vegan superfoods for kids

10 Best Calcium Rich Foods For Babies And Toddlers

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Read time: 11 minutes
almond milk-vegan calcium rich foods

Children grow at a rapid pace and require a nutritionally adequate diet that supports this rapid growth. Calcium plays an important role in the growing up years and knowledge about calcium rich foods for babies and toddlers is essential for parents.

In this post, I am going to cover everything you need to know about calcium rich foods for kids and some bonus calcium rich recipes for toddlers. If you have a picky eater, you are going to thank me.

Let’s get started.

IMPORTANCE OF CALCIUM FOR GROWTH

Calcium is an important mineral that supports bone and teeth development.

Not just that, calcium is also important for;

  1. Proper nerve function, sending and receiving nervous system signals
  2. Muscle function, proper muscle contraction and relaxation
  3. Maintaining proper hormone levels in the body
  4. Needed for maintaining a normal heartbeat
  5. For clotting of blood

AGEWISE REQUIREMENTS OF CALCIUM 

How much calcium does a child need?

1-3 yr olds  700 mg/day

4-8 yr olds 1000 mg/day

9-13 yr olds 1300 mg/day

14- 18 yr olds 1300mg/day

CALCIUM REQUIREMENTS FOR BABIES UNDER 1 YEAR OF AGE

Babies get their calcium from breast milk or formula.

Babies younger than 6 months old need 200 mg of calcium a day and babies 6 to 11 months old need 260 mg of calcium a day.

Do note babies should only consume breast milk or formula. Do not give cow’s milk or any other animal milk to babies younger than 1 year of age.

To get an idea of how I pair foods and build snacks to aid maximum absorption of nutrients you must check my ebook on toddler snack recipes.

It includes 36 snack recipes for toddlers and adults alike that fill in the nutritional gaps of the day. Its your one-stop resource for all things snacks. Get the book here.

calcium rich foods for toddlers- almonds

CALCIUM RICH FOODS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS

Once babies start solids including foods rich in calcium is important. Though cow milk or any other milk should be avoided under age 1, other milk products like yogurt and low salt cheese like paneer can be started gradually by 8-9 months of age.

Here is a list of calcium rich foods for kids for your reference:

1. Milk and Milk products

Cows milk, buffalo milk, goat milk can be started after 1 year of age.

Whole fat cows milk is recommended until age 2

Calcium content:

Cows milk (2% ) contains about 120 mg calcium/100ml

Goat Milk contains about 134 mg calcium /100 ml

Buffalo Milk  contains about 210 mg /100 ml

Other milk products to try with babies 8-9 months and older.

Fresh homemade curd 149 mg /100 gm

Paneer (Cottage cheese) 200mg /100 gm

Cheese 721 mg /100 gm

source: USDA and IAP

Though with paneer and cheese caution should be exercised. These foods are high in saturated fats and sodium, limit intake to 1-2 cubes of paneer at a time, and small portions of grated cheese as toppings on foods for toddlers.

When buying cheese avoid processed cheese and look for natural hard cheeses containing minimal salt. Goats cheese, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese are great cheese options for toddlers. Check my recommendations for natural cheese here.

Many children however, don’t particularly like the taste of milk or dairy products, if you are worried about your child not getting enough calcium, don’t, read on to find more sources of calcium for toddlers that don’t drink milk.

2. Soy

Soy in the form of fortified soymilk, tofu set in calcium sulfate, edamame, tempeh can be included in the toddler’s diet in various ways to increase calcium intake.

Tofu can contain about 200 mg/100 gms of calcium depending on how it’s prepared.

Food ideas: Sauteed tofu, tofu chilly, tofu scramble, curries with tofu/soy nuggets added as a meat replacement.

3. Broccoli & certain dark green vegetables

Cruciferous veggies like broccoli and dark green leaves like kale, collard greens, spinach leaves, turnip leaves, amaranth leaves, and watercress are all great sources of calcium. When it comes to green vegetables it is important to mix it up and try different combinations.

Food ideas: Broccoli soup for babies, broccoli paratha, broccoli patty, watercress salad, add kale to pesto, amaranth leaves to paratha, Broccoli dosa wraps.

4. Ragi (Finger Millet)

Millets like ragi are traditional first foods for babies in India. Ragi is a rich source of calcium at about 344 mg/100 gms. It’s easy to digest for babies, gluten-free, and a super nutritious grain for children. Consider adding ragi to your baby’s diet as a calcium-rich food for baby teeth and bone development.

