Protein is an important part of every child’s diet; however, some parents believe that their children may not be receiving enough of it. Surprisingly, your child is probably getting more than enough.

Why Is Protein Important for the Body?

You may be wondering why protein is important. Protein does several important things for the body including:

• Builds, maintains, and repairs tissues;
• Produces substances that the body uses, such as enzymes and hormones;
• Regulates the body;
• Helps fight against diseases that strike those who are malnourished; and
• Provides stamina and energy, keeping people active.

You can see why protein is important for your child. It helps your body to function properly and at its best.

Consuming protein helps different parts of your body, such as producing hemoglobin (which carries oxygen throughout your body) or building cardiac muscle. All of these are reasons to make sure that your child is receiving enough protein in their diets.

Protein and Amino Acids

In order for your body to work efficiently, amino acids help make the proteins that your body needs. Amino acids are what you get when the protein in foods are broken down.

Your body can make 13 of the very important 22 amino acids necessary for good health. The other 9 amino acids come from the foods that you eat. These are known as essential amino acids since it is essential that your body has them.

Not All Protein Is the Same

Some protein sources, like dairy products and lean meats, are complete sources of protein. That is, they contain all 9 of the essential amino acids that your body needs. However, most vegetables are incomplete because they lack at least 1 of the 9 essential amino acids.

By eating a variety of foods throughout the day, including vegetables, you can still get all the protein requirements that are necessary. By the end of the day, you will have probably gotten enough protein sources.

How Much Protein Should My Child Be Getting?

How much protein your child needs will depend on their weight and age.

On average, these are the amounts of protein that children should be receiving:

• 0 to 6 months old – 9.1 grams
• 7 to 12 months old – 13.5 grams
• 1 to 3 years old – 13 grams
• 4 to 8 years old – 19 grams
• 9 to 13 years old- 34 grams
• 14 to 18 year old males – 52 grams
• 14 to 18 year old females – 46 grams

You may be concerned that your child isn’t getting enough protein; however, you just might be surprised at the number of foods that contain protein. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that we get more than enough protein because of the abundance of it available in the foods that we eat.

Can My Child Receive Too Much Protein?

It is possible to develop something called toxicity if you consume an excessive amount of proteins over several years time.

Toxicity is serious as it can lead to kidney problems or bone loss. Bone loss can then lead to osteoporosis. This is not something to be worried about, just be aware of it so that your child is not consuming significant amounts of proteins.

Perfect Protein Sources

Here are some perfect protein sources that can give your child the necessary amount they need:

• Lean meats (venison, beef tenderloin, lamb)
• Lean fish (halibut, snapper, salmon, cod)
• Lean poultry (turkey, chicken)
• Seafood (shrimp, scallops)
• Milk (cow’s milk, soy milk, goat’s milk)
• Eggs
• Cheese (mozzarella, Swiss)
• Yogurt
• Legumes (split peas, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, tofu)
• Whole grains (pasta, breads)
• Nuts (including seeds)
• Vegetables (collard greens, cauliflower, spinach, asparagus, broccoli)
• Peanut butter

If your child is strictly allergic to peanuts but not tree nuts, an alternative is sesame butter. If your child is allergic to tree nuts, alternatives are soy nut butter or almond butter.

Not only are these great sources of protein, but you can also use protein supplements to help your child get their recommended amount. Be sure to also read labels and look for foods that have at least 6 grams of protein.

Protein-Rich Meals

In just one day you can provide all the rich nutrients of protein that your child needs. Here are some ideas on meals that are rich in protein:

• Breakfast Options- Scrambled eggs, peanut butter toast, yogurt, milk;
• Lunch Options- Tuna fish sandwich, grilled cheese sandwich, peanut butter sandwich, macaroni and cheese, milk;
• Dinner Options- Serving of fish, chicken or red meat; pasta with melted cheese; cheeseburger, cheese pizza, beans and rice, side of vegetables, milk;
• Snack Options – Cheese, yogurt, nuts, sunflower seeds.

You can create any number of protein-rich meals using the list of perfect protein sources.Indications That Your Child Isn’t Receiving Enough Protein

There are some signs that indicate your child isn’t receiving enough protein. Some of those signs include:

• Frequent infections
• Fluid retention
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Loss of weight
• Slow growth and/or development

If children do not get enough protein, their blood sugar level can go up. They develop a craving for sugar which gives only a temporary spurt of energy. Proteins will provide the necessary ingredient our body needs for energy and will keep blood sugar levels normalized.

Since proteins are so important to the body and the body is incapable of producing enough, make sure that you are providing your child with some of these perfect protein sources. Not only does protein play an important role in your child’s development but it can also help them do better in sports and other active play.