — even if the food itself is rich in them.
Each of these vitamins plays an important role in childhood:
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Vitamin A supports immune health and vision.
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Vitamin D supports bone development and immune function.
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Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells.
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Vitamin K supports proper blood clotting and bone health.
So while fat has its own structural and hormonal roles, it also acts as a helper — allowing these vitamins to do their jobs effectively.
This is one reason why adding olive oil to roasted vegetables, serving avocado alongside a meal, or including full-fat yogurt isn’t “extra.” It’s strategic. The fat helps your child’s body actually use the nutrients in the foods you’re serving.
Sometimes it’s not about adding more supplements — it’s about pairing foods wisely.
Fat Provides Concentrated Energy for Growing Bodies
There’s another important reason children need a higher percentage of calories from fat compared to adults: they’re growing.
Kids have smaller stomachs, high activity levels, and greater calorie needs per pound of body weight. Their bodies are constantly building — bone, muscle, brain tissue, immune cells — while running, playing, learning, and moving throughout the day.
That’s a big demand for a small body.
Fat helps meet those needs efficiently. It provides more than twice the energy per gram compared to carbohydrates or protein. In other words, fat offers more “bang for the buck” in a smaller volume of food.
For children who fill up quickly, this matters. Including healthy fats in meals and snacks helps ensure they’re getting enough energy to support steady growth — without needing large portions.
Growing bodies need adequate energy, and fat plays an important role in providing it.
What About Heart Health?
When we talk about fat, many parents immediately think about heart health.
For years, fat was blamed for heart disease. But we now know the type of fat matters more than simply the amount.
Certain fats — especially unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids — actually support heart health. They help maintain healthy blood vessels, support balanced cholesterol levels, and reduce inflammation.
And while heart disease is something we think about later in life, cardiovascular health begins in childhood. The eating patterns kids develop early on lay the foundation for long-term health.
The goal isn’t to remove fat from a child’s diet. It’s to focus on the types of fats that support growing bodies — including their hearts.
What Are “Good Fats”?
You’ve probably heard fats described as “good” or “bad.” While that language can be oversimplified, it’s true that some fats are more supportive of long-term health than others.
All fats can fit within a balanced diet. But certain types of fat tend to provide more benefits — especially for growing kids — while others are best enjoyed in moderation.
Let’s break it down.
Unsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats include both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are the fats we want to include regularly because they support heart health, reduce inflammation, and help build healthy cells throughout the body.
You’ll find them in:
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Avocados
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Olive oil
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Nuts and nut butters
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Seeds (chia, flax, hemp)
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Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, trout)
These fats help maintain flexible cell membranes, support healthy blood vessels, and provide steady energy for growing bodies.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat with especially powerful benefits for kids.
As we discussed earlier, omega-3s support brain development, learning, mood regulation, and heart health. They also help regulate inflammation.
There are three main types:
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ALA (from flax, chia, hemp, walnuts)
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EPA
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DHA (most critical for brain development)
ALA from plant sources is beneficial, but it must be converted in the body to DHA — and that conversion is limited. That’s why direct sources of DHA tend to have a bigger impact.
DHA is found primarily in fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel. Fish is one of those foods I encourage families to keep trying — even if it takes multiple exposures and different preparations.
What About Saturated Fats?
Saturated fats are often labeled as “bad,” but the full picture is more nuanced.
They’re found in foods like:
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Red meat and poultry (especially with skin)
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Processed meats like bacon, sausage, and pepperoni
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Dairy products
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Tropical oils like coconut and palm oil
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Baked goods made with butter
In excess, diets very high in saturated fat may raise LDL cholesterol levels. That’s why most guidelines recommend emphasizing unsaturated fats more often.
But that doesn’t mean saturated fat must be eliminated — especially in children. Foods like dairy and eggs provide important nutrients alongside the fat. The goal isn’t restriction. It’s balance.
What This Means for Parents
If you take nothing else away from this, let it be this: fat is not something to fear in childhood. It’s something to include thoughtfully.
1. Don’t rush to choose low-fat for growing kids.
Unless medically indicated, children benefit from adequate fat intake to support brain development, hormones, and steady growth.
2. Focus more on the type of fat than the total amount.
Include unsaturated fats regularly — olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.
3. Pair fat with meals and snacks.
Adding nut butter to toast, olive oil to vegetables, or full-fat yogurt alongside fruit helps with nutrient absorption and satiety.
4. Keep offering fish — even if it takes time.
Repeated exposure matters. We recently posted a yummy salmon recipe.
5. Consider supplements if intake is limited.
If your child rarely eats fish or you’re concerned about omega-3 intake, supplementation can be a helpful tool. I prioritize third-party tested products for purity and potency, and I’ve curated trusted options in my Fullscript dispensary for families who want support.
Supplements are meant to complement a balanced diet — not replace it.
The Bottom Line
Growing bodies are building brains, producing hormones, strengthening immune systems, and laying the foundation for lifelong health. Fat plays a role in all of it.
Rather than asking, “How can I limit fat?” a more helpful question might be:
“Am I including the kinds of fats that help my child grow and thrive?”
Because during childhood, nourishment — not restriction — truly supports health.