Your child requires certain minerals in sufficient amounts to grow and develop properly. If your child does not get adequate amounts of them, he may suffer symptoms of deficiency that may also degrade the quality of his health. Magnesium and zinc are two essential minerals your child needs from his diet each and every day. Learning the sources of these two minerals will help you create a daily menu that meets each of your child's nutritional needs.
Magnesium
If your child is between that ages of 1 and 3, he needs 80 mg of magnesium on a daily basis, and if your child is between the ages of 4 and 8, he requires 130 mg each day. Your child needs these amounts of magnesium to help support the health of his bones. Magnesium is also important for the maintenance of your child's heart beat. The mineral also promotes a healthy immune system and encourage proper function of your child's muscles and nerves. Your child can get all the magnesium he needs from his food so you should not give him a supplement without the approval of his doctor.
Sources
Include nuts and legumes in your child's diet as an easy way to add significant doses of magnesium. A 1-oz. serving of cashews has 75 mg of magnesium, and the same amount of peanuts contains 50 mg. Almond butter contains 48 mg per 1-tbsp. serving, and the same sized portion of cashew butter contains 41 mg. Halibut, oatmeal, soybeans, spinach, raisins, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, black-eyed peas, beans, brown rice, lentils, avocados and bananas are additional nutritious sources of magnesium.
Zinc
If your child is between the ages of 1 and 3, he requires 3 mg of zinc each day. If your child is between the ages of 4 and 8, he needs 5 mg of zinc on a daily basis. Zinc is a key mineral that supports healthy digestion and metabolism. A zinc deficiency, while rare, can lead to delayed growth in your child. Your child is able to get all the zinc he needs from his diet so do not offer supplements unless his pediatrician prescribes one.
Sources
With 3.3 mg of zinc per 1/2-cup serving, baked beans are one of the top sources of this mineral. Beef shanks are an additional top source with 3 mg per 1-oz. serving. A broiled hamburger contains 2.7 mg of zinc, and a 1-oz. serving of broiled steak contains 2.6 mg. Fortified breakfast cereal, roasted almonds, yogurt, cashew butter, instant oatmeal, ricotta cheese, chicken, garbanzo beans, peas, lentils, cheese and milk are also healthy sources of zinc that may help your child get the amount he needs each day.
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