Milk and dairy products in children's nutrition: useful or dangerous? The harm and benefits of milk for children

Milk makes bones and teeth strong, Therefore, it plays an important role in the nutrition of children.. But not every dairy product is suitable for a child.. When and how much milk is recommended for children?

Milk and dairy products, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, buttermilk or kefir, are important sources of nutrients. Food contains fat, proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, iodine, magnesium and vitamins A, D, IS, K, B1, B2 and B12.

Why milk is so important in nutrition?

Milk is so valuable to humans mainly because, that nutrients have this form, which the body can use especially effectively: protein in milk has the highest biological value after a chicken egg. Due to its unique composition, milk fat has the properties, that can positively affect health. Previously popular statements about, milk fat is bad for health, now considered refuted.

Say, moderate milk consumption reduces the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes 2 type and colon cancer. However, according to some observations, chronic consumption of large amounts of milk may be associated with increased risk of developing prostate cancer. In some cases, milk may help acne development.

How healthy is milk for children?

The protein in milk is, among other things, from whey protein, who answers, eg, for bone stability and muscle development. Milk and dairy products contain another important nutrient: 100 milliliters of drinking milk (cow's milk with 3,5 fat percentage) It contains 120 milligrams of calcium, a yogurt, made from cow's milk 1,5 the percentage, – 123 milligram. Calcium is important for bones, and for teeth in childhood development. Calcium is also found in green vegetables or mineral water., but in milk and dairy products it is found in a particularly easily digestible form. Kefir, cotton, cottage cheese or yogurt also contain lactic acid bacteria, necessary for the formation of intestinal flora.

However, the consumption of milk and dairy products is not recommended without restrictions.. Because high protein intake can put strain on the kidneys, especially in infants and young children. Besides, excess milk increases the risk of obesity in children.

When are children allowed to drink milk??

Cow's milk plays an important role in the nutrition of children over six months old.. Around this time, a second porridge is introduced into the supplementary nutrition plan.. Milk-cereal porridge is prepared from 200 milliliters whole milk, cereal and fruit juice or fruit puree. To prepare porridge, use only pasteurized or boiled cow's milk.. As an option, porridge at first can also be cooked with breast milk.

Infant formula should not be made from cow's milk or other milk alternatives. Only commercially available substitutes are suitable for this..

Doctors also recommend giving milk-cereal porridge to children with an increased risk of cow's milk allergy.. Now suppose, that conscious contact promotes the development of tolerance. There is an increased risk of milk allergy in children, if at least one parent or sibling has an allergy. Discuss this procedure with your pediatrician..

How much milk is recommended for children?

Milk is food, which should be consumed in moderation. It means, that it is not recommended to eat, when you are full, like vegetables, nor quench their thirst, like water. Because of its energy value, milk is classified as food., not for drinks.

During the first year of life, a small amount of cow's milk is considered suitable for making porridge from the sixth month of life.. The Infant Nutrition Research Institute recommends a daily intake of 300 to 400 milliliters of milk or dairy products between the ages of two and ten years. It is best to divide consumption into three servings per day: morning, eg, child drinking a glass of milk, eats a small amount of yogurt during the day, and in the evening a slice of cheese. Snacks between meals should not consist of milk or dairy products.

You can offer children, self not liking dairy products, such dishes, like soups, puree or puddings. Besides, buy unsweetened dairy products, such as yogurt, and spice them up at home with fruit. Special Products, such as fruit yoghurts or dairy snacks, allegedly containing valuable ingredients, usually contain a lot of sugar, and therefore not recommended for baby food.

Whole or skim milk: which is better for kids?

For babies, only whole milk is suitable for making milk-cereal porridge., because it has a high energy value. Older children with normal weight should be given low-fat milk from two years of age. (1,5 fat percentage) like drinking. However, it is best to consult a pediatrician on this issue.. If the child prefers to drink whole milk, it is recommended to reduce the fat content in due to other products.

Lower fat content, than 1,5 the percentage, not recommended for children, since heavy skimming of milk also leads to loss of nutrients. Cheese should have maximum fat content 45 percent.

What types of milk are there, which ones are suitable for children?

Not every type of milk can be unconditionally recommended to children..

avoidance of milk: cow's milk allergy and lactose intolerance

With lactose intolerance there is intolerance to milk sugar (lactose), found in milk. This intolerance is very rarely congenital.. If this happens in an infant, he has been deficient in the enzyme lactase since birth, responsible for the digestion of milk sugar. This so-called congenital lactase deficiency requires lifelong avoidance of lactose..

In most cases, lactose intolerance develops only during life., as the activity of the enzyme slowly decreases. If lactose is no longer digested adequately, after the consumption of milk and dairy products, such symptoms occur, like flatulence or diarrhea. In most cases, it is possible to determine the individually acceptable amount of lactose.

The situation is different with cow's milk allergy.: allergic to cow's milk protein, usually, have to constantly refrain from drinking milk and dairy products, because the immune system has developed antibodies against milk proteins (casein or whey protein). These allergies affect two to five percent of children in Europe..

Common symptoms of cow's milk allergy:

• rash on the skin
• Itch
• Eczema
• Abdominal pain
• Flatulence
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• In rare and severe cases: anaphylactic shock with dyspnea and cardiac arrest

If cow's milk allergy is confirmed by a medical diagnosis, diet should be coordinated with a specialist. It is important here to meet nutritional needs through appropriate alternatives.. When buying products, you need to pay attention, does the product contain milk. Mare, goat or sheep milk can also adversely affect children, because the proteins contained in it are similar to cow's.

Because cow's milk allergy, occurring in infancy or childhood, may disappear again, physician should check regularly, does it still exist.