Just like love and care of parents, the foods and minerals are also essential for the child to grow. In this modern era, the fast foods are quite common among the children as compared to the healthy and nutritious food. But, this fact cannot be denied that the growth given by the essential foods and minerals is just incredible. These things are necessary for the healthy functioning of our bodies. It’s unlikely that specific food choices will prompt the child to grow taller than he is genetically made to be. But offering the diets with the right nutrient balance including total calories, proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals will surely maximize their growth. In contrast, the poor nutrition can result in late growth or even sometimes the growth will be permanently stunted.
As these foods and minerals are so important and vital for the growth of the child, therefore, I am listing some of the essential minerals and food which can hike the growth of your child. These surely make the child mentally and physically fit. Let’s have a look.
Calcium:
One of the best and essential minerals which plays the crucial role in the child’s growth is calcium. It is noticed in the different surveys that the children are not getting enough calcium as they required. It is important for developing the bone mass nearly all of which is built during childhood and adolescence. It’s crucial to get your child into the regular habit of eating the foods which are rich in calcium as now since older kids are notoriously lax. Best sources of calcium are that cheese, milk, yoghurt, waffles, juice, soy milk and fortified foods like cereals. It also helps in blood clotting and good for the muscle contraction and nerve function.
Recommended amounts for children:
Ages 1 – 3: 700 mg per day
Ages 9 – 13: 1,300 mg per day
Note that these values are just approximate, therefore, it is recommended to take the doctor’s advice as per your child.
Copper:
Another most important mineral which our body requires in great amount is none other than copper. This is essential as it mixes with iron for the formation of the red – blood cells. Again, it is not easy to include the copper-rich food in our diet. It is surely difficult to replace the snacks with the nuts and whole grains especially in the case of a child who is very particular about their eating habits. Apart from the RBC formation, the copper enriched food also helps in controlling the blood sugar level. Nowadays, the problem of diabetes is not only restricted to the older people. It has expanded its feet in the life of small children too. So, make sure that your child is eating at least one of the copper-rich food every day which includes nuts, whole grains, yeast extract or commonly known as Vegemite, oysters and crab.
Iodine:
Every now and then, we see the advertisement on the television stating the importance of iodine in our life. This is among the most recommended mineral which is essential for the growth of the child. First of all, it promotes normal thyroid function. Apart from this, the children’s mental growth is highly linked with the same. It is necessary for the normal brain growth which keeps the child mentally fit. Iodine rich food includes seafood, seaweed, bread and of course iodized salt which is easily available and can intake on the regular basis.
Fibre:
Fiber is packed with countless qualities. It is important for the child because it keeps them regular and fills them up. If they are sumptuously satisfied with a belly then their chances of eating the fast foods will be reduced to a great extent. In addition to this, the fibre-rich foods help in protecting them from the several chronic diseases later in their life. Although the official recommendation for the kids is to get them at least 19 to 25 grams of the fibre a day, a more realistic goal is to follow the rule of five i.e. add 5 to your children’s age in order to get his minimum daily grams. The best source of fibres are fruits, oatmeals, high – fibre cereal, lentils, chickpeas, popcorn, nuts, sweet potatoes, and green peas.
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Potassium:
Fruits are the rich source of potassium and it is seriously lacking from the life of children nowadays. Rarely the child loves fruits and, therefore, the amount of potassium intake is gradually decreasing among the children. This lacking is the main reason for the slower growth of the child. According to the doctors, the potassium is the key player in maintaining the healthy fluid balance and blood pressure and also helps the muscles to contract. The potassium enriched food includes bananas, oranges, yoghurt, white and sweet potatoes, milk, honeydew, dried apricots, tomatoes and tomato sauce. The amount of potassium can be increased easily by giving the regular milk. You can also make the banana shake which is almost loved by each and every child.
Iron:
Recent studies the up to 20% kids aren’t getting enough iron as required by their body. Low – iron is detected especially in those children who eat high – calorie diet such as fast foods. Iron is essential for the brain growth of the child which is necessary to keep them mentally fit. Also, it helps RBC in carrying oxygen to the cells throughout the body. Lacking the iron in the body can cause the learning and behaviour problems. Even, the child’s growth may be permanently stopped due to the deficiency of the iron in the body. To eradicate the lacking of iron in the body, make sure that you are giving your child the iron-rich food such as chicken, tomato paste, lentils, beans, soy nuts, raisins, whole wheat bread, beef and shrimp.
Make sure that your kid is having the proper amount of minerals and vitamins as these have the special effects on his growth. The food, which the child is eating should be good enough to maintain the level of his growth as per his age.
Only love and care of the parents is not enough for the children’s growth, the parent should understand the right amount of minerals and good is essential for their child to grow as well. Make the habit of eating only the nutritious and healthy food and try to eradicate the habit of eating fast foods from the life of your child. For more