Here is a post I wrote recently on why millets are good for babies.

Food ideas: Ragi porridge for babies, ragi pancakes for toddlers, ragi dosas, ragi idlis, ragi- whole wheat chappati.

5. Beans and Lentils

Beans like white beans, baked beans, kidney beans (rajma), chickpeas, and lentils like black gram dal (urad dal), pigeon peas (tuvar dal), bengal gram (chana dal ) are calcium rich foods for babies.

The Indian diet uses these beans and lentils in very effective combinations to make some lip-smacking foods. It’s hard not to enjoy beans and lentils in our part of the world, and it’s just an added bonus that these superfoods are some of the best sources of vegetarian protein, iron, and calcium rich food for babies.

Food ideas: In vegetarian side dishes, dals, lentil and bean soups, hummus, chickpea patties, bean parathas, curries, khichdi (rice and lentil dish), bean chilly, baked beans on toast. Here are some lentil recipes for toddlers. Read here for more recipes using lentils for kids.

6. Sesame seeds

100 gms of sesame seeds contain up to 975 mg of calcium! While one cannot consume sesame seeds in such a large amount, it makes sense to include some sesame seeds in homemade hummus, tahini and use sesame seeds in ladoos or energy balls.

Including such calcium-rich recipes for toddlers daily should get more preference over cookies or chips.

Food ideas: As part of energy bars and energy balls, tahini, hummus.

Add a tablespoon of tahini to your toddlers morning oats porridge, or use tahini as a dipping sauce for cut veggies.

Date And Sesame Bliss Balls

7. Almonds

Nuts are a good source of calcium, but among nuts, the highest calcium content is in almonds at 248 mg/100 gms.

Food ideas: Almond nut powder on porridge, almond butter with whole wheat crackers or chapati, or almonds in pesto sauce.

Here is a quick recipe to make your own homemade nut butter.

8. Green peas

Green peas contain about 25 mg of calcium/100 gms. They can easily be added to a number of dishes or used as a side making them a versatile vegetable to work with.

Food ideas: Green peas patty, Pea soup, added to rice dishes, added to upma, poha.

9. Amaranth

Amaranth (rajgira) is used in many traditional Indian recipes. Both the leaf and the grains are considered nutritious. Of particular importance is the amount of calcium in Amaranth at 159 mg/100gms.

The grains need to be sprouted for 2-3 days in order to reduce the antinutrients present in them. Once sprouted you can cook amaranth similar to a rice or couscous dish.

Traditionally amaranth flour is used to make ladoos in Indian homes.

Food ideas: As porridge, in soups and stews, amaranth flour pancakes, amaranth flour ladoos, in salads, or as amaranth patty.

Amaranth Ladoo Recipe

This recipe includes amaranth flour and crushed almonds building up the calcium content and making it a calcium-rich food for kids

10. Okra

You may be surprised to find this vegetable on the list but Okra contains about 82 mg/100 gm of vegetable. That’s a good amount of calcium per serving. Okra is a commonly used vegetable in Indian homes with most kids loving Indian okra dishes.

IS MILK THE ONLY SOURCE OF CALCIUM FOR CHILDREN?

glass of milk for toddlers-cows milk calcium

Traditionally cows milk is looked at as the main source of calcium, but it is important to include a variety of calcium rich solid foods in the child’s diet. Some children may not like the taste of milk, while some may have milk allergies.

When parents only look to milk as an option for calcium it can lead to other problems like force-feeding, adding sugary syrups/powders to make milk taste good which in turn promotes a liking for more engineered foods with artificial colors and flavorings over natural flavors of whole foods.

Milk and milk products are also high in saturated fats and consuming these in large amounts increases the risk of childhood obesity.

Toddlers by nature eat very little which makes it vitally important to include calcium rich solid foods instead of filling them up on liquids like milk.

One of the side effects of drinking too much milk is an increased risk of developing childhood anemia. Calcium rich foods are known to hinder the absorption of iron-rich foods. Limiting milk intake to 2 cups a day for toddlers is recommended.

To summarize for you, milk provides good amounts of calcium, but should not be looked at as the only source of calcium for kids.

Try and incorporate a variety of calcium-rich solid foods alongside milk in the child’s daily diet.

In the case of lactose intolerance or dairy allergies look for fortified foods like fortified plant milk, calcium-fortified cereals, and the other non-dairy calcium-rich foods that I mentioned above in order to meet the daily recommendations of calcium in the child’s diet.

