Why Your Child’s Health Depends Upon Adequate Calcium Intake

The primary role that calcium plays in your child’s health is building strong bones before adulthood. The majority of older boys and girls don’t get the recommended amount of calcium because they eventually stop drinking milk on a regular basis. Although girls are often afraid of gaining weight as teenagers, teen girls are especially at risk for inadequate amounts of calcium in their diet.

Because your child’s health depends upon calcium, you should encourage them to eat tasty foods and beverages that are rich in calcium, such as yogurt, fortified orange juice, and cheddar cheese. If your son or daughter is vegan, your child’s health may be compromised unless you monitor his or her calcium intake carefully.

Vegan sources of calcium include broccoli, oatmeal, spinach, dried white beans, and fortified orange juice.

Calcium supplements are available if you’re concerned about your child’s health, but be sure to talk to a pediatrician about proper dosage. It’s preferable for your child’s health that he or she gets adequate calcium from food sources rather than from supplements because of absorption issues.

Just because a food is labeled “fortified with calcium” doesn’t mean it is necessarily a wise choice for your child’s health, so be sure to consider the food’s overall nutrition. Natural foods rather than processed foods are best for your child’s health, so stick to calcium-rich foods that are not bogged down with artificial ingredients. For example, fortified cereals often have a variety of minerals and vitamins, but do little for your child’s health. Oatmeal is a better breakfast choice than processed cereal.