Children's Calcium Requirements

Childhood Nutrition BasicsWhen considering their children's nutrition, parents often think more about fat grams, carbs, and calories, and forget about calcium, a mineral that is important to help build strong and healthy bones.

Calcium Requirements
How much calcium do your kids need?
It depends on how old they are, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children who are:
1-3 years old get 500mg per day (about 2 servings of milk)
4-8 years old get 800mg per day (about 3 servings of milk)
9-18 years old get 1300mg per day (about 4 servings of milk)
Unfortunately, most children, especially teens, get much less than their recommended daily requirements for calcium. This makes it important to think about calcium as you plan your children's diet.

Foods With Calcium
Milk is the food that is most often associated as being high in calcium.
It is important to note that there are plenty of other foods that are good sources of calcium though, including other dairy products, many vegetables, calcium fortified orange juice, and other calcium fortified foods.

Foods that are good sources of calcium can include:

low fat plain yogurt: 300-450mg per serving (1 cup)
american cheese: 350mg per serving (2 oz)
cow's milk (either whole milk or low fat milk): 300mg per serving (1 cup)
calcium fortified soy milk, rice milk, or goat's milk: 300mg per serving (1 cup)
calcium fortified orange juice: 300mg per serving (1 cup)
cheddar cheese: 300mg per serving (1.5 oz)
cooked dried white beans: 161mg per serving (1 oz)
dried figs: 169mg per serving (10 figs)
spinach: 120mg per serving (1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked)
soft serve ice cream: 118mg per serving (1/2 cup)
oranges: 50mg per serving (1 medium orange)
instant oatmeal: 100mg (1 packet)
sweet potatoes: 44mg per serving (1/2 cup mashed)
broccoli: 35mg per serving (1 1/2 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked)

Dark green, leafy vegetables, tofu, lentils, sardines, and salmon, are also good sources of calcium, which in addition to soy milk and orange juice, are good sources of calcium for kids with a milk allergy.
Foods or meals that are prepared with the above foods, such as pizza, a grilled cheese sandwich, lasagna, or a burrito with beans and cheese, are also good ways to get enough calcium.
Keep in mind that the amount of calcium in many prepared foods can vary depending on which brand you buy. For example, one type of cheese might have only 5% of your child's daily allowance of calcium (about 50mg), while another might have 30% or 300mg. Reading food labels and being on the lookout for foods that have at least 20-30% calcium can help to make sure that your kids are getting enough calcium.
And remember that kids over age 9 years need 1300mg of calcium, which is above the 1000mg or 100% daily value that is listed on food labels. So while you can still add up the % Daily Value of calcium for each food your kids eat to see if they are getting enough, make sure it adds up to 130% for older kids.

Calcium Fortified FoodsMany other foods, including bread and cereal, may also be fortified with calcium, and can help boost your child's daily intake of calcium. Check the nutrition facts label to find those brands that are fortified with calcium.
Claims on the package itself, for example that the food is 'high in calcium,' 'rich in calcium,' or an 'excellent source of calcium,' can also help you find foods that are high in calcium, with 20% of more of the calcium DV. On the other hand, a food that is just a 'good source of calcium' is going to have just 10% to 19% of the calcium DV.

Calcium Supplements
It can be hard to get kids enough calcium if they don't like milk, yogurt, and orange juice. Making things even more difficult is the fact that these types of picky eaters are also unlikely to want to eat other foods that are good sources of calcium, such as spinach and broccoli.
You may think that you can make up for your kids not getting enough calcium in their diet by giving them a vitamin, but the average vitamin has very little calcium in it. For example, a Flintstones Complete multivitamin only has 100mg of calcium in it. Even the Flintstones Plus Calcium vitamin only has 200mg of calcium in it, which is less than even a single glass of milk.
You may have to ask your Pediatrician if your older child can take Tums or a calcium chew vitamin, like Viactiv, if your kids aren't getting much calcium from other sources. At 500mg each, these supplements make it easy to make sure your kids are getting enough calcium. If your kids do drink some milk, consider adding a packet of Nestle Carnation Instant Breakfast mix to boost the calcium content of a glass of milk by another 250mg. If your kids drink it with a grilled cheese sandwich made with bread and cheese that are 'high in calcium,' then they may get up to 900mg of calcium in one meal!

From Vincent Iannelli, M.D.,

Benefits of Vitamins & Antioxidants

There has been recent excitement and interest surrounding the benefits of vitamins and antioxidants. They have been acclaimed as the new ‘Fountain of Youth’ and studies have shown they can reduce the risk of many life-threatening diseases.

Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals (including Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, K, Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Folacin) that occur naturally in the body and are found in fresh wholefoods, especially fruit and vegetables. They are nature’s defence against oxidation, which occurs in our bodies every second of every day. Oxidation is simply the natural deterioration of our bodies, like when fruit goes brown if left without its skin. Each time we take a breath, the oxygen we take in becomes part of the oxidation process, a by-product of which is free radicals.

