By The Green Parent

20th May 2013

Conventional wisdom suggests that dairy products are an important part of the human diet in order to achieve the recommended intake of the bone building mineral, calcium. But what happens when you, or your child, are allergic to dairy; What if you are vegan; What if your child just doesn’t like dairy products? What then?

By The Green Parent

20th May 2013

By The Green Parent

20th May 2013

Whether your child is breast fed, formula fed or a mixture of the two, around the age of one it is currently recommended that toddlers begin to drink 1-2 cups of cows’ milk per day in order to achieve their recommended daily allowance of calcium. Formula companies frequently offer fortified toddler milks for those who simply don’t like the taste of milk and parents of children with allergies often rely on fortified soya milk and supplements. But, are these expensive alternatives really necessary and do we really need cows’ milk to achieve optimal levels of calcium?

Research suggests that while it is indeed essential, there are several other vitamins and minerals that work together to achieve truly optimal bone health. Minerals magnesium and selenium, along with Vitamins A, D and K all play a vital role alongside the more widely acknowledged calcium.

So if you or your children, like most of the world, are dairy intolerant then you can rest assured that there are a wide variety of alternatives. Though cows’ milk has many health benefits, particularly raw cows’ milk, we were not always dairy consumers and the answer to our nutritional needs can be found in many forms throughout the natural world. This is particularly important to remember as calcium fortified foods and supplements carry numerous health risks. The most reliable way for our bodies to absorb nutrients fully and safely is through a balanced diet.

Nutritious Foods
- Foods high in Calcium include: Salmon; Kale; Almonds; Pistachios; Dried Herbs and Sunflower Seeds
- Foods high in Magnesium include: Sunflower Seeds; Dark Chocolate; Dried Herbs; Almonds and Cashews
- Foods high in Selenium include: Tinned Tuna; Sunflower Seeds; Brazil Nuts; Bacon and Prawns
- Foods high in Vitamin A include: Dried Herbs; Kale; Sweet Potato; Chili Powder and Paprika
- Foods high in Vitamin D include: Tinned Tuna; Eggs; Salami; Mushrooms and Cod Liver Oil
- Foods high in Vitamin K include: Dried Herbs; Kale; Broccoli; Chili Powder and Paprika

Nuts and seeds feature heavily on the list, along with dried herbs and seafood. For fussier children, making your own nut and seed butters and adding them to your recipes is an easy way to ensure that your children are receiving important fats and a good level of nutrition. Dried herbs and spices are also easy to add to soups, stews and sauces. For trickier foods like Kale and Broccoli, adding them to breakfast or snack smoothies made with coconut milk, frozen berries and honey is a tasty way of packing in plenty of green goodness and some all-important fats, vitamins, and antioxidants. You can even throw in a dollop of your home made seed and nut butters.

Cow’s milk and other dairy can sometimes be some of the least dense sources of the most important bone building nutrients. They have also been shown to inhibit iron absorption and, potentially, promote the growth of certain cancers so, even if you can tolerate dairy products and enjoy them, it is important that everyone enjoys a broad variety of nutrient sources.

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