My friend's 10-year-old daughter just broke her arm playing at school. Her mom and I talked about how much bone-strengthening milk she drinks a day. The answer? Not enough. Most kids may drink a carton of milk at school, but that's not enough.

Do you think about your children's bone health when you think about their nutrition? Most of us know that bone health should be a priority for older adults, given such potential problems as osteoporosis. But people build about 40 percent of their bone mass between the ages of 9 and 14 and reach 90 percent of their peak bone mass by age 18 (for females) or 20 (for males), so bone health absolutely is an issue for kids, according to the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics.

Think of bone health as a savings account. Bone is living tissue that is turned over constantly with regular deposits and withdrawals. During childhood and adolescence, bones are primed to make the highest rate of deposits possible for use throughout the rest of a person's life. That means kids need to get plenty of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin K (all nutrients that work together) and get regular exercise.

Here are some tips on how to get those nutrients — for your kids and yourself.

—Aim for a good calcium source in each meal and snack. Milk, cheese and yogurt are the best natural sources of calcium. For instance, one 8-ounce glass of milk provides 300 milligrams of calcium, or about one-fourth to one-third of the recommended daily intake. Other, nondairy food sources include almonds, broccoli, kale, turnip greens, figs and soybeans. Some foods are fortified with calcium, including certain juices, nondairy beverages and cereals.

—When it comes to vitamin D, sun exposure triggers its production, but it can vary greatly with skin pigmentation, season and geography. If you live in the northern United States, there is a good chance you don't get enough sun exposure in winter for adequate vitamin D production. Also, sunlight exposure increases the risk of skin cancer, and sunscreen blocks vitamin D production. There are just a few natural food sources of vitamin D, including egg yolks and fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna. You can find vitamin D in fortified sources, including orange juice, milk and some nondairy beverages. Kids may need vitamin D supplements to reach the recommended 600 international units.

—For magnesium, the best food sources are almonds, spinach, black beans, edamame, peanut butter, avocado, whole-wheat bread and kidney beans.

—The best foods in which to get vitamin K are green leafy vegetables (kale, turnip greens, cabbage, spinach and broccoli), peas and green beans. About 10 percent of the vitamin K we absorb is made from good bacteria in the colon.

—And then there's the need for physical activity. Regular weight-bearing exercise stimulates bones and makes them stronger. Try activities such as running, hiking, dancing, doing gymnastics, skateboarding and weight training — as well as playing tennis, basketball, volleyball and soccer — to build bones. Though swimming and bicycling are great for cardiovascular health, they are not weight-bearing. If those are your children's preferred sports, encourage them to do weight-bearing activities, too.

Be aware that bone health can be compromised in these critical years by smoking, drinking alcohol, dieting, having an eating disorder, undereating for athletic training and absent or missed menstrual periods.

The bottom line: We need to think about filling our bank account for good bone health on a daily basis. We never outgrow that.

Q and A

Q: What is ruby chocolate, and are there health benefits?

A: Some 80 years after the launch of white chocolate, a Swiss chocolate company introduced a new type of chocolate made from the ruby cocoa bean. Sourced from various regions of the world — including Ecuador, Brazil and the Ivory Coast — ruby cocoa beans are varietals that provide a natural ruby color when processed. Ruby chocolate has an intense pink hue, a berry-like flavor and luscious smoothness. Ruby chocolate comprises cocoa solids, cocoa butter, dairy and sugar and relies on the natural characteristics of the beans to provide coloring and flavoring. Dark chocolate has been noted for its possible health benefits, but similar properties have not been reported for ruby chocolate. However, research about its possible nutritional benefits is lacking, and it may be that it does have some good nutritional attributes. Ruby chocolate is now available in Japan and South Korea, and companies such as Nestle and Callebaut are working on releasing it in U.S. and European markets in the near future. — Environmental Nutrition

RECIPE

Those of us living in the Midwest wonder whether spring is ever going to come, but as the flowers begin to bloom and soil temperatures rise, we know it's just a matter of time before Old Man Winter loses his grip. Here's a salad from Fresh 'n Fit Cuisine to get you thinking spring.

Grilled Salmon Salad with Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

2 cups fresh raspberries

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon walnut oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups cherry tomatoes

4 4-ounce fresh skinless salmon fillets

Nonstick cooking spray

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices

4 cups baby arugula

1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

For vinaigrette, in a small saucepan, combine raspberries, vinegar and honey. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding seeds. Cool. Whisk in oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.

If desired, place tomatoes in a grill basket. Grill tomatoes, covered, over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until charred and starting to burst. Remove. Reduce heat to medium.

Lightly coat salmon with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Grease grill rack, and place fish on grill. Grill salmon and onion, covered, until salmon flakes easily and onion is charred, turning once. Allow 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch for salmon and 10 minutes for onion.

Divide arugula, grilled tomatoes and grilled onion among plates. Drizzle with vinaigrette, and top with salmon. Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts.

Serves 4.

Per serving: 342 calories, 27 grams of protein, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of fat, 67 milligrams of cholesterol, 6 grams of fiber, 436 milligrams of sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Illinois, and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: at Pixabay