Calcium, iodine, and protein, oh my! Cow’s milk can present a wide range of vitamins that kids must develop. However what ought to dad and mom take into consideration if milk isn’t an possibility, both for medical causes, resembling meals allergy, lactose intolerance, eosinophilic esophagitis, and so forth., or cultural or private preferences?
Milk’s Function to Assist Progress
For some kids, milk generally is a key contributor to a well-balanced eating regimen. America Division of Agriculture (USDA) recommends 2-3 servings of milk a day for toddlers, because it’s an environment friendly technique to get energy, protein, nutritional vitamins and minerals.
Entire milk is an efficient supply of fats and protein for 12-23 month-olds. It supplies calcium, iodine, potassium, and vitamin A and D. At age two, the USDA recommends switching to low-fat milk to restrict energy from saturated fats to lower than 10% of energy per day.
The excellent news is that there are lots of good various milks out there within the grocery store. However with so many decisions, it’s necessary to know what to concentrate to from a diet standpoint. As a dietitian who works with children with meals allergy symptoms, discussing what to search for in milk alternate options is one thing I routinely spend time discussing with households.
There are just a few issues when fascinated about various milks:
HOW TO CHOOSE AN ALTERNATIVE MILK FOR KIDS
1. Contemplate the Objective of Different Milk
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When fascinated about another milk, contemplate what position it’s taking part in in your little one’s total diet. In case your little one is a toddler with a milk allergy, it’s possible you’ll must prioritize discovering another larger in energy and protein just like the nutrient make-up of cow’s milk (see diet label). In the event that they’re lactose illiberal, there are lactose-free milks and dairy merchandise, like cheese and yogurt, which have the same nutrient make-up and could be appropriate substitutes. In the event that they’re youngsters who’re rising nicely and seemingly getting ample diet from different meals sources, the nutrient make-up of the choice milk will doubtless be much less necessary.
The amount is one thing to bear in mind as nicely. For instance, should you’re utilizing various milk for baking or cooking, the dietary content material isn’t as essential.
That mentioned, it’s additionally key to concentrate to how a lot sugar is in some various milks — it will probably add up shortly! Whereas cow’s milk has naturally occurring sugars, plenty of various milks have lots of added sugar, which we advocate limiting. As an example, the identical model of soy milk can have lower than one gram of sugar for unsweetened, six grams for unique, and 15 grams for chocolate flavored (see beneath). The U.S. Dietary Tips and the American Coronary heart Affiliation advocate that youngsters shouldn’t have any greater than 24 grams of sugar per day.
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2. Search for Nutrient-Dense Milk Options
When selecting another milk – particularly should you’re making an attempt to exchange the each day serving necessities for youthful children and toddlers – search for ones which can be larger in protein (6-8 grams per serving), fats and vitamin and minerals. From this standpoint, fortified soy and pea milk are normally good substitutes, as they each have related quantities of protein and calcium to cow’s milk. Examples of different milks that aren’t as nutrient dense are: almond, oat, coconut, cashew and rice.
3. Assume About Calcium Ranges
Youngsters want various ranges of calcium every day: kids ages 1-3 want 700 mg; 4-8 want 1,000 mg; and 9-18 want 1,3000. Additionally, kids 12 months and older want 600 Worldwide Items (IU) of vitamin D each day. For perspective, 1 cup of cow’s milk supplies 300 mg of calcium and 120 IU of vitamin D.
Ingesting a milk various or taking calcium and vitamin D dietary supplements are each simple methods to make sure your children usually are not lacking out on these necessary vitamins that help bone well being. However we additionally don’t wish to give them an excessive amount of.
Intuitively, we would assume that youngsters who don’t drink cow’s milk want a calcium complement; nonetheless, if their milk various supplies ample calcium, then including a calcium complement may give them an excessive amount of. For all kids, we advocate limiting milk or various milk to 24 ounces per day.
4. Ask a Registered Dietitian
If you happen to’re uncertain of what milk various could also be finest to your little one, registered dietitians are an excellent useful resource! They are going to bear in mind your little one’s present meals consumption and dietary wants and supply suggestions to assist obtain their diet objectives.
To be taught extra about plant-based milk alternate options and children, hear to this earlier podcast episode. For extra details about Diet Remedy at Cincinnati Kids’s, or to schedule an appointment, please name 513-636-7475 choose 1.
Editor’s notice: Alison Cassin, RD, additionally contributed to this weblog submit.
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