17 Foods That Make You Taller: To Increase Your Height Naturally

 17 Foods That Make You Taller:

To Increase Your Height Naturally

A child’s linear growth depends on their genetic makeup. Hence, they can only attain a certain height no matter how much they try. However, it is often said that some foods can help increase a child’s height. So are there any foods to increase height in kids? Well, there are no foods that can increase your child’s height beyond their genetic potential. However, adding certain foods to your child’s well-balanced diet can help them reach their full potential height with ease. Besides, these foods can offer nutrients to promote a child’s overall development.

Getting enough nutrients in your food is vitally necessary to ensure optimal height growth, even if your height is mostly determined by genetics. Even while you can't become any taller once you've hit your maximum height, certain foods to increase height can help you keep it off by preserving the strength and health of your bones, joints, and overall body.For instance, protein is essential for proper development as well as the immune system and tissue repair. In addition to these micronutrients, the health of the bones, which is essential for growth, is influenced by calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and phosphorus. Probiotics, a category of helpful bacteria frequently found in fermented foods, have also been linked to increased growth in youngsters, according to recent research.

Can A Child’s Height Be Increased?

A child’s height mostly depends on the height of their parents and other close relatives.

Children grow at their own pace, and the rate of their height growth can significantly increase during puberty. After puberty, both boys and girls are likely to gain two inches (five centimeters) in height every year. However, the final, adult height of the child can depend on several factors, including genetics that plays a significant role 

However, the lack of nutrition could hinder the child’s growth and prevent them from attaining the average height for their age. Therefore, providing nutrient-rich foods is essential to help the child attain the right height.

Did you know?

Some children may grow three times faster in a particular season when compared to their growth in the other seasons.

Can Food Make A Person Grow Taller?

Up until the conclusion of adolescence, a person's bones continue to lengthen as they grow. Epiphyses are growth plates found in bones. These growth plates fuse as puberty comes to a close, causing the person to stop developing. Some elements that affect a person's height growth include:

• Genetics: How tall a person is is largely determined by genetics. According to some studies, genetics account for around 80% of an individual's height.

• Sex: Females often cease developing by the time puberty is over, according to a 2017 article. At the age of 18, males often attain their final height.

• Hormones: Hormones that the body produces can have an impact on a person's growth.

Nutrients Required To Help A Child Grow Taller

During growth years, children need a well-balanced diet and exercise for their overall growth. There are some specific nutrients that are required in increased amounts to ensure an increase in height.

Protein: The reference value for protein intake is 0.9 g/kg/day for boys (3-18 years) and girls (3-15 years) (4). Ensure to provide the recommended amount from a variety of sources, especially those with high protein content.

Carbohydrates: Increased calories are required for children to grow. Thus, a balanced carbohydrate intake from complex carbohydrate sources must be consumed. Whole grains and millets are some of the healthy sources. Avoid simple carbohydrates, like those from sugary food items, since it could increase the risk of childhood obesity.

Vitamins: All vitamins are essential for growth and sustenance. However, some specific vitamins, such as vitamin D and vitamin B-complex, can impact your child’s height directly. Thus, ensure to meet the recommended intake of all the vitamins.

Minerals: Minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese, and fluoride are essential for the growth of your child. Several fruits and vegetables are rich in minerals, along with legumes, meat and dairy products. An adequate intake of minerals help promote healthy growth and height-increase.

17 Foods That Make You Taller – Increase Your Height Naturally

A balanced diet with enhanced intake of certain nutrients is important to promote growth in children. 

1. Eggs

An egg provides almost 6.5 grams of protein and has almost all the essential amino acids in it. This makes egg a source of complete protein that is required for skeletal growth of children. Besides, it has several other nutrients like vitamin D, phosphorus, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and iodine that helps in overall growth and development of children.

2. Chicken

Chicken is a great food to increase height because it is high in protein and several other crucial components. It's especially high in vitamin B12, a water-soluble vitamin that's essential for maintaining and gaining height. Taurine, an amino acid that controls bone growth and formation, is also abundant in it. Additionally, a 3-ounce (85-gram) meal of chicken has about 20 grams of protein. Chicken is a rich source of niacin, selenium, phosphorus, and vitamin B6, though the actual nutritional profile can vary slightly depending on the cut and cooking technique

3. Milk

The protein, vitamins such as vitamin-D and minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in whole milk support bone development (8). Whole milk has more nutrients than the skimmed versions. Thus, children should be served whole milk or products made of whole milk unless they are advised otherwise due to weight issues such as childhood obesity.

4. Soybean

Consider including products made from soybean in the child’s diet. A few examples of soybean products are soy flour, soy chunks, tofu, and soy milk. Soybeans are high in protein that is considered equivalent to animal protein. Soy products like tofu and soy milk are also high in calcium. This makes an excellent protein source for vegans. Regular consumption of soy may help improve bone health.

5. Almonds

Many of the vitamins and minerals required for increasing height are abundant in almonds. They also have a lot of good fats and are rich in fibre, manganese, and magnesium. Almonds are also a good source of vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant. Stunted growth in youngsters is one of the significant negative effects of this vital vitamin deficit. Additionally, almonds might promote bone health. Almond consumption was found to prevent the growth of osteoclasts, a type of cell that destroys bone tissue, in one small trial involving 14 persons.

