Today, many people have switched to low-fat milk or even skim milk which has been cut in fat. It is true, the two types of milk did not make the body fat increase. However, is low-fat milk or skim milk better for children in their infancy than full cream milk? Which is better, children drink full cream milk or milk that has no fat?
Should children drink full cream milk or low-fat milk?
It's legitimate for adults to replace full cream milk into low-fat or skim milk. Especially if you are trying to limit fat intake, low-fat milk and skim milk can be one solution.
But what about the little one? Do you also have to replace your baby's full cream milk with a low-fat one? Is it really better for children to drink low-fat milk?
Yes, many parents confuse which milk is better. Milk can indeed be relied upon as calcium and iron intake for children, so you must be smart in choosing the type of milk for your child.
When viewed from fat levels, actually these three types of milk still have the amount of fat in them, how come. Here is the amount of fat each type of milk has:
- Full cream milk: 3.25 percent fat or about 8 grams of fat
- Low-fat milk: 1-2 percent fat or about 2.5-4.5 grams of fat
- Skim milk: 0.5 percent fat or about less than 2 grams of fat
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children should not be given low-fat milk until they are 2 years old. After that, your child may be given a lower fat milk.
However, if children aged 1-2 years are overweight, then giving low-fat milk can be applied to it. Before changing your diet pattern for your child, you should discuss it first with your pediatrician and consult a nutritionist.
Even so, don't restrict the fat in children too tightly
In fact, fat is one type of nutrient that is relied on in the development of your child. Do not let you make it lack of fat. In the body, fat is needed by the little one to build body tissues - including the nervous system - and hormone control.
Not only that, fat also helps your child absorb some of the vitamins needed such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. Therefore, you should not overly limit your child's fat intake, unless the child is obese which makes him have to limit fat intake.
However, if your child has a normal weight, according to the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the recommended fat intake in one day is:
- 7-11 months: 36 grams
- 1-3 years: 44 grams
- 4-6 years: 62 grams
- 7-9 years: 72 grams
Man
- 10-12 years: 70 grams
- 13-15 years: 83 grams
- 16-18 years: 89 grams
Women
- 10-12 years: 67 grams
- 13-18 years: 71 grams
In addition, you also have to be smart in choosing the type of fat for your little one. Not all fats are bad, really. Examples are unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Usually, these important nutrients can be found in foods such as fish, avocados, and nuts. Avoid giving them high saturated fatty foods, which are found in many fried foods.
So, if you choose low-fat milk for children, you also have to be smart to choose other food sources of fat, so that fat intake remains normal.