Start Taking Calcium at an Early Age
Calcium is a very important mineral which helps with the development of strong teeth and bones. The primary source of calcium is milk and other dairy products like yogurt and cheese.
How much calcium one needs depends on their age. Children between one to three years, need at least 500mg per day of calcium, while children four to six years require 800mg per day. By including a variety of dairy products in your child’s meals (i.e.: yogurt and cheese), you will ensure that your child gets their recommended daily intake of calcium.
Besides assisting with the growth of bones and teeth, calcium also encourages the formation of new bones and teeth, which is an integral function of calcium. As children are constantly forming new teeth and bone, it is essential that they receive enough calcium daily to help their body maintain a strong and balanced structure. Calcium also helps prevent Osteoporosis in later years.
Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease, commonly suffered by older people. It makes bones fragile and weak. This hinders the body’s ability of carry out certain activities, for fear of bones breaking. In some severe cases it may even cause death. Therefore it is paramount that from a young age, children receive their daily recommended dose of calcium, in addition to other vital nutritional components in a balanced diet, i.e. carbohydrate, protein, iron, water, mineral and fiber.
The effects of certain foods on your nutrition absorption
There are certain foods which interfere with the absorption of calcium. For example, consuming Caffeine reduces the absorption of calcium in our body. Whereas calcium slows down the absorption of iron in our body and should therefore be taken at different times. In addition, excessive consumption of salt and protein will result in the body secreting calcium through the urea
Calcium from food
Other than milk and yogurt, tofu and cheese are also great sources of calcium. Chinese cabbage, Chinese carrot and broccoli are some vegetables also rich in calcium
A balanced diet
'A Balanced Diet for Children 1 to 6 years ‘ by the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health, Malaysia provides useful tips on milk consumption in children. The tips in the book assist parents in ensuring that children get the most out of their milk intake. The following are some of those tips:-
1. Allow the child to select his/her own flavour of milk
2. Explain to children the benefits of milk
3. Exercise creativity in preparing milk for your children (add colours with fruits)
4. Encourage other family members to drink milk
References
National Academy of Science 1997
Ministry of Health, Malaysia
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