Kids and Calcium

One of the most common questions that our children are asked during every routine check up with the doctor is, “How much milk are you drinking?” The question makes sense given that recent estimates are that over 85% of girls and 60% of boys between the ages of 9 to 18 fall short of getting the recommended 800 milligrams to 1,300 milligrams of calcium daily. Still, the thought that kids can only get their calcium through drinking milk is simply inaccurate. And the reality is that not all kids like milk or drink much milk. I believe a better question to ask could be “Are you getting enough calcium from your diet?” This opens the door for nutritional conversation with the parents and the children. Let’s talk to our kids about calcium, its importance, and what foods contain the highest amounts of it.

Calcium is a very important mineral that the body requires for building and maintaining healthy teeth and bones; for regulating the rhythm of the heart; for regular nervous system functioning; for muscle strength and function; and helping blood to clot. The body uses calcium to build bones up until about the end of the teenage years and into the early twenties. When there isn’t enough calcium in the diet, kids are at a higher risk for fractures and osteoporosis (a weakening of the bones). Teenage girls, especially, need to make sure they are getting adequate calcium to maintain strong and healthy bones.

But calcium isn’t the only nutrient that is important when it comes to bone strength and health. Vitamin D is just as important for bone health. Milk contains vitamin D, and vitamin D can be made by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin K also plays an important role in bone formation and bone health. Vitamin K is found in dark green leafy veggies. Physical activity and exercise are also important for healthy bones.

The body can get calcium basically in two ways: through the diet; or, if there isn’t enough calcium in the diet, the body begins to pull calcium out of the bones to ensure normal functioning.

Doctors are likely still asking the “how much milk do you drink” question because nowadays so many kids drink more soda, energy drinks, and coffee drinks instead of milk. Unfortunately many of these drinks, the soda and caffeinated drinks, in particular, can interfere with the body’s absorption of calcium. Three glasses of milk provides about 800 to 900 milligrams of calcium, which is the recommend daily intake for children aged four to eight years. Older school age children require about 1200 to 1300 milligrams of calcium daily.

Here is a list of other foods that contain healthy amounts of calcium:

Enriched soy milk: 300 milligrams/cup
Oatmeal: 100 milligrams/cup
Broccoli: 35 milligrams/1/2 cup cooked
Yogurt: 300 milligrams/8ounces
Fortified Orange Juice: 350 milligrams/cup
Sweet potatoes: 44 millgrams/1/2 cup cooked
American cheese: 300 milligrams/2 ounces
Cheddar cheese 300 milligrams /1.5 ounce
Tofu made with calcium: 260 milligrams/4 ounces
White beans: 110 milligrams
Almonds: 80 milligrams/ounce
Bok choy: 80 milligrams/ ½ cup
Kale: 90 to 100 milligrams/1/2 cup cooked
1 egg: 55 to 60 milligrams
Cottage cheese 70 milligrams/4 ounces

For kids who don’t do dairy due to lactose intolerance, there are low-lactose and lactose-free dairy products, enriched soy milk and/or enriched rice milk. Harder cheeses like cheddar tend to be lower in lactose. Cultured dairy products such as yogurt and cottage cheese may also be tolerated. For kids who don’t eat dairy for allergy or other reasons, you may want to consider a calcium supplement if you aren’t meeting your calcium needs through diet alone. That doesn’t mean you go out and buy some calcium carbonate right away and just start giving it to your child. First, try and keep close track of their diet to make a close approximation of how much calcium he/she is getting in their diet. If calcium comes up low, then consider a multivitamin that contains enough calcium to make up for the deficiency in the diet. It is better to balance out the diet with a multivitamin rather than a single nutrient since there are so many other variables that come into play. For example, as mentioned above, bone health doesn’t rely on calcium alone – there are other nutritional players to consider.

And a final word about milk. If you and/or your children do enjoy drinking milk, please be sure that it is free of rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) or organic (best choice). rBGH is a genetically engineered hormone that poses unnecessary risks to animal and human health including increasing the risk of many cancers. Encourage your child’s school to stop carrying milk that has been contaminated by rBGH. The same holds true for all dairy products. Organic cheeses, yogurts, ice cream and cottage cheese are more readily available than ever before.

December 19, 2009

by Optimum Wellness

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