Recently, the Health Promotion Board (HPB), Singapore’s premier health advisory body, ran a campaign asking parents if they were confused about switching to cow’s milk once their child turned one year old.
One of the reasons the HPB identifies for this state of confusion is that there are many myths surrounding the consumption of cow’s milk by toddlers. Is it safe enough? Is it easily digestible? Does it contain enough nutrition for their growth?
The fact is that fresh milk is one of the best kinds of food you can find in nature for your child. It is a great source of nutrition and is rich in calcium, protein, vitamin B12, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and phosphorous. All of these are essential for a child’s growth and development.
The HPB clearly advocates that after the age of one, proper meals, and not just milk, should be the main source of nutrition for your child. Milk should only supplement a balanced meal. In fact, a milk-only diet after the age of one may even affect the development of good eating habits in your child.
If your child is older than 12 months now, this is the time to switch over to cow’s milk as a supplement for a balanced diet. This combination is more than enough to fulfill your child’s growing nutritional needs.
However, it’s important to note that if your child has allergies or special nutritional requirements, HPB also recommends breastfeeding your child beyond the age of one.
Why Cow’s Milk Matters
Cow’s milk contains some of the most important nutrients for your child’s healthy growth: calcium, protein, and fat. For example, a full glass of milk contains vitamins A and B, carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and proteins.
Since calcium is essential for the development of bones and teeth in the child’s body, children need it in ample quantities. All that playing requires strong, healthy bones, right, parents? Also, they need to develop longer and stronger bones to sustain their growth, and also have a healthy set of teeth to eat their meals properly.
Even though there are many other sources of calcium besides milk – such as green leafy vegetables, soya beans, tofu, soya drinks with added calcium, nuts, and small fish – these food might not be that popular among notoriously fussy toddlers. Just trying feeding okra and tofu to your one-year-old child and you will know what we mean!
That’s why cow’s milk is considered one of the best sources of calcium for young children. One serving (one cup or about 250ml) of cow’s milk will provide 50% of the daily calcium needs of kids between the age of one and three (500mg/day).1
Make the Switch
By keeping the medical evidence in mind, parents should have no hesitation in switching to cow’s milk.
Now, the question is whether this switch should be to full cream or low-fat milk.
HPB recommends that children who are one to two years old should only drink whole or full cream cow’s milk. For example, MARIGOLD 100% Fresh Milkhas 120mg of calcium per 100ml of milk whereas stage 3 formula milk only has 91mg!
After two years old, children can drink low-fat milk or even skim milk if there are any weight-related issues.
Mums, once you have made up your mind to switch to cow’s milk, you can opt for MARIGOLD 100% Fresh Milk, a well-known “natural, wholesome quality milk from Australia”. It is the ultimate choice of milk for parents who want to switch their toddler to fresh cow’s milk.
Switching to cow’s milk will help you better manage household expenses without compromising on the needs of your growing child. We have seen how in the past couple of years, the prices of formula milk have skyrocketed in Singapore. With this in mind, switching to cow’s milk such as MARIGOLD 100% Fresh Milk will help you save money for sure.
Lastly, switching to cow’s milk will make the feeding process easier for you, mum! No more mixing of powder and water required! Just pour MARIGOLD 100% Fresh Milk into a cup (warm or cold), give it to your little one, and you are done!
With MARIGOLD 100% Fresh Milk, you can save money, and giving milk to your child becomes hassle-free. But most importantly, you can rest assured that your child is getting the best possible natural nutrition from the milk!
MARIGOLD 100% Fresh Milk comes from Australian free-range cows that are free to graze on lush green pastures. Together with a purity of air and all things natural, 100% Australian fresh milk is simply the best nature can offer.
MARIGOLD Fresh Milk. 100% Fresh. 100% Australian.
Reference:
1https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/104/5/1152