Is it okay that my toddler eats yogurt daily?
Basically what it comes down to is: Is your toddler tolerating eating the yogurt daily? By tolerating I mean – As long as your toddler is having regular bowel movements and not having stomach cramps or anything then it is perfectly fine to eat yogurt that often. Yogurt is a very good food…provides a lot of calcium…it is easy to digest…contributes to colon health…boosts immunity…good source of protein. Obviously your child should not only eat yogurt and should have an otherwise varied healthy diet but yogurt definitly can have a daily prominent role in a helthy diet.
Here are recommendations from DrKoop.com. I will use bold for relevant passages. 1 YEAR OF AGE After a baby is 1-year old, whole milk (vitamin D or 4%) may replace breast milk or formula. Children under the age of 2 should not be given low-fat milk (2%, 1%, or skim) as they need the additional calories from fat to ensure proper growth and development. Children under the age of 1 should not be given whole milk as it has been shown to cause low blood counts. Cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt, however, may be given in small amounts. The 1-year old child should be getting much of their nutrition from meats, fruits and vegetables, breads and grains, and the dairy group, especially whole milk. Providing a variety of foods will help to ensure enough vitamins and minerals. Toddlers do not grow as rapidly as babies do, so their nutritional needs relative to their size decrease during the second year of life. Although they continue to gain weight, they no longer double their weight as infants d
Here’s a great treat to make for your kid, that is healthy: 1/2 cup plain yogurt 1/4 cup orange juice 1 Tblsp ground flax seed 1 banana a couple of ice cubes Blend it up. Your child will love it, and isn’t getting any artificial colors or added sweeteners. It has calcium, protein, potassium and vitamin C, plus the good omegas from the flax seed. I’d say yogurt is preferable to cookies or candy, so you’re doing something right!
Basically what it comes down to is: Is your toddler tolerating eating the yogurt daily? By tolerating I mean – As long as your toddler is having regular bowel movements and not having stomach cramps or anything then it is perfectly fine to eat yogurt that often. Yogurt is a very good food…provides a lot of calcium…it is easy to digest…contributes to colon health…boosts immunity…good source of protein. Obviously your child should not only eat yogurt and should have an otherwise varied healthy diet but yogurt definitly can have a daily prominent role in a helthy diet. Here is a very good article on the benefits of yogurt: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T045700.
Assuming that your child’s sugar, fat, and caloric intake is within normal limits, high-quality yogurt (with live, active cultures) is a superb addition to his diet. The probiotic effects of the cultures are most likely beneficial, and at the very least, help provide flora to maintain a healthy GI. Additionally, it’s possible that the amount of lactose present in the yogurt will help prevent lactose intolerance. Excepting genetic disposition, intolerance to lactose can also occur simply when lactose is not consumed for a long period of time or at high enough levels. This may seem trivial, but as dairy products have some of the highest levels of bioavailable calcium (see a college-level nutrition textbook on milk vs. dark green veggies), you’d want to protect this nutrient pathway.