IS CALCIUM FORTIFIED ORANGE JUICE OKAY?

a glass of orange juice- calcium in orange juice

It is not necessary to offer fruit juices to children for nutrition. Once in awhile consumption is okay.

Fruit juices do not contain fiber, are high in sugars, and cause damage to teeth when consumed regularly.

Besides, filling up on liquids is never a good thing for little kids. Liquid foods take up stomach space and create a feeling of fullness.

The toddler fills up on liquid food with minimal nutrition and ends up not eating lunch/dinner or other solid foods that provide a wider variety of nutrients.

The occasional orange juice is definitely an option to get some calcium in. Some brands add Vit D to the orange juice too which helps in better absorption of calcium. But these types of juices are not something that needs to be incorporated into the daily diet.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced in recent guidelines on juice, that children under one year of age should not drink juice at all and for older kids limit juice consumption to very small quantities. (source)

Thus, when incorporated judiciously to the child’s diet, calcium-fortified foods like orange juice have some benefits, but should not be looked at as a daily source of the calcium nutrient.

calcium rich foods for kids- a glass of milk and almonds

How to ensure the child gets enough calcium?

Other than including the list of calcium rich foods for babies and toddlers mentioned above, try and include some of these alternative sources of calcium to the child’s diet.

Sweet potato

At 30 mg calcium/100 gms, sweet potato is a great way to add more calcium to the diet of babies and toddlers.

Food ideas: sweet potato as stuffing in parathas, baked sweet potato fries, sweet potato fritters, sweet potato mash.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk offers about 16 mg of calcium /100 ml

Food ideas: Add to curries, cook porridge in coconut milk, and smoothies with coconut milk.

Dried figs

Dried figs are one of the best dried fruits for calcium.  2 medium-sized dried figs contain about 27 mg of calcium.

While it is not advisable to offer large amounts of dried frigs to kids because of its high sugar content, it still makes for a significant amount of calcium that can be easily added as a topping to any food to boost the nutrient content of the food.

Food ideas: Most children love dried figs, you can easily chop them up in appropriate sizes and add to porridge, smoothies, or in energy bars.

Related reading: Oats recipes for babies and toddlers include my favorite fig oats porridge.

Sprouted legumes, seeds, and grains.

Sprouting of legumes, seeds, and grains increases the nutritive value of the food, by increasing the bioavailability of nutrients.

Sprouting not only increases calcium content in the beans but also reduces some of the antinutrients like phytic acid that block absorption.

The most common sprouts are alfalfa sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and other varieties of bean sprouts.

Vit D + Exercise

Other important points to consider when thinking of increasing calcium content in your child’s diet is to include Vit D rich foods  (egg yolks, mushrooms, and oily fish) and time in the sun (early morning and evenings) engaged in play both of which are essential for calcium absorption.

Vit D + Exercise along with calcium rich foods makes strong bones.

There you go,

I hope this information helps you as you plan those calcium rich meals for your kids. Which calcium rich foods does your toddler enjoy? Do you have a special recipe to share? Leave me a comment below.

References:

Calcium. (2017). [Blog] kidshealth.org. Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html [Accessed 26 Mar. 2019].

New Recommended Daily Amounts of Calcium and Vitamin D. (2011). MedlinePlus, [online] (Winter11 Volume 5), p.12. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/magazine/issues/winter11/articles/winter11pg12.html [Accessed 26 Mar. 2019].

The Relationship Between Cow’s Milk and Stores of Vitamin D and Iron in Early Childhood. (2012). PEDIATRICS, 131(1), pp.X29-X29.

16 Best Vegan Superfoods For Kids

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Read time: 10 minutes
vegan superfoods

As parents, our child’s diet and the nutrition they derive from it is of prime concern to us. You may have heard of superfoods and their benefits to our health fighting disease. But do you know you can use the power of these superfoods to boost your child’s immunity and overall health too? Yes, superfoods for kids. Especially if you choose vegan superfoods since plant foods are known to be some of the most nutrient-dense foods available to humans.

Many parents especially those of toddlers are worried about how exactly to add these vegan superfoods to their child’s diet and make it palatable for them. It is a struggle for many to get their children to enjoy a variety of vegetables and plant foods. We will get to how to incorporate these superfoods into your child’s diet a little later. Lets first start with understanding superfoods;

What Are Superfoods?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a superfood is one that is rich in compounds (such as antioxidants, fiber, or fatty acids) considered beneficial to a person’s health.

