Dairy Products Are Important To A Child’s Wellness

We all want to ensure that our children are getting the right nutrition in their daily diet. Dairy products are one of the food groups that is important for our children to have to ensure their overall wellness.

Dairy products are essential for mental development, and physical growth of our children. Studies have also shown that the correct intake will help prevent some chronic diseases.

The 2005 Dietary Guide recommends that children should have at least 3 cups of low fat or fat free milk per day or the equivalent in other dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, frozen custard, or cottage cheese.

Milk, cheese, and other dairy product provide a wealth of nutrients that are required by a child’s growing body and mind. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamins, protein, and other minerals which are essential for a child to grow and develop properly.

Besides the benefits at a young age, studies have also shown that consuming proper amounts of dairy products during the child and adolescent years can reduce your risk of low bone mass and osteoporosis in older years.

Many parents worry that dairy products will lead to weight gain and perhaps even obesity in their children. This is simply not true. When the intake of the correct amount of dairy is combined with other healthy eating habits there is no risk of obesity or weight gain. In fact studies have the right amount of dairy intake can decrease a child’s risk of obesity.

Many children, even in America, are actually undernourished and the proper intake of dairy helps to combat this problem. Children who are missing essential nutrients from their diets can obtain these by drinking milk or eating dairy products.

That is why so many of the school food programs supply milk with their meals. It’s an affordable way of ensuring their kids get at least some of the daily nutritional requirements.

There are also lots of prepackaged dairy products on the market that are excellent for snacking or to include in your child’s lunch. Mozzarella or cheddar cheese sticks, Yoplait, low fat yogurts, and chocolate milk.

Dairy products include skim milk, cream, butter, cheese, whey, yogurt, whole milk, ice cream, and milk powders so you’ve got plenty of options to ensure your children are getting enough dairy in their diet.

Some children are not able to have dairy or must have limited dairy because they are lactose intolerant. If your child develops diarrhea or becomes irritable with dairy products you should remove the dairy and see if the problems persist. If they do, it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor about medications that are available for lactose intolerance.

There are some excellent dairy substitutes available such as almond milk, non dairy frozen dessert, rice milk, and cheese alternatives that are made from soy, rice, seeds, and nuts. These substitutes are also rich in nutrients and can provide your child with the nutrients they would normally receive from dairy.

Diary products are important to a child’s wellness. They help them grow up to have strong bones and teeth, and they play an important role in developing a sharp mind. So be sure your children get the recommended daily dose of dairy products.

Aura Mirchandani is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory.