Zinc deficiency is not the exclusive domain of adults. Your children are just as susceptible to the problems that come from a deficiency of zinc. But what can be done to make up for this deficiency, and is there such a thing as too much zinc in a child’s diet?
Why is Zinc Important?
Everyone wants their kids to grow up healthy and strong, and zinc is one of those minerals that can help a child to do just that. Zinc is an incredibly important part of any child’s diet primarily because it is a mineral necessary for growth and development during infancy and childhood. In fact, children’s bodies ‘use’ zinc much faster than adults’ bodies because they are constantly growing and changing. But helping to ensure that your child grows and develops properly is only one of the things zinc is good for.
Zinc also bolsters the immune system, and anyone who has ever seen how fast kids seem to catch colds and viruses; sharing them like peanut butter sandwiches at lunchtime; you’ll want ever advantage you can get when you’re dealing with common colds and childhood illness. This is why it is important to make sure that your kids have enough zinc in their diet so that they won’t fall prey to every but out there.
Where can you Find Zinc?
Zinc is easy to find. There is zinc in most red meats, almost all nuts, nearly every variety of bean out there, in whole grain foods and even in most dairy products. So as long as your child eats a well-balanced meal there should be no problem with them getting enough zinc in their diet. But be careful, for there are some things that are popular in kids’ diets that can actually impede the absorption of zinc, and one of those things are caffeinated sodas. Too many sodas, especially in the place of juice or water, and you can actually leach zinc out of the body instead of contribute zinc to the body. But how much zinc does a child need?
Zinc Amounts for Kids
Children need zinc, but not as much as adults, this is because they are not as big as adults, so keep these rages in mind. Between the ages of one and three, a child does not need more than 3 mg of zinc a day. Between the ages of 4 and 8 they need approximately 5 mg per day, while Children between the ages of 9 and 13 need at least 8 mg of zinc per day.
At this age children should not be receiving a zinc supplement, that can actually be harmful to their health. However, getting lots of zinc-rich foods (even more than the recommended amount) should not hurt them as there are lots of benefits to be had from these foods as well.
Again, getting enough zinc in your child’s diet should be fairly easy. There are lots of breakfast cereals that are fortified with zinc and beef, pork and chicken all contain it, as do beans, bell peppers and even carrot sticks; all kid-friendly foods from which your child can rectify any sort of zinc deficiency.
Sam Ken has written many articles that talk about the benefits of natural health supplements. Visit his website to learn more about how you can enhance your health and well-being with nutritional supplements.
