Why Protein is Important in a Child’s Diet: Ways to Increase Protein Intake

Protein intake is important for individuals at every age. However, protein is especially important for children. In fact, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is higher in children than it is for adults. The average daily intake of protein for children is 0.85g/kg - 0.95 g/kg, depending on the age and gender. Those aged 4-9 years old need about 19 grams each day and those between 9-13 need about 34 grams a day. As kids get older, gender differences begin to play a larger role in the required protein amounts. Due to physiological needs, Boys need a slightly higher protein intake.

Why is Protein Crucial in a Child's Diet?

Protein is crucial in a child’s diet because they are still growing and developing, which means that they need essential nutrients in order to achieve good brain health and development. These key nutrients are called amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Amino acids are either essential, meaning they are not made by the body and must be consumed from the diet, or non-essential, meaning they are naturally made by the body. Thus it’s important to consume essential amino acids from proteins found in various food sources in order to maintain a balance of these two types of amino acids.

Foods Rich in Protein

The following list of foods are great protein-rich sources that kids will enjoy and can help reduce the risk of protein deficiency:

• Eggs
• Yogurt
• Nuts and Seeds
• Soy products (Tofu, Tempeh, Edamame)
• Fortified Plant-Based Milks
• Beans
• Peas

Ways to Increase Protein Intake in Kids

Even though there are recommended amounts of protein intake for children, it may be challenging and unrealistic to constantly measure the amount of protein your child eats on a daily basis. Therefore, the key is to simply focus on adding high plant-based protein foods into all their meals. There are also plant protein products that children will definitely love. For instance, OWYN’s Dark Chocolate Protein Shake, which tastes just like chocolate milk!