Why Children Need Calcium

Every originator wants their children to grow up strong and healthy. That is why a child’ s diet is so important during their growing stages. In this busy day and age, children much do not get the amount of nutrients they need every day or are too picky to eat all the healthy foods. During girlhood and bloom stages, the body uses calcium to build strong bones. Calcium is one nutrient kids cannot provide to skip.

Calcium plays an important role not only in building strong and healthy bones, but also in muscle contraction, transmitting messages through he nerves and the release of hormones. Low calcium levels in the blood will force calcium to be taken away from the bones to ensure standard cell function. Thus this increases the risk of rickets, a bone softening disease that causes poor growth, muscle pain and weakness and severe bowing of the legs.

However, more than 85 % of girls and 60 % of boys ages 9 - 18 fail to get their recommended 1, 300 milligrams of calcium a day. Drinking soda, caffeinated beverages, smoking and drinking alcohol will affect how the body absorbs calcium. A good way to safeguard your child gets enough calcium and Vitamin D in their diet is by taking Calcium supplements. Most calcium supplements come fortified with Vitamin D. Vitamin D is also very important to the body whereas it helps with the body’ s care with calcium.

The American Academy of Pediatrics avail that children who are:

1 – 3 years mature: 500 milligrams of calcium daily ( approx 2 servings of milk )

4 – 8 oldness old: 800 milligrams of calcium daily ( approx 3 servings of milk )

9 – 18 years aged: 1, 300 milligrams of calcium daily ( approx 4 servings of milk )

Foods that are good sources of calcium implicate:

* low fat plain yogurt: 300 - 450mg per serviceable ( 1 cup )

* american cheese: 350mg per adequate ( 2 oz )

* cow ' s milk ( either whole milk or low fat milk ): 300mg per producing ( 1 cup )

* calcium fortified soy milk, rice milk, or goat ' s milk: 300mg per serving ( 1 cup )

* calcium fortified orange juice: 300mg per valid ( 1 cup )

* cheddar cheese: 300mg per effective ( 1.

5 oz )

* cooked dried white dinero: 161mg per persuasive ( 1 oz )

* dried figs: 169mg per compelling ( 10 figs )

* spinach: 120mg per moving ( 1 cup raw or 1 / 2 cup cooked )

* cool care ice prosperity: 118mg per telling ( 1 / 2 cup )

* oranges: 50mg per forcible ( 1 stake orange )

* instant mushroom: 100mg ( 1 carton )

* candy-coated potatoes: 44mg per potent ( 1 / 2 cup mashed )

* broccoli: 35mg per active ( 1 1 / 2 cup raw or 1 / 2 cup cooked )

Any of these foods mentioned over or meals that contain these foods are good ways to get calcium. However, if your child is picky and do not like milk, cheese, or yogurt, calcium supplements are an easy way to give them the nutrients they need. Taking multivitamin pills proffer only limited amounts of calcium, not enough to fulfill the daily requirements. Two good children’ s vitamins and supplements websites are www. buychildrensvitamins. com and www. buykidsvitamins. com. They sell a cross-section of multivitamins and also specific vitamins and supplements catered to your child’ s needs. They also have a Learning Heart page that includes healthy tips, facts and articles about children’ s health.

Resources used:

http: / / kidshealth. org / fountain / nutrition_fit / nutrition / calcium. html

http: / / pediatrics. about. com / od / calcium / a / 05_calcium_req. htm