Free radicals are molecules of oxygen with unpaired electrons that float freely throughout our bodies seeking to re-balance themselves by stealing electrons from normal healthy cells. This disrupts the structure of the other healthy molecules and results in cellular damage. Free radicals are produced not only through normal bodily processes, but also from outside sources such as air pollution and tobacco smoke. All of the cells in our body are continually exposed to these damaging molecules, which many scientists now believe may contribute to the development of a host of chronic diseases, including cancer, premature aging, cataracts, heart disease, senility and arthritis.

Free radicals are attacking our bodies constantly, which means we must be proactive about preventing them. Along with reducing fat and salt intake, not smoking, and regular exercise, eating foods rich in antioxidants (fruits, vegetables, nuts, and leafy greens) or taking antioxidant supplements should help reduce the damage caused by these free radicals. Antioxidants capture free radicals before they have a chance to damage delicate tissues.

Research has proven that taking them will make a significant difference to your health. For example, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, almost 30,000 residents of north central China were given either a placebo or a dietary supplement containing one of seven vitamin-mineral combinations.

Those who received a daily dose of beta-carotene, vitamin E and selenium had a reduced cancer rate of 13 percent.

In another recent study reported at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Session in November, women who consumed high amounts of antioxidant-rich foods such as carrots and spinach had a 33 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 71 percent lower risk of stroke, than women who ate few antioxidant-containing foods.

Antioxidants protect key cell components from damage by neutralizing the free radicals, they have been shown to reduce stress and help prevent cancer, heart disease and sun damage they also aid in the prevention of skin wrinkling and premature ageing. Healthier skin promotes beautiful hair and stronger nails thus health and beauty are combined.

Vitamins and minerals are incredibly fragile it is hard for us to get the right amount of antioxidants purely from our food because often cooking them will destroy their goodness. Exposure to the air or light for even short periods damages most vitamins and minerals. So often we cannot possibly eat enough of the foods which contain these because much of the antioxidants are lost in the process of food preparation. It is a good idea to take supplements in powder or pill form as this way you are guaranteed to get enough antioxidants to ensure that you get the most out of your health.

Medical Encyclopedia: Vitamin C

Alternative names Ascorbic acid

Definition
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is necessary for normal growth and development.

Function
Vitamin C is required for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. It is necessary to form collagen, an important protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C is essential for the healing of wounds, and for the repair and maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.
Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants. Vitamin E and beta-carotene are two other well-known antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that block some of the damage caused by free radicals, which are by-products that result when our bodies transform food into energy.
The build up of these by-products over time is largely responsible for the aging process and can contribute to the development of various health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and a host of inflammatory conditions like arthritis. Antioxidants also help reduce the damage to the body caused by toxic chemicals and pollutants such as cigarette smoke.
Vitamin C deficiency can lead to dry and splitting hair; gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and bleeding gums; rough, dry, scaly skin; decreased wound-healing rate, easy bruising; nosebleeds; weakened enamel of the teeth; swollen and painful joints; anemia; decreased ability to ward off infection; and, possibly, weight gain because of slowed metabolic rate and energy expenditure. A severe form of vitamin C deficiency is known as scurvy, which mainly affects older, malnourished adults.
The body does not manufacture vitamin C on its own, nor does it store it. It is therefore important to include plenty of vitamin C-containing foods in your daily diet.

Food Sources
All fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C. Foods that tend to be the highest sources of vitamin C include green peppers, citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, turnip greens and other leafy greens, sweet and white potatoes, and cantaloupe.
Other excellent sources include papaya, mango, watermelon, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, winter squash, red peppers, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and pineapples.

Side Effects
Vitamin C is water soluble and is regularly excreted by the body. Therefore, toxicity is very rare. Amounts greater than 2,000 mg/day, however, are not recommended because such high doses can lead to stomach upset and diarrhea.

Recommendations
The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins, including vitamin C, is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid.
Vitamin C should be consumed every day because it is not fat-soluble and, therefore, cannot be stored for later use.
The recommened daily intakes of dietary vitamin C (according to the U.S. RDA) are listed below.

Pediatric
Neonates 1 to 6 months: 30 mg
Infants 6 to 12 months: 35 mg
Children 1 to 3 years: 40 mg
Children 4 to 6 years: 45 mg
Children 7 to 10 years: 45 mg
Children 11 to 14 years: 50 mg
Adolescent girls 15 to18 years: 65 mg
Adolescent boys 15 to18 years: 75 mg

Adult
Men over 18 years: 90 mg
Women over 18 years: 75 mg
Breastfeeding women: first 6 months: 95 mg
Breastfeeding women: second 6 months: 90 mg

Because smoking depletes vitamin C, people who smoke generally need an additional 35 mg/day.