2 cups of milk a day ideal for childrens health new research shows

New research has answered one of the most common questions parents ask their doctors: How much milk should I be giving my children? The answer is two cups per day.

"We started to research the question because professional recommendations around milk intake were unclear and doctors and parents were seeking answers," said Dr. Jonathon Maguire, a paediatrician at St. Michaels Hospital and the lead author of the study.

Dr. Maguire and his team looked at how cows milk affected body stores of iron and vitamin D – two of the most important nutrients in milk – in more than 1,300 children aged two to five years.

The results of the study appeared online in Pediatrics today.

They found that children who drank more cows milk had higher Vitamin D stores but lower iron stores.

"We saw that two cups of cows milk per day was enough to maintain adequate vitamin D levels for most children, while also maintaining iron stores. With additional cows milk, there was a further reduction in iron stores without greater benefit from vitamin D," Dr. Maguire said.

The researchers recruited healthy children during routine doctors appointments between 2008 and 2010. Parents were asked to fill out an extensive questionnaire about their childrens milk drinking habits and other factors that could affect iron and Vitamin D stores. A blood sample was obtained from each child to determine body stores of iron and Vitamin D.

The children were participating in TARGet Kids!, a unique collaboration between childrens doctors and researchers from St. Michaels Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children. The program follows children from birth with the aim of understanding and preventing common nutrition problems in the early years and their impact on health and disease later in life.

The study also suggested that children with darker skin pigmentation may not have enough vitamin D stores during the winter months. Dr. Maguire suggested that instead of consuming more milk to increase these levels, wintertime vitamin D supplementation may be a more appropriate way of increasing vitamin D stores while preserving iron stores.

"Vitamin D deficiency in children has been linked to bone health issues and iron deficiency has been linked to anemia and delays in cognitive development," Dr. Maguire said. "Being able to answer parents questions about healthy cows milk intake is important to avoiding these potentially serious complications of low vitamin D and iron stores."

Fruit juice intake is Ideal for Kids by Age

Health for human | Fresh fruit is the best option. However, presenting the fruit in the daily diet in the form of juice is also more practical. Some types of fruit juice can be part of a healthy diet for children. Because in addition contain various vitamins, some types of fruit also contains antioxidants. So the portions should be within their needs.

However, fruit juices do contain calories. Just like any other food or beverages that contain calories, too much fruit juice can contribute to weight gain.

If you choose to give children fruit juice, then make fruit juice without added sugar or sweeteners. Fruit juice and sweetened fruit drinks may indeed have the same number of calories, but the child will get more vitamins and nutrients if consumed fruit juice contains no added sugar or sweeteners.

Should serve juice in a cup or glass instead of dot. It is well to teach children to stop ngedot.

In addition, should serve fruit juice as a snack, do not allow children to drink juice all day. If a child becomes difficult to eat because they were given fruit juice. Then you should not give fruit juice 30 minutes before eating.

Each component of the food is ideally given in sufficient quantities. Too much or too little fruit juice, of course each has its impact.

To ensure that the child is not too much to drink juice, it can be by following limits are recommended intake of fruit juice of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association.

The following limit fruit juice intake recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association as quoted from :

1. Newborns to 6 months: No fruit juice, unless it is given with the aim to relieve constipation.

2. 6 months - 6 years: 4-6 ounces (118-177 milliliters) per day.

3. More than 7 years old: 8-12 ounces (237-355 milliliters) per day.

About 4 ounces (118 milliliters) of pure fruit juice equals one serving of fruit. However, the juice has no fiber and other nutrients such as fresh fruit. Although a reasonable amount of fruit juice every day is good for most children, be sure to offer fresh fruit for the children too.