Today we know of many superfoods that have a wide range of health benefits. In this post, we will look at a few that are best suited for kids.

Why Vegan Superfoods For Kids?

Researchers have shown that a more plant-based diet may help prevent, treat, or reverse some of the leading causes of death, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Getting your children interested in plant foods early in life can thus help build their longterm health. In the growing years, children go through all types of food preferences and changes in likes, adding superfoods to their daily diet helps boost key nutrient consumption.

I have previously written about how to get your kids interested in healthy foods, and other topics related to children’s health and well-being. You can read those articles here:

How to encourage healthy eating habits in your fussy eater

How to add healthy fats to your child’s diet

How I get my child to eat healthy every day

Sugar and childhood obesity

5 easy one-pot meals for busy moms

Vegan Superfoods For Kids

  1. Oats
    Let’s start with the easiest superfood to include in your child’s diet, oats. Oats are a rich source of plant-based proteins, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Oats contain a powerful antioxidant called avenanthramide that is known to promote heart health. They digest slowly keeping kids full for longer and release a steady stream of energy. Oats are therefore the best option for breakfast. Giving children the right start to their day.
  2. Avocados
    Avocados are a unique type of fruit. Unlike other fruits that contain mainly carbohydrates, avocados contain healthy fats. They are also referred to as “butter fruit“ for the same reason. Avocados contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals like Vit K, Vit C, folate, potassium, Vit B5, Vit B6, Vit E in addition to monounsaturated fats and fiber. No wonder it is considered a great first food for babies.
  3. Chia Seeds
    Chia seeds have become quite popular in the health food world. They are considered one of the healthiest foods on the market. What is so amazing about chia seeds you ask? Well, they deliver a massive amount of nutrients for a very small quantity (28 gms/2 tablespoons).
    Delivering fiber, protein, fats (mostly omega 3’s), calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and antioxidants. It is best to use chia seeds soaked in water. Adding chia seeds even half a tablespoon a day in your child’s diet can boost their health and immunity.
  4. Flaxseeds
    Flaxseeds contain heart-healthy fats like omega 3 fatty acids, protein, and fiber. Ground flaxseed is better absorbed by the body since it contains both soluble and insoluble fiber compared to whole flaxseed that mainly contains insoluble fiber. You can prepare small batches of ground flaxseed powder by roasting flaxseeds and grinding them to a powder texture. This can then be used as a topping on porridge, or in smoothies. Such a simple addition can easily up the nutrient density of the food you are eating.
  5. Hempseeds
    Hempseeds are a rich source of plant-based protein, healthy fats, vitamins like Vit E and minerals like phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc. They are considered a complete protein source, which means that they provide all the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are not produced in the body and need to be acquired through the diet. Once again adding a tablespoon in your child’s porridge or smoothie can help with their nutrient consumption for the day.
  6. Quinoa
    Quinoa is a gluten-free, high protein super seed. Even here the protein present in quinoa is considered a complete protein, one that contains all essential amino acids. It also contains B-vitamins, iron, calcium, and fiber. All key ingredients for a child’s developing body.
  7. Millets
    Millets are one of the traditional vegetarian protein sources in India. These grains are gluten-free and rich in a number of vitamins and minerals. There are a variety of millets that you can add to your child’s diet like sorghum (jowar), finger millet (ragi), foxtail millet, pearl millet (bajra),kodo millet etc. There are many traditional porridge and soup recipes for these millets. And in countries like India mother’s use millet as one of the first foods to introduce to baby. What makes millets so beneficial to health is that they are rich in calcium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and antioxidants. Along with this, they contain protein and fiber. A great choice for any child’s diet.
  8. Beets
    Yes, beets. We all know beetroots are good for health. But many of us don’t take this root vegetable seriously. Beets can be a smart addition to your child’s diet. Not only do beets impart a lovely pink and red colour to food that is quite eye-catching for the little ones, beets are also packed in nutrition. They are a source of simple carbohydrates needed for energy, and many vitamins and minerals like B-vitamins, potassium, iron, manganese, and Vit C. In order to get maximum absorption of the iron from beets pair them with other Vit C rich foods like lemons, tomatoes, etc.
  9. Mushrooms
    This fungi is a great source of protein, fiber, B vitamins and calcium. Mushrooms are also a source of ergothioneine (a powerful antioxidant) as well as selenium. Studies show that vitamin B-12 in mushrooms was found to be the same form found in beef, liver, and fish, suggesting that it is highly bioavailable.  If they are exposed to UV light when cultivated then these mushrooms are also a source of Vit D. However, you may not know the exact conditions in which the mushrooms you buy are grown. So its best to not completely rely on mushrooms for Vit B12 and Vit D. These are more a bonus if present in the brand you buy.
