Picky eating habits, lack of resources and busy lifestyles can result in many children not getting the proper nutrients they need to thrive. How do we get these nutrients into our kids’ diet?
To get started, try working these four essential vitamins into the foods your kids eat:
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is best known for its role in preventing viral infections. For kids heading back to school, this immune system booster is crucial in the fall and winter months and is a great way to treat and prevent the common cold that will likely be going around their classroom.
For children aged four to eight, doctors recommend 25 mg daily.
This vitamin is available in so many foods that deficiencies are extremely rare. Children who are very picky eaters and don’t eat a lot of fruits and vegetables may not get enough vitamin C. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamin C. Mandarin oranges or tangerines are ideal. They are small, easy to peel usually have no seeds and offer a great burst of flavor.
Potassium
The American Dietetic Association has identified potassium as one of the nutrients school-age children are lacking. The recommended dose for kids aged four to eight years is 3,800 mg per day. According to the ADA, your child doesn’t have to get the recommended daily amount of potassium every day, however. Instead, aim for the daily amount as an average over the course of a few days or a week.
A potassium-rich diet helps ensure normal heart and muscle function, maintains fluid balance, and participates in energy production. Diets that include foods with high levels of potassium such as bananas, sweet potatoes and avocados, can also help to prevent high blood pressure in adults.
Vitamin D
For kids who will be spending all day in a classroom, vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin – might not be as accessible as it was in the summer. Vitamin D has been long recognized as a bone building ally to assist in the absorption of dietary calcium and phosphorus. Getting enough vitamin D as a child sets a crucial foundation for strong bone health as we age.
According to Web MD, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends kids get a minimum of 400 IU per day. The Institute of Medicine (IOM), which sets the U.S. government’s official nutrient guidelines, recommends a daily dietary allowance of 600 IU for children ages one to 18. That’s about the equivalent of six glasses of fortified milk.
Common foods rich in vitamin D include most milk products and other fortified foods, such as some breakfast cereals, orange juice, and yogurt. Other foods that have it include fattier fish, such as salmon and light tuna.
Omega-3s
Unless your child is eating two or more servings a week of fatty fish (salmon, sardines, tuna), they are likely lacking the essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that are critical for development and healthy function of the eyes, brain and nervous system. Look for foods that have been fortified with omega-3s, such as peanut butter, milk, yogurt, orange juice, margarine, and eggs. The omega-3 content will vary with the brand, so read the label. You’ll find fortified eggs containing 100 to 200 mg or more omega-3 fatty acids, for example.
