Using only nut milk can cause rickets in children

Completely cutting out cow's milk and replacing it with nut milk can cause children to be malnourished and have rickets.

The trend of giving children nut milk instead of milk from animal sources is considered by mothers as a "divine" secret to raising healthy and safe children, without knowing that this drink also requires attention when used.

On social networks, many parents believe that drinking nut milk will still provide children with enough nutrients and development. Fearing the dangers of cow’s milk, many families have completely switched to using nut milk.

Nut milk is derived from nuts and grains.

Master, Doctor Le Thi Hai, former Director of the Nutrition Center (National Institute of Nutrition), said that nut milk cannot be considered milk. It is only considered a nutritional supplement. Milk is considered a secretion of mammals and has a qualified protein composition.

Drinks made from nuts are divided into two main groups: nuts rich in fat and protein (almonds, walnuts, beans), and grains (oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, corn, etc.).

“Although nuts are rich in protein and fat, they are all plant-based nutrients and often lack amino acid balance. Children who only drink nut milk will lack iron, zinc and essential amino acids because plant-based micronutrients are often difficult to absorb.

Drinking too much nut milk can also inhibit iron absorption due to too much plant food. Nuts contain a lot of calcium, but plant calcium is difficult to absorb, so children who drink it regularly can develop rickets. Children who still gain weight well and are healthy and fat when drinking nut milk are usually those who are exclusively breastfed, meaning nut milk is just a supplementary food," said Dr. Le Thi Hai.

According to nutritionists, if you use the wrong nut milk for your child’s age, it can even affect their health. There are many cases where both mother and child come to the nutrition clinic in a state of malnutrition, with pale skin due to only drinking oat milk and ground brown rice. When testing their blood, the doctor discovered that both mother and child were deficient in a series of micronutrients.

“If you use the solution that mothers call nut milk instead of animal milk, the child will be at risk of rickets and malnutrition. The child may have a poor appetite, fatigue due to anemia, and frequent illness. Using only nut milk for children is no different than forcing them to be vegetarian,” said Dr. Hai.

In addition, many people boycott cow's milk because they are afraid of pesticides and growth stimulants, not knowing that using nut milk also contains pesticide residues and preservatives to prevent mold and termites.

Dr. Le Thi Hai also added that for children to develop healthily, they need to eat a balanced diet of animal and vegetable protein. Animal protein must account for 2/3 of the diet.

Parents should only use nut milk for children over one year old for the purpose of supplementing nutrition. While using nut milk, children must still eat enough foods of animal protein origin (meat, fish, eggs).

According to Zing