We had a great Twitter discussion this week led by Dr. Joanna Dolgoff who specializes in childhood obesity. This is a recap of the discussion, with points that specifically apply to my toddler.
Dr. Dolgoff shared some interesting facts regarding recommended daily allowances of dairy for kids. "Toddlers (age 1-3) need about 500 mg calcium each day (amount in 2 glasses milk). Kids age 4-8 require about 800 mg calcium (amount in 3 glasses of milk). Kids age 9-18 need about 1300 mg calcium (amount in 4 glasses of milk). This increased level is important during puberty."
Because Ladybug still nurses, we have not introduced cow's milk. But I know that weaning her will come soon. I asked Dr. Dolgoff her recommendation regarding whole milk vs. skim milk for kids. She said that the AAP recommends skim milk after age 2. That was new info to me! But I'm also glad to know that I won't have to buy different milk for Ladybug when she weans, because Hubby and I drink skim milk.
Other than dairy products, there are a lot of other foods that contain calcium. These include: fortified cereal, fortified orange juice, soy products, figs, sardines, tofu, collards, canned salmon, spinach, kale, rhubarb, canned clams, rainbow trout. In our house, we do eat tofu, collards, canned salmon, and spinach.
And of course, Ladybug loves cheese. The only kid I know that doesn't like cheese is my very picky niece. And Dr. Dolgoff recommends only low-fat or fat-free cheese. I'll have to pay closer attention to that.
Some great facts that Dr. Dolgoff shared:
- 8 oz milk has the same amount of calcium as 2 oz of cheese (300 mg)
- 6 oz of yogurt has 225 mg of calcium
- 4 ounces of soft serve ice cream has 120 mg (about1/3 of the calcium in a glass of milk or 2 oz cheese)
- 1/2 cup broccoli has only 35 mg of calcium
- 1 ounce of almonds has 80 mg of calcium
- People who eat diets rich in (LF or FF) dairy products may weigh less and have less body fat
And most amazing to me was the list of diseases that a diet high in low-fat and fat-free dairy can help prevent: osteoporosis, colon cancer, breast cancer, obesity, dental cavities, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and decreases total and bad cholesterol levels.
Not only was this motivating to help Ladybug eat well, but for Hubby and I to make sure that we are eating a diet high in low-fat and fat-free dairy foods!
I learned a lot from this week's discussion. Thanks to Dr. Dolgoff for leading our discussions and for sharing such great info!
Photo Credit: stock.xchng
Didn't know that about almonds.
ReplyDeleteI read your post this morning, and it inspired me to pick up a bunch of yogurt at the store today. I'm going to try to get us all in the habit of eating a yogurt every day, and try to sneak dairy into our diet in other places, too. Wendy drinks skim milk, but Hubs & I aren't big milk drinkers, so I'm sure we don't get enough calcium.
ReplyDeleteGood study!! well for kids who avoid milk, try Health drinks which have flavours for their tastebuds.
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