Milk and kid’s growth – Common doubts cleared

Milk is often termed as the complete food; perhaps it’s the best food available on this universe that gives almost all nutrients in one glass. Milk is a great supplement of vital factors like calcium and proteins. A glass of milk with breakfast can keep your kid stay fresh whole day. So, let me clear a few doubts related with milk and its drinking habit.

How many glasses of milk can a kid drink a day?

There exists a myth that if you drink more milk, you will grow more also. But it is not true. Today’s kids are interested in noodles, pasta and burgers. They neglect their mother’s words and find less interest in homely food. For such kids, who hate meals a lot, milk can provide a lot of supplements more or less required for their growth and mental development. But it doesn’t imply that extra milk can give you extra growth easily.

Milk equivalent to 400 milliliter is enough for a kid every day. So, two glass of milk is sufficient. If you give him extra, it may create digestive problems to him as milk is not an easy soluble food. Instead give him complete food – leafy vegetables, meat, fishes, eggs, cereals, pulses and fruits. A kid will grow only if everything is provided in required quantities, not just extra milk can give him something extra.

Vitamin D supplements such as leafy vegetables needed to absorb milk

Another important thing to note is that though milk is abundant with calcium, it needs Vitamin D to get absorbed into blood stream. But milk contains vitamin D in negligible quantities only. So to get full calcium supplements of milk, you should give him vitamin D as well. Leafy vegetable is the best solution. Next alternative is sunlight. Exposure to morning and evening sun helps our skin to absorb vitamin D.

Soya milk – a good alternative for milk

If your kid has milk allergy soya is the best alternative. You can give him milk in the form of butter milk, curd, paneer, cheese and tea or coffee also. But beverages should not be given in excess amount.

Now many health drinks are available in market like energy boosters to be added to milk. They are good only if taken in moderate quantities. They add extra calories to body as well.

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