Calcium is a vital mineral that children need to develop and maintain strong bones and teeth. It is available in different food sources, such as dairy products, fortified cereals, and certain veggies.
In the long run, children with calcium insufficiency and deficiency are susceptible to various issues, such as nutritional rickets. Thus, calcium supplementation for these children becomes necessary to ensure optimum calcium levels in their bodies.
Read this post to know why your child needs calcium, how much calcium they need daily, the best food sources of calcium, and when you should consider calcium supplementation.
Why Do Children Need Calcium?
About 99 percent of the calcium in the body is stored in bones and teeth, and the remaining is found in the nerve cells, body tissues, blood, and other body fluids. Besides maintaining the health of bones and teeth, calcium helps with
- Contraction and relaxation of muscles
- Widening of blood vessels (vasodilation)
- Sending and receiving nerve signals (nerve transmission)
- Hormone secretion
- Blood clotting
- Maintaining a normal heartbeat
The body needs daily calcium intake in recommended amounts to propel these functions smoothly. The next section deals with daily calcium intake recommendations for children.
How Much Calcium Do Children Need?
A child’s calcium needs depend on their age. Here’s the age-specific recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of calcium for children and teens aged two to 18 years.
| Age (years) | RDA (mg per day) |
|---|---|
| 2 to 3 | 700 |
| 4 to 8 | 1000 |
| 9 to 13 | 1300 |
| 14 to 18 | 1300 |
Source: Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2020-2025
In addition to ensuring optimum calcium intake, you should pay special attention to your child’s vitamin D intake. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption.
Food Sources Of Calcium
Below is the list of different food sources of calcium that you can incorporate into your child’s diet to meet their nutritional needs.
1. Dairy products
Milk and milk-based foods such as cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, and buttermilk are rich sources of calcium. Here’s a peek into how much calcium different milk products can offer.
| Foods | Calcium per serving (mg) |
|---|---|
| Yogurt—plain, low fat (8oz) | 415 |
| Mozzarella—partly skimmed (1.5oz) | 313 |
| Milk—nonfat, (1 cup)* | 299 |
| Milk—reduced-fat (2% milkfat), (1 cup) | 293 |
| Milk, buttermilk—low-fat (1 cup) | 284 |
| Cottage cheese—1% milkfat (1 cup_ | 138 |
Source: National Institute Of Health
*Calcium content varies slightly by fat content; the more fat in the food, the less calcium it contains. So, choose low-fat dairy and its products for your child and teen.
2. Vegetables
Vegetables aren’t the richest source of calcium, but some veggies can contribute to meeting your child’s daily dietary calcium requirements. For instance, dark green, leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, and spinach, are good calcium sources for those who abstain from consuming milk and milk products (vegans).
Here’s a list of veggies and other plant-based foods, such as seeds, with the amount of calcium they can provide per serving.
| Foods | Calcium per serving (mg) |
|---|---|
| Turnip greens—fresh, boiled (½ cup) | 99 |
| Kale—fresh, cooked (1 cup) | 94 |
| Chinese cabbage (bok choy)—raw, shredded (1 cup) | 74 |
| Broccoli—raw (½ cup) | 21 |
| Chia seeds (1 tablespoon) | 76 |
Source: National Institute Of Health
3. Calcium-fortified foods
Calcium-fortified foods are those that have been enriched with calcium during their processing. Some of the calcium-fortified foods that can give a good amount of calcium to children and teens are
| Foods | Calcium per serving (mg) |
|---|---|
| Calcium-fortified orange juice (1 cup) | 349 |
| Calcium-fortified soymilk (1 cup) | 299 |
| Breakfast cereals, fortified with 10% of the daily value (DV) for calcium (1 serving) | 130 |
Source: National Institute Of Health
Besides these, sardines and salmon with bones and tofu processed with calcium salt are good calcium sources.
Note: Calcium content in processed foods can vary depending on the source of calcium. For instance, certain types of cheese made with goat’s milk, an excellent calcium source, can have more calcium than other types. Therefore, read the nutrition labels and ingredient list of packaged foods carefully.
