Choose The Best Dairy Product For Your Child

We all know the importance of calcium for bone development. So it is also very important for children’s growth. Dairy products are rich in calcium and therefore it is essential that from 2 years of age onwards they drink half a liter of milk a day. Or instead of milk, other dairy products are very welcome. In this article we will see what is the best dairy product to give our children.

During the first few months, babies only need to drink milk. The best is breast milk, but if it cannot be formula milk, this will be your food until 6 months of life. From that age on, other products should be taken for normal and healthy growth.

The best dairy product for kids

Milk

Milk from 12 months onwards must be whole, that is, with all the fat. Children grow up quickly but have small stomachs and have to eat foods with calories. And at that age, with some exceptions, cholesterol poses no risk to them. In addition, milk fat makes for better absorption of vitamin A and D.

From the age of three, it is recommended that they drink cow’s milk with less fat, semi-whole, much better than the growth milk sold in pharmacies.

Growing milks are composed of semi-whole milk and vegetable fats. The industries add sugar or honey to make them taste better, as the vegetable fats they take change their flavor. This can be harmful because it can favor the appearance of cavities. In addition, it makes them get used to this sweet taste and no longer want regular milk.

yoghurts

Yogurts can be given from 6 months, but it would be advisable not to consume them until one year of age due to the proteins.

The best yoghurts are natural ones, as they do not contain any sweeteners, sugar, etc… So they are not used to a sweet taste, in addition to favoring the appearance of cavities.

And as for the “My First Yogurt” product existing in some countries, we should also start from 12 months, although it is said that it can be given from 6 months. This yoghurt is the same as normal yoghurts, only take more vitamins and minerals.

The cheese

Cheese can also be given from 12 months. It is recommended to start with fresh, soft cheese. Also, we must be aware that it has been produced with pasteurized milk to avoid some diseases, which are transmitted when eating cheese made with unpasteurized milk.

It is best to avoid flavored industrial cheeses because they contain low quality fats. It is also preferable not to eat them more than once a week.

liquid dairy

Drinking liquid dairy products are very fashionable. But  with these liquid yoghurts, other yoghurts, milks and cheeses, children are taking too much protein. The Consumers and Users Organization of Spain, analyzed these dairy products and concluded that they had poor quality fats, so it recommended that they take it only once a week.

Puddings, parsnips, rice pudding, mousse and other sweet desserts

These purchased products usually do not contain eggs as traditional recipes indicate, only thickeners, sugars and coloring.

They are not yogurts and are less healthy than them. It has a high sugar content and  should not replace a glass of milk or plain yogurt.

If we want our children to consume milk or puddings, it is better to prepare them with ingredients that we have at home. We should also make them homemade, they are much healthier than those bought in supermarkets. How to prepare a dairy product better than what you buy in stores.

Curd

It is also a highly recommended dairy product for children due to its high nutritional value.

Recommended amount of calcium per day, according to age:

• Children 1 to 3 years old, 700 mg/day.
• Children 4 to 8 years old, 1,000 mg/day.
• Children and adolescents aged 9 to 18 years, 1300 mg/day.

These values ​​are achieved by taking between 3 and 5 glasses of milk, yogurt, cheese or dairy recipes to obtain the necessary amounts of calcium.

In this article we can see some dairy products that are good to give to your young children, as well as the most and least recommended. Thus, you will be able to choose the best product for your child, always meeting their needs and tastes.