Kids Vitamins: What Ingredients To Look For?
You’ve checked with your child’s pediatrician, and have come to the consensus that they could benefit greatly from a daily kids multivitamin. Now you’re here, walking down the nutritional supplement section of your local pharmacy or market and are completely overwhelmed by what seems to be endless options. If left to your kid to decide, without a doubt the one most likely resembling movie theater candy adorned with their favorite cartoon character would be in your cart. Before you find yourself at this crossroad, ensure you know which are the key ingredients to look out for that are pertinent to your child’s development.
Important Vitamins
Micronutrients are derived from nature in the form of fruits, vegetables, and proteins. If we followed a balanced diet consisting of the proper portions of fresh and natural foods, the need for additional supplements would likely not be necessary. Alas, for many children, it is often not the case. With so many temptations for unhealthy snacks and treats, a balanced nutritional diet becomes harder to adhere to. As such, when researching these supplemental products parents should be aware of what nutrients are necessary for development.
- Vitamin A — Found in foods like kale, carrots, and squash, this nutrient helps with cell growth, vision, and illness prevention
- Vitamin B1 — Also referred to as Thiamin, it can be found in seaweed, grains, and legumes. Provides energy and promotes cell growth
- B2 — Also referred to as Riboflavin, it can be found in green vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, and broccoli. Aids in cell growth, vision and provides energy
- Vitamin B6 — Found in bananas, chickpeas, and spinach, it prevents illness and helps with growth
- Folate — Found in broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and avocados, it promotes cell growth and provides energy
- Vitamin C — Found in oranges (and other citrus fruits), peppers and strawberries, it aids in illness prevention and growth
- Vitamin D — Found in mushrooms, fish, and oranges, it helps with illness prevention and promotes bone growth
- Vitamin E — Found in avocados, spinach, and almonds, it aids in sickness prevention, promotes heart health and vision
- B7 — Also known as Biotin it can be found in cauliflower, mushrooms, and avocados, it helps prevents rashes, aids in better hearing and vision
- Calcium — Found in broccoli, collard greens, and kale, it aids in bone growth and healthy teeth
- Iodine — Found in seaweed, fish, and prunes, it helps to control obesity and promotes growth
- Zinc — Found in squash, chickpeas, and quinoa, it aids in reducing illness and promotes growth
- Selenium — Found in seeds, brown rice, and mushrooms, it improves brain development and protects the body
- Magnesium — Found in avocados, spinach, and bananas, it aids in alleviating growing pains, improves sleep and helps to reduce anxiety
Finding a way to appropriately proportion meals to include these nutrients is what poses the most problem for parents. You may be getting enough of one but lacking in others unknowingly. Pairing a diet with vitamins can greatly assist your child’s growth to provide them with what they may be lacking otherwise. The right multivitamin will include these properties without causing more harm than good like many of the sugary candy-like vitamins often can.
Our kids deserve the very best that we are able to give them. The only way to ensure we do our jobs well is to do our due diligence in researching what companies and products also have their best interest in mind. Many of the best ones come from concerned parents just like you who strive to find a solution that plagues our kids’ lives. The good is out there if you look beyond the pizazz of cartoon characters and bright colors.
