My child drinks a lot of milk but is still lacking nutrients, why?

Milk has long been considered an important source of nutrition that helps children grow taller and physically. However, many parents have reported that their children drink a lot of milk but still have poor appetite, pale complexion, or micronutrient deficiencies.

Nutrition experts believe the cause lies not in the quality of the milk, but mainly in how the milk is consumed and an imbalance in the daily diet.

Milk provides a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D, but it lacks or contains very little of other important micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin C, and fiber. According to Harvard Health, no single food can fully meet a child's micronutrient needs, including milk. This means that even if children drink enough milk, they may still be at risk of iron, zinc, fiber, and vitamin C deficiencies.

Many children drink a lot of milk every day but still lack essential nutrients. Photo: Shutterstock.

Another common cause is that children drink too much milk during the day, leading to feeling full and skipping main meals. Young children have small stomachs. If they drink a lot of milk, they easily feel full and lose interest in other diverse foods. Over time, this can lead to picky eating, dependence on milk, and a lack of nutrients necessary for normal development.

In addition, even if children eat enough, their bodies may not fully absorb the nutrients due to digestive disorders or intestinal diseases (diarrhea, parasitic infections).

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the appropriate amount of milk for infants each day is:

Children aged 1-3 years: approximately 400-500 ml of milk per day.
Children aged 4-8 years: approximately 500 ml/day
Milk should not be used as a substitute for main meals.

When milk intake exceeds this level, children tend to eat less meat, fish, and vegetables, leading to iron and zinc deficiencies and nutritional imbalances.

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), here are some warning signs that a child may be deficient in nutrients despite drinking plenty of milk:

Slow weight gain, stunted growth.
Pale skin, easily fatigued.
Chronic constipation
Loss of appetite
Frequent minor illnesses

According to the NIH, iron and zinc deficiencies are two of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in young children globally. Drinking too much milk can also lead to complications such as protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), in which protein from food is not absorbed by the body. This can result in protein deficiency, hindering a child's development.

Source: https://znews.vn/con-uong-sua-nhieu-nhung-van-thieu-chat-vi-sao-post1654666.html