Calcium for
Children
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Calcium
is a mineral that is indispensable in our daily diets for
building healthy bones.
Strong bones are in turn important for
the prevention of bone disease and osteoporosis
later in life.
In addition, calcium for children plays a major role in the
development of good teeth, and in maintaining other healthy
bodily functions, such as muscle contraction, transmission of
messages through the nerves, and the release of hormones.
It is vital to give your
childas much calcium as possible from young, so that he will
start his adult life with the
strongest bones possible.
Why Calcium for
Children Is Crucial?
Calcium is mostly present in our bones. Indeed, bones are made
up of more than 50% calcium. If your child does not have enough
calcium, his blood calcium level will be low, and his body
will draw the calcium from his bones to ensure normal cell
function.
Importance of
AHigh-Deposit Bone 'Savings Bank'
According to the Health Promotion Board (HPB), Singapore, our
bones are like a bank where bone tissue is '
deposited' and '
withdrawn'.
Until the age of 30, more bone tissue is deposited than
withdrawn, resulting in a positive growth in our 'bone bank'.
This growth is the most rapid during childhood and teenage
years, a phase crucial for 'saving' up much as possible for
later years.
Our bone mass will peak when we are about 30 years old, after
which more bone mass is withdrawn than deposited, and our bone
mass 'savings' start to decrease slowly.
However, the higher the peak bone mass (i.e. savings), the lower
the risk of the 'bank account' being depleted when we grow old.
This reduces the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Young children with sufficient intake of calcium should be able
to accumulate more than 60% of their total bone mass by the age
of 18.
Hence, it is vital to give your child as much calcium as
possible from young, so that he will start his adult life with
the strongest bones possible. Calcium for children is thus very
important to your growing children.
What
Else Matters?
Vitamin
D aids calcium absorption, so it is vital that you give
your child enough of this nutrient too. Apart from fortified
dairy products, fish and egg yolks, sunlight also provides
plenty of
Vitamin
D.
If due to certain medical conditions or other reasons, your
child is not able to get his calcium from a normal diet, then
discuss with his paediatrician about replacement with calcium
for children with calcium supplements.
Also, HPB recommends regular exercise or physical activity five
times a week, at least 30 minutes each time. Weight-bearing
exercises performed on the feet, like skipping, dancing and ball
games, work the bones and muscles against gravity to stimulate
bone tissue growth and increase bone density and strength.
Finally, and most of all, don't forget to be a role model to
your child with all of the above!
Calcium Vital Facts
Recommended daily allowance for 4-6 yearsold:
600mg
Main functions:
Food Sources:
Good sources of calcium include dairy products like milk,
cheese and yoghurt, as well as green leafy vegetables. Ensure
that your child has these as part of his healthy and balanced
diet every day.
Choose products with packaging that specifies 'High in
Calcium', 'Rich in Calcium', or 'Excellent Source of Calcium'.
These foods, whichrange from cereal, bread, and egg noodles to
drinks like orange juice and soya bean, have at least 20% of
the daily requirement of calcium.
If your child is lactose-intolerant (or milk-allergic, or
simply hates milk and dairy products), choose other non-dairy
products high incalcium. Give him soya bean products (e.g.
soya bean milk, beancurd,and tofu), green leafy vegetables,
dried ikon bilis (with bones), fruit(e.g. papaya), beans, and
fortified products like calcium-enriched bread, cereals and
juice.
Examine food/nutrition labels when purchasing food. The
calciumcontent is usually represented as a percentage, of the
daily value of calcium your child would get by eating one
serving of that food, using 1,000mg as the 100% value. So if a
food has 20%, it means 200mg of calcium (20% x 1000mg)

semi-skimmed
or skimmed milk

cheddar
cheese caulifower

sardines

tofu

dried
figs

watercress

yogurt

cabbage

eggs
Where to get best Calcium
For Children?
One of the best online shop you can get best
calcium
for children is at
Xtend-Life
Natural Vitamins.
Read our review
about Xtend-Life online.
Shop
at Xtend-Life.
Related topic: Children
health and children
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