Calcium for kids: how much they need and the best Indian sources

The years between 7 and 12 are a busy building phase for bones. Much of the bone a person carries into adulthood is laid down during childhood and the teenage years, so calcium is a nutrient worth getting right now rather than later.

How much calcium does a child need?

ICMR-NIN 2020 puts the daily requirement for children aged 7 to 9 at about 650 mg, and it rises as children approach their teens. That is a daily total across every meal.

The best everyday Indian sources

• Milk: a 200 ml glass gives roughly 240 mg
• Curd: a katori gives roughly 120 to 150 mg
• Paneer: 50 g gives roughly 200 mg
• Ragi: one of the richest grain sources, good in porridge, rotis and dosa
• Sesame (til): useful in chikki and chutneys
• Green leafy vegetables such as methi and amaranth

Calcium needs a partner: vitamin D

Calcium on the plate is only half the story. Vitamin D is what lets the body absorb it, and vitamin D3 and calcium together support healthy bones. Many city children in India are short on vitamin D, which means some of the calcium they eat goes unused. We explain why in our guide to vitamin D for kids in India.

Simple ways to reach the daily target

1. Make milk or curd a fixture of breakfast.
2. Add ragi to the weekly menu, two or three times.
3. Use paneer and curd in tiffins and evening snacks.
4. Get your child outdoors to support vitamin D.

Where Leap of Love fits

One glass of Leap of Love Double Chocolate gives 330 mg of calcium, just over half the day's requirement for a child aged 7 to 9, plus 100% of the day's vitamin D3 to help that calcium do its job. Every figure is on the science page.

Figures are approximate. RDA from ICMR-NIN 2020.