ARTICLES
MY PRESCHOOLER DOES NOT LIKE TO DRINK MILK - WHAT
CAN I DO?
Calcium is essential in building healthy, strong and
dense bones in young growing bodies. Calcium is
important in muscle contraction, transmitting messages
through the nerves and the release of hormones. Calcium
is definitely a nutrient that children cannot afford to
skip.
Children between 1 to 3 years of age should be getting
500 mg of calcium daily, which equals to approximately 2
glasses of milk a day. Children between 4 to 8 years of
age require 800 mg of calcium daily, which equals to 3
glasses of milk a day. Milk is a great source of calcium
and the easiest to boost calcium intake.
For those that turn up their noses at drinking straight
milk, thankfully, there are other ways to get them to
drink or eat milk and milk products. Add some chocolate
or strawberry syrup to flavour the milk, or offer yogurt
or pudding at snack time. Create delicious smoothies
using milk and yogurt with fresh or frozen fruits. Serve
sandwiches with a slice of Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese and
when making an omelette, add grated cheese and broccoli.
For an afternoon snack, serve whole grain crackers and
cheddar cheese.
Since milk is the best source of calcium, those that
drink milk everyday usually get their daily requirement
of calcium. For those that have a milk allergy or do not
enjoy drinking milk, there are non-dairy sources of
calcium such as vegetables, seeds, grains, fish and
fruit. Some of the highest containing sources of calcium
are:
1 oz. of almonds = 254 mg of calcium (not recommended for children under 3
years old)
1 medium artichoke = 135 mg of calcium
½ cup of cooked or 1 cup raw broccoli = 35 mg of calcium
½ cup of calcium fortified cereal = 100200 mg of calcium
1.5 oz. cheddar cheese = 300 mg of calcium
3 oz. of canned salmon = 180 mg of calcium
1 cup of fortified orange juice = 350 mg of calcium
1 medium orange = 50 mg of calcium
3 oz. of tofu = 190 mg of calcium
100 grams of cooked kidney beans = 40 mg of calcium
100 grams of sesame seeds = 1,160 mg of calcium
½ cup mashed sweet potatoes = 44 mg of calcium
100 grams of spinach = 136 mg of calcium (spinach is a good source of
calcium but because it contains oxalic acid, it makes the calcium hard to
assimilate. Therefore, serving spinach with cheese, eggs or bacon will
counteract the oxalic acid.)
When grocery shopping, look for calcium enriched or calcium fortified foods. The label will usually contain the daily value of calcium as a percentage or in milligrams. If choosing between two similar products, check the calcium content and choose the higher one of the two.
Motivate your children to be active. Recent studies have shown that regular exercise such as jump rope, running and walking are very important to bone health. And lastly, practice what you preach. Children watch what you eat and follow in your footsteps. Act as a role model - eat plenty of calcium rich foods and your children will do the same.
For more interesting articles and recipes, please visit www.healthylicious.ca
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