    There is also a lot of confusion on how to offer mushrooms and which type of mushrooms to offer a baby. Generally, the commercially available white button mushrooms are a good type of mushrooms to start with. Always cook mushrooms instead of serving them raw. Consult with your pediatrician to get more information on the different local varieties of mushrooms available, how and when to offer a baby.
  10. Berries
    The more color fruits and vegetables have the better. Colour in berries is imparted by natural pigments like anthocyanins that are also powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants help fight excessive free radicals that are known to cause damage to the body. In fact, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry have the highest cellular antioxidant activity and protect from cancers. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that a supplement containing freeze-dried wild blueberry powder improved brain power in children aged 7 to 10. Berries are also rich in Vit C which aids iron absorption from iron-rich foods. So topping oats with some berries is one power packed breakfast for the little ones.
  11. Cruciferous Vegetables
    Cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, arugula, bok choy, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and watercress. These are super veggies that pack in on phytonutrients, folate, vitamins C, E, and K, fiber and omega 3’s. Cruciferous vegetables should be one of the cornerstone vegetables present in your child’s diet on a daily basis.
  12. Sweet Potatoes
    Sweet potatoes are a starchy root vegetable rich in natural sugars, Vit C, Vit B6, Vit A, beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber. Sweet potatoes contain natural sugars that are released slowly into the bloodstream providing a steady stream of energy. The texture of sweet potatoes is also palatable for babies when they are just starting out on solids.
  13. Green Leafy Vegetables
    You heard your doctor say this, again and again,” eat your green leafy vegetables” and it is not without reason. Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamins like Vit A, Vit C, Vit K and minerals like iron and calcium. They also contain fiber that’s great for digestion. Green leafy vegetables include cruciferous leafy greens, spinach, swiss chard, lettuce, and microgreens.
  14. Beans and Lentils
    Beans and lentils are another traditional vegetarian source of protein. These are rich in Vit B and fiber.
    Lentils are legumes and are available in either whole form or split into halves. Lentils are an excellent source of folate. They are also a good source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, and molybdenum, copper, phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc, and potassium.
    Soaking lentils prior to cooking helps aid digestion and reduces the cook time. There are different types of lentils – Red, orange or yellow split lentils, Black beluga lentils, French du Puy lentil, Brown or green lentils. I found this blog post by Vegan Richa useful in identifying the different types and names of lentils.
    Beans like kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans, soybeans, pinto beans are rich sources of protein, fiber, vitamin B, iron, folate, manganese, magnesium.
    Adding beans and lentils to dishes increases the satiety level of food, which is extremely helpful especially with toddlers who eat tiny amounts of food at a time and takes care of daily protein intake for children. These are a must on the toddler food plate.
  15. Coconuts
    Coconut meat, water, and oil are used in many Indian recipes. So don’t forget to add coconuts to your child’s diet too. Coconuts contain healthy fats, fiber, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Especially raw coconut meat contains amino acids and proteins that are essential for muscle building, alongside calcium and iron. All these serve the growing body well.
  16. Walnuts
    Walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and healthy fats needed for brain development. Walnuts are also an excellent source of other vitamins and minerals like, folic acid, Vit B6, and Vit E, copper, manganese, and phosphorus.
    Another benefit of adding walnut to your child’s diet is that walnuts are one of the richest dietary sources of antioxidants like ellagic acid, catechins, melatonin. All of these help promote heart health.
    An important point to note here is that walnuts are allergenic in nature. Because of this, there is a lot of debate on when to introduce it to the baby. Most pediatricians recommend introducing walnuts after 1 year of age. I would suggest speaking with your pediatrician and discussing family allergy history before introducing these nuts to your child’s diet.
    These are some vegan superfoods you can add to your child’s diet to help boost their nutrient intake. When I first made such a list of superfoods, I started by noting down food ideas I could use them in or add to.

Which superfoods do you give your children? Do leave me comments, food ideas or any information you find useful. I love hearing back from you. To find more inspiration on what to serve little ones follow me on Instagram where I post meal ideas and recipes regularly.