Supplements Even the Healthiest Kids May Still Need, in Addition to a Solid Diet
>> Jul 20, 2017
Here in North America, we’re
fortunate to have the ability to meet standard dietary recommendations quite
easily. We’re blessed to have the array and supply of nutrition choices that we
do, and most of us don’t take that for granted. Those of you with children are
likely correct in your assumption that your young ones are getting their
necessary intake of vitamins and minerals via their diet if you’re ascribing to
the famous dietary pyramid that most of us have seen on posters since we
ourselves were kids.
There is a fairly predominant belief
that if you do follow those guidelines that you won’t need to have them taking a multivitamin regularly. That’s
true for the most part, but there are 4 particular vitamins and nutrients that
they can still be deficient in if relying on the sufficiency of their dietary
intake alone.
Today we’ll have a look at each of
them and assess why people often don’t meet their needs with them via their
diet and then recommendations on the quantity / dosages you should be providing
for your kids each day, as provided by Myra Watterson, a pediatric dietary
consultant who has most recently been working with YesWellness.
Vitamin
D
The first one and likely the most
pressing of the 4 is Vitamin D, which has been heralded for years as one of the
most far-reaching of the vitamins with the way it works to prevent so many
degenerative body and mind conditions. They include everything from cancer and
diabetes to heart disease and mental health conditions like depression and
bipolar disease.
The most natural way for humans of
all ages to intake Vitamin D is via exposure to natural sunlight. The problem
for many of us here is that we live too far north to get enough sun for 8
months of the year. Yes, kids and teens are fortunate in that they’re much more
likely to be outdoors than their parents, but quite often their exposure is
still insufficient. Keep in mind as well that as advisable as it is to wear sunscreen (and we’re not suggesting you
don’t) that skin protection also inhibits the intake of Vitamin D.
Read this also : Health benefits of vitamin D and best vitamin D foods
There are good food sources of Vitamin D – milk, orange juice, fatty fish, mushrooms, and more, and you can also get plenty of it from cod liver oil (or fish oil tablets if the oil isn’t to your kids’ liking).
Daily recommendation: For children
from newborn to 1 year of age, 400 IU (international units). Ages 2 to 12 – 800
IU. Teens – 1000 IU
Calcium
The primary reason why calcium is so
important for children is in their development of strong, healthy bones.
Parents who believe they’re supplying a healthy volume of calcium via dairy
foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese are correct, but where it becomes a more
pressing issue is for females between the ages of 10 and 13. These are the
critical years for calcium intake for young women so that they don’t run any
risk of developing osteoporosis later in life.
Ensuring your preteen girls get
plenty of it via the dairy food sources listed above, as well as from spinach,
kale, okra, collard greens, white beans, and fish like sardines, salmon and
trout is most beneficial when it’s supplemented with additional calcium.
Daily recommendations: For children
from 1 to 3 years of age – 700mg per day. Ages 4 to 8 – 1000mg per day,
children ages 9 to 18 (females in particular) – 1300mg per day
Omega-3
Fatty Acids
These fats are essential for brain
development and neurological function, and that importance is obviously
magnified when the brain is still growing and developing along with the body.
What’s noteworthy about omega-3s in comparison to the two listed above is that
it’s actually fairly easy to have a deficit in recommended intake from the
average ‘nutritious’ diet parents will feed their children.
The best source of them is from
fish, but it would appear that unless your young ones are eating a full 2
servings of fish per week they may not be getting the amount of omega-3s they
need. It’s hard to enough omega-3s from diet alone.
Asides from fish, good food sources
of omega 3s include walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, egg yolks, hemp seeds, and
natto.
Daily recommendations: For newborn
children up to 1 year – 0.5g per day. Ages 1 to 3 – 0.7g per day. Ages 4 to 8 –
0.9g per day. Boys aged 9 to 13 – 1.2g per day. Girls aged 9 to 13 – 1g per day
Fibre
Similarly, don’t assume that fruits,vegetables, whole wheat bread and bran muffins are providing your children with
sufficient fibre through their diet alone. It’s reported that as much as 50
percent of children don’t get enough fibre. Yes, the previously listed foods
are great sources, but quite often young people simply aren’t eating enough of
them in their diets.
Fibre is integral in allowing the
body’s waste elimination process to function effectively, and so without it
kids are prone to constipation. While it’s more of a nuisance than a major
health concern, it’s definitely advisable to see to it your kids get enough
fibre. Supplementing with a soluble fibre source in water or a flavoured
beverage works well.
In conclusion, keep on doing what
you’re doing with feeding them a nutritious, balanced diet and limiting junk
food choices, but you may also be increasing their overall health by
supplementing with what we’ve detailed above. You’re invested in giving them
the best start in life, and nutrition is a big part of that.
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