Calcium Supplementation
Most healthy children who eat a well-balanced diet containing foods from different food groups meet their calcium requirements. However, if a child is a picky eater, follows a vegan-style eating pattern, or has a medical issue that affects calcium absorption, they may have low calcium levels. In such cases, discussing calcium supplementation with the doctor is advisable.
Your doctor can prescribe your child multi-vitamins and multi-minerals containing calcium or standalone calcium dietary supplements that often contain vitamin D as well. These supplements are available as tablets, capsules, powder, and gummies. Typically, calcium supplements are available in two forms—carbonate and citrate.
- Calcium carbonate is an inexpensive form of calcium that is best absorbed when consumed with food. Each pill or tablet of calcium supplement containing calcium carbonate offers 200 to 400mg of calcium.
- Calcium citrate is an expensive form of calcium absorbed well on both a full stomach and an empty stomach. Children with low stomach acid levels can be given calcium citrate.
Besides these, some other forms of calcium found in supplements and foods include calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium phosphate.
“In general, it is recommended that children obtain most of their calcium from natural food sources. However, if high calcium foods are not readily accepted, then supplements may be helpful. Be sure to check the standard multivitamins you’re considering because most of them will be very low in calcium due to the chemical properties of the nutrients in the vitamins. Typically it’s helpful to do calcium plus vitamin D option,” says pediatric dietitian and founder of Feeding Bliss, Courtney Bliss.
Note: Calcium supplements may cause gas, bloating, and constipation in sensitive children and teens. If your child experiences these symptoms, try dividing the total dose into mini doses and serve them throughout the day. Alternatively, you can consult your healthcare provider and look for some other calcium brands.
Tips To Get Calcium From Diet
Here are some useful tips to ensure your child gets enough calcium from different foods.
- Include at least one calcium-rich food in every meal you serve to your child. “Aim for two to three servings of calcium each day. Some families find it helpful to have almost like a meal routine for serving. For example, I know each breakfast and afternoon snack will have a high calcium item. That way, it’s basically on autopilot!” shares Bliss.
Dairy products, seeds, egg yolk, fish with bones, fortified soy products, and cereals are good calcium sources you can try. You may use these foods to prepare different types of healthy yet flavorful meals.
Here are some meal ideas that you can try using different calcium-rich foods.
- Replace peanut butter with almond butter in a whole wheat sandwich.
- Add fruits to unsweetened, low-fat Greek yogurt.
- Prepare smoothies using fruits, yogurt, low-fat milk, or fortified soy milk.
- Sprinkle low-fat cheese on pasta or vegetable salad.
- Serve stir-fried tofu with edamame hummus.
- Give three portions of dairy to your child every day. According to the Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2020-2025, children aged two years and above consuming 2000kcal a day should consume three cups equivalent of dairy per day. Since dairy products contain both calcium and vitamin D, feeding them to children is a good choice, provided they aren’t vegan or have a milk allergy or lactose intolerance.
- Offer your child plenty of grains. Although they aren’t rich in calcium, grains can contribute to your child or teen’s daily needs.
- Buy calcium-fortified foods that also contain vitamin D for better calcium absorption. Look for foods that can offer 20 to 30 percent of calcium as such products are excellent calcium sources for your child’s diet.
- Cook foods in just enough water so that they cook faster and retain more calcium. Sauteeing and steaming food are the best cooking methods to retain calcium in the food.
- Avoid serving excess high-fiber foods such as wheat bran and green leafy veggies (spinach and rhubarb). This is crucial as green leafy veggies contain antinutrients, such as oxalic acid that interfere in calcium absorption. Thus, it reduces the bioavailability of calcium.
Calcium is an essential mineral that children and teens require for healthy bones and teeth. You can ensure your child gets enough calcium by serving them well-balanced meals containing calcium-rich foods. Also, ensure your child gets optimum vitamin D so that the calcium they ingest absorbs well. If you suspect your child has calcium insufficiency or deficiency, consult a doctor about dietary calcium supplements.
References:
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