6. Red meat

Red meat is rich in protein and several micronutrients, including iron that is essential to prevent anemia. Anemia, in turn, can cause weakness and may affect a child’s growth. However, red meat is also rich in saturated fat, so it is good to limit its consumption to a moderate level. Trim all the visible fat before cooking to lower the total fat content in red meat further.

7. Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are superstars when it comes to increasing your height. Examples include spinach, kale, arugula, and cabbage. Leafy greens often contain a concentrated amount of vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium, though the precise amount of minerals varies between different varieties. Additionally, they include a lot of vitamin K, a substance that helps support increased bone density and height maintenance by supporting growth. Even one study including 103 women revealed a significant reduction in the likelihood of declining bone mass when greens were regularly consumed.

8. Lean meat

Fish and skinless chicken are ideal options for lean meat, which is rich in protein but low in saturated fat. Other lean meat options such as turkey can also be served to children.

9. Legumes

Legumes, including lentils, black beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, are rich in protein and low in fat content (12). Most legumes contain a good amount of calcium and dietary fiber, essential for a growing child. You can try adding legumes to your kids’ meals for a protein, nutrient packed diet.

10. Yoghurt

Protein is just one of the essential components found in yoghurt that are crucial to increase your height. Greek yoghurt has close to 20 grams of protein in just 7 ounces (200 grams). Some varieties also include probiotics, a class of beneficial bacteria that can aid in maintaining intestinal health. Probiotics have been found to enhance immune function, reduce inflammation, and, according to some studies, can aid in children's growth. In addition, yoghurt is a great source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium, all of which are essential for bone metabolism.

11. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are not only colorful and adaptable, but they are also extremely healthy and can help you grow taller. They're particularly high in vitamin A, which helps enhance bone health and aid in height gain or maintenance. They also have both soluble and insoluble fiber, which can help your digestive health and make it easier for good bacteria to grow in your intestines. By maintaining a healthy gut flora, you may increase your body's ability to absorb nutrients and guarantee that you're getting the vitamins and minerals required for growth and development. Sweet potatoes also include significant amounts of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6, and potassium.

12. Nuts

Nuts contain a mix of protein and calcium. Besides, they provide good amounts of  omega-3 fatty acids that may improve bone and joint health You can consider adding an assortment of nuts to the child’s diet. A few examples of nuts that contain the right amount of protein are almonds, pistachios, and walnuts.

13. Seeds

Most seeds contain protein, and some of them even contain minerals such as calcium. For example, chia seeds contain calcium (17). They are also high in omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. Other seeds like sesame seeds can be roasted or used raw in salads.

14. Quinoa

Quinoa is a type of seed that is very nutrient-dense and is frequently used in place of other grains to increase your height. It is one of the few plant-based foods that is considered a complete protein because it has all nine of the essential amino acids your body needs. Magnesium is another important nutrient that is found in large amounts in quinoa. It is an important part of bone tissue and helps increase bone mineral density. Also, quinoa has a lot of manganese, folate, and phosphorus in each serving, all of which are important for keeping bones healthy.

15. Grains

Grains may not contain much calcium but can be a source of magnesium, a mineral that plays an important role in promoting bone health (18). Include an assortment of grains in your child’s diet. Use whole grain that comes with the husk, a good source of fiber. Some of the whole grains that are a good source of calcium and magnesium are oats, barley, and pseudocerealsi like buckwheat and quinoa.

16. Berries

Berries are thought to be the best foods to help you grow taller because they have a lot of vitamin C, which helps tissues grow and heal. The most prevalent protein in your body, collagen, is also produced more frequently thanks to vitamin C. Collagen has been shown in studies to increase bone density and improve bone health, which may aid in height gain or maintenance. In addition, berries include a variety of additional vitamins and minerals, including fibre, vitamin K, and manganese.

17. Fruits

Fruits are a great source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals that are vital for healthy growth and development. Particularly for vegans, dried fruits including raisins, prunes, figs, and dried apricots are a good source of calcium. Vitamin C in fruits including grapefruits, oranges, lemons, pineapples, and papayas. Vitamin C is crucial for the synthesis of collagen, which serves as the building block for bone mineralization.

Other Ways To Encourage Growth And Development

• Make frequent exercise a regular part of your child's day. Yoga poses like the Surya Namaskar and activities like swimming and spot jumping can all help extend the spine.

• Encourage your child to participate in sports like volleyball or basketball. Running continuously while participating in these sports causes the brain centre to generate growth hormones, which is a beneficial reaction that promotes somatic growth. Playing in the early morning or late evening aids in the body's absorption of sunshine, which is crucial for the development of bones.

• For growth and development to be stimulated, proper sleep is crucial. A study found that getting more sleep at night encouraged the release of growth hormones. To promote your child's physical growth, establish a strict waking and sleeping schedule.

• It's crucial to keep a decent posture. The height of your child may be impacted by slouching or slumping, which can also lead to neck and back problems. As a result, it's crucial to pay attention to how they're standing, sitting, or sleeping.

• Ask your child's paediatrician if they require any growth-promoting supplements. To keep track of their general health, make sure you take them for checkups every three months.