I've
always heard that calcium is one of the building blocks of the body.
Where is my child going to get calcium without dairy products?
While calcium certainly
is an essential building block for teeth and bones in a growing
body, there is some dispute among medical professionals as to
how much calcium we really need. The need for calcium is dependent
on the increasing amount of protein a child takes in during the
different growth phases. The Recommended Daily Allowance of calcium
for an infant is 400 mg. a day for the first six months of life.
This should be increased to 600 mg. a day for months six through
12. This need grows to 800 mg. for ages one through ten, and then
jumps to 1200 mg. a day for ages ten through 18.
Dairy products
have long been regarded as the easiest and the best source of
calcium. However, the fats, allergic potential, and pesticide
contaminants in milk make it an inappropriate source of calcium,
in my opinion. I would never recommend that children drink four
glasses of milk or eat yogurt every day. The thing you must understand
is that there are other sources of calcium. They may be less convenient
than opening the carton, but they are equally effective in supplying
this needed mineral. Children who can't digest milk and dairy
products grow well without them.
Broccoli, for instance,
is an excellent source of calcium. It contains about the same
amount as milk, ounce for ounce. Lightly steam and chill the flowerets
so they're still a little crisp, and you'll have an excellent
finger food that children will eat. You can even provide a little
dish of fat-free salad dressing or yogurt that they can use for
dipping. I recommend seven ½ cup servings a day of fruits and
vegetables, balancing your choices from the two types of food.
These seven servings will provide enough fiber, beta carotene,
and vitamin C for any child.
Most of the dark
green leafy vegetables provide calcium. The oxalic acid in spinach,
however, actually retards the absorption of calcium. Spinach,
of course, makes up for this minor deficiency by being an excellent
source of iron.
If you have children
who like kale, arugula, and dandelion greens, you'll have no trouble
meeting their calcium requirements. Most of my young patients
find those tastes too strong. You might try finely chopping the
greens and adding them to a vegetable soup.
Sesame seeds are
a good source of calcium, although they are high in fat. You can
add sesame seeds to mashed potatoes or sprinkle them on salads.
Sesame butter is available in health food stores. It can be used
in place of peanut butter, which is very high in fat, sodium,
and sugar when bought commercially. If your child demands peanut
butter, use it only occasionally. Buy the natural variety which
has no additives. Before using, allow the oil to flow to the top,
and then pour it off before using the peanut butter.
As a final resort,
especially if your child is going through a "picky eater
stage", you can buy a liquid or chewable calcium supplement.
If your child won't eat enough food during the day to satisfy
you and his pediatrician that he's getting enough calcium, you
can give supplements. Once a child is about three years old, you
can give him 500 mg of chewable calcium. Balance this with about
the same amount of magnesium. I suggest you put it into a blender
drink, like a fruit smoothie, or into applesauce or mashed potatoes.
That way you can be sure he's getting the amount he needs every
day. If your child gets too much calcium on any particular day
because of erratic eating habits, he will excrete the excess calcium.
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