Calcium supplementation for children

Children grow and develop relatively quickly, and their bones also develop relatively quickly. If they are deficient in calcium, it can easily lead to developmental problems in children. Therefore, timely calcium supplementation is very important. For children, the best way to supplement calcium is through food. That is to say, in daily diet, eat more calcium-rich foods, which will help children's growth and development. Of course, if a child's calcium deficiency is more serious, it can be treated with calcium supplements.

How to supplement calcium for children

At present, there are more than 400 kinds of calcium supplements in my country, including domestic and imported ones. The specific choice of calcium supplement needs to be determined based on the characteristics of various calcium supplements and the people who take them.

1. Calcium carbonate

It has high calcium content, few side effects, is cheap, and has a high absorption rate of up to 40%, similar to milk. It is a calcium preparation that is easily accepted and widely used by people across the country.

2. Calcium lactate

It is one of the traditional calcium supplements in my country. Its advantage is that it is easy to dissolve, and its disadvantage is that the calcium content is low. Such preparations include: calcium lactate, containing 13% calcium; calcium gluconate, containing 9% calcium. The content is even lower after being made into tablets. To achieve the daily calcium supplementation of 1,000 mg for adults, too many tablets need to be taken, which is difficult for people to accept.

3. Calcium ammonium phosphate

It is a commonly used calcium supplement in Japan. It contains 23.3% calcium, which is relatively high. It is also produced by Chengdu Pharmaceutical Factory in my country. Each tablet contains 70 mg of calcium. The calcium content and the price of the drug are medium, but its disadvantage is that the tablets are difficult to disintegrate and absorb. In addition, it contains high phosphorus, which is harmful to people with renal dysfunction. Therefore, it is seldom used.

4. Calcium Citrate

It contains 21.1% calcium, has good water solubility, and better bioavailability than calcium phosphate. Its absorption does not depend on stomach acid, and it comes in effervescent tablets, making it more suitable for human consumption.

5. Active Calcium

It is a calcium mixture formed by high-temperature calcination of biological calcium (shellfish). It has a high calcium content, but its aqueous solution is strongly alkaline and has great irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. It is not suitable for the elderly who lack gastric acid. Take with food to reduce gastrointestinal irritation.

6. Organic calcium

Amino acid calcium and protein complex calcium have begun to be used in my country. In addition, the more calcium you take, the better. What’s important is absorption. Taking more than 200 mg of elemental calcium at a time will reduce the absorption rate.

Calcium Supplement Recipe for Children

1. Egg Drop Tofu Soup

Ingredients: eggs, southern tofu, 150 grams of bone broth, chopped green onions, etc.

Preparation method: Beat the eggs, mash the tofu, and boil the bone broth; add the tofu and cook over low heat, season appropriately, sprinkle with egg drops, and finally garnish with chopped green onions.

Nutritional analysis: Eggs and tofu are not only rich in calcium, but also soft and tender to eat. They are especially suitable for babies around 6 months old who are not very good at chewing.

2. Fish and vegetable rice paste

Ingredients: rice flour (or milk cake), 15-25 grams each of fish and vegetables, and a little salt.

Preparation method: Soak the rice noodles in water until soft, stir into a paste, put into the pot, and boil over high heat for about 8 minutes; wash the vegetables and fish, chop them into paste separately and put them into the pot, continue cooking until the fish is cooked through, and season.

Nutritional analysis: Fish meat is rich in calcium, which can not only promote the baby's growth and contribute to bone development, but also promote brain development and meet the body's needs for a variety of nutrients. You may as well prepare some for babies over 4 months old.