What is calcium?
Calcium is an essential mineral, which can help to build strong bones and teeth.
Why is it important for children?
Kids grow rapidly which means they require lots of calcium to continuously support the growth of healthy strong bones throughout their childhood years.
When children do not receive adequate amounts of calcium, it puts them at risk of poor growth and bone development and an increased risk of bone fractures.
What are some food sources of calcium?
Some food sources of calcium include:
- Milk
- Cheese
- Yoghurt
- Tofu
- Kale
- Almonds
- Sardines
- Black eyed peas
- Fortified Plant Based ‘Milks’, such as soya milk
- Dried figs
Examples of some kid-friendly snacks and meals which contain calcium:
- Natural yoghurt with cereal or fruit
- Glass of milk at snack times or with meals
- Almond butter and apple or banana slices
- Scrambled tofu with toast
- Finely chopped kale added to pasta sauces or curries
- Mild Paneer (cottage cheese) curry sauces or tomato-based pasta sauces with tofu
- Cubes of cheese in lunch box’s
- A yoghurt, milk, or fortified milk-based smoothie
Supplementation
Sometimes children may not get enough calcium in their diet, due to illness or fussy eating. This is when supplementation is very useful, to ensure the child receives all their calcium needs every day.
Sona MultiPlus Junior Chewable, Winner of the GOLD prize of the National Parenting Product Award 2019, contains 125mg of calcium per dosage. It also contains Vitamin D which helps to absorb and regulate the amount of calcium in our bodies.
Sona Nutrition is a proud sponsor of the Children’s Health Foundation (CHI), who are committed to helping bring about real and long-lasting change for the sick children of Ireland and their families, who attend CHI hospitals and urgent care centres every day.
References
Lappe, J. M. (2011). The bone benefits of calcium and exercise in children. In Nutritional Influences on Bone Health (pp. 59-66). Springer, London.
Matkovic, V., Goel, P. K., Badenhop-Stevens, N. E., Landoll, J. D., Li, B., Ilich, J. Z., ... & Clairmont, A. (2005). Calcium supplementation and bone mineral density in females from childhood to young adulthood: a randomized controlled trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 81(1), 175-188.