When it comes to ensuring your children’s nutritional needs you want to make sure they are receiving the top essential vitamins for children. With many children’s vitamins on the market how do you know exactly the vitamins you are choosing will benefit your children’s overall health the best?
As a parent and a nursing student I know supplying vitamins and minerals for kids come best from the foods they eat but sometimes with children and their picky eating habits there are sometimes a need for supplemental children’s vitamin. When a children’s vitamin is needed you will want to look for key ingredients; fiber, potassium, calcium, iron and
Calcium: This mineral is vital to supporting bone strength and to the development of growing children. Not to mention it promotes normal muscle and heart function and assists with blood clotting. Calcium is readily available in most dairy foods. According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) the recommended servings per day is 2-3 depending on age.
Tips for sneaking calcium into your child’s diet: smoothies, milkshakes, flavored milk, serve cheese with snacks, and by purchasing items that are fortified with calcium for example orange juice.
Fiber: Is very important to the digestive system. While helping to keep your child’s digestive system in the proper working order you are also helping to lessen their chances of developing certain types of diseases in their adult lives for example type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Good sources of fiber are whole grains, apples, oranges, prunes, pears, green peas, legumes, and almonds.
Tips for sneaking iron into your child’s diet: wheat toast, adding sliced apples, prunes or pears to oatmeal, snacks of almonds and oranges.
Potassium: is responsible for normal function of blood pressure, muscle function and heart rhythm. One of the best sources of potassium is fresh foods. There are many great sources of potassium bananas, apples, and all meats.
Tips for sneaking potassium into your child’s diet: fresh fruits and 100% frozen juice pops are excellent sources of potassium.
Iron: which is responsible for helping our kids keep up their energy levels and also carrying oxygen throughout the blood is very vital mineral needed in our children’s vitamins and daily dietary intake. Iron is readily available in dark leafy green vegetables, beans, dried fruits, lean meats, eggs and fish. You can also look on packages for iron fortified grains.
Tips for sneaking potassium into your child’s diet: add dried fruit to your children’s iron fortified oatmeal.
Magnesium: Probably one of the most overlooked minerals but is very important and handled many functions in the body. Magnesium is widely known for promoting and strengthening bone density. While also helping to regulate blood sugar levels and promoting normal blood pressure. Commonly found in nuts and seeds and whole grains.
Tips for sneaking magnesium into your child’s diets: serve pumpkin seeds and nuts as snacks.
Vitamins and minerals for kids are very important to ensure the overall health of your child. This is a listing of the 5 essential nutrients for childhood but there are many more essential vitamins for children to ensure they are meeting all their nutritional daily needs.
