Why is Calcium Important for Kids

Written By Guest User

Concerned about your child's calcium intake? You're not alone. 

Why is calcium important for kids?

Calcium is a mineral that is important for strong bones, a healthy heart, and to keep the nerves and muscles working. The body doesn’t make its own calcium so we get it from food and supplements. Although to ensure the greatest nutritional benefits, our body prefers to absorb it from food.

For parents, making sure their child is getting enough calcium can be a challenge. Calcium requirements vary depending on age and gender, and kids often don't like foods that are high in calcium, such as milk and yogurt. To complicate matters further, many childhood Calcium supplements contain added sugars or artificial flavors. 

Too much calcium in the bloodstream is dangerous so our body stores it in our bones and teeth. While we’re growing, childhood and teen years, our body is using calcium to build our bones and that’s our only chance to build a strong foundation against bone loss later in life.

Adequate calcium and Vitamin D are also needed in children to prevent rickets, a disease that causes bones to soften leading to bowed legs, stunted growth, and muscle weakness.

How much calcium does your child need? 

Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for calcium

Low dietary calcium intake is among the leading nutrient deficiencies in kids. The highest risk age is 9-18, particularly for teen girls even when factoring in supplement usage.

Dairy is probably the easiest way that kids get calcium, a study published in 2018 showed milk as the primary source of calcium for kids 2-18, but it’s definitely not the only way! 1 cup of milk provides 310 mg of calcium and many kids have emotional associations with drinking milk which can make it more easily accepted. The fat content (what % a milk is) has no impact on the calcium content.

Do you have to eat dairy to get enough calcium?

No! There are plenty of non dairy foods high in calcium Below is a list of calcium rich foods including dairy and non-dairy options that you should add to your “learning it food” list! The way you offer and combine foods throughout the day is important to ensure the greatest nutritional benefits of consuming calcium rich foods. The bioavailability of calcium (how easily our body can absorb calcium) is different for every food source. Vegetables have oxalates and phytates that interfere with calcium absorption. 

Calcium Rich Foods:

  • Milk

  • Yogurt

  • Cheese

  • Tofu

  • Broccoli

  • Spinach (only when cooked)

  • Figs

  • Chia Seeds

  • Almonds

  • Beans (Soybeans, white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas)

  • Leafy Greens

  • Calcium-fortified foods (soy and almond milk, orange juice, cereal, oats, frozen waffles, bread…)

There’s a great chart in this post: https://thenourishedchild.com/calcium-rich-foods-for-kids/

Ways to include calcium-rich foods at mealtimes:

Breakfast:

Fortified toast with cream cheese and fig (not on the toast if it’s a learning it food)

Smoothie with fortified almond or soy milk and chia seeds

Rice cake with almond butter 

Parfait with plain yogurt, fruit, and fortified, whole-grain cereal

Lunch:

White bean dip with pita chips and veggies

Hummus with chips and veggies

Roasted chickpeas 

Edamame

String cheese

Almond and Yogurt chip trail mix

Dinner:

Tofu Stir Fry with sesame seeds

White bean Soup

Kidney bean chili

Chicken with Broccoli

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