From Shereen Jegtvig,
Your Guide to Nutrition.
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Children, Diets and Taking Vitamins

The best way to assure your children get plenty of vitamins and minerals is to emphasize the importance of eating a variety of healthy foods. Offer foods from the different food groups to your kids each day and prepare meals with nutrients that complement each other. That means eating fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains, nuts, legumes, milk, and cheese.

A healthy diet like that sounds great to many kids, but not to all. Children don't always eat the way we would like them to eat, and a picky eater might not get all the vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients he or she needs. Some kids don't eat healthy diets all the time, and a few children rarely eat anything healthy at all. Processed foods and junk foods may not contain much nutritional value, just unhealthy fats, sugar and calories.

A healthy diet is just as important for for children as it is for adults. When a child doesn't eat enough healthy foods, his or her ability to learn may suffer. Imagine sitting in school all day when your brain and body is starving for good nutrition.

Kids who don't get all the nutrition they need from their diets can take children's vitamins as a good way to ensure that they get enough vitamins and minerals. Remember that taking vitamins isn't a cure-all for an unhealthy diet, so be sure to continue offering healthy food choices to your kids. Even picky eaters will eat some healthy foods.

Which Dietary Supplements Should Kids Take?

• One common deficiency in children's diets are the omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are essential for proper nervous system and brain function, which is very important during those long school days. This essential fatty acid can be found in pumpkin seeds, cold oily ocean fish like tuna, canola oil and flax oil. It can also be taken as a dietary supplement if kids don't like the strong taste of oily fish or the other foods.
• Kids who snub fruits and vegetables may not be getting enough vitamin C, which is important for our immune system and for the connective tissue under our skin. Vitamin C protects us from damaging free radicals and is crucial for brain function.
• The B complex vitamins have several functions, some of which are involved with carbohydrate metabolism. A child who has a high refined sugar and starch diet may deplete those important B vitamins.
• Some experts believe that minerals are depleted in our soil, and therefore much of our produce may be deficient of minerals as well. For example:
  • Calcium and magnesium are important for healthy bones, nerves, and muscles.
  • Zinc is important for our immune system.
  • Chromium aids carbohydrate metabolism.

A children's multi-mineral/vitamin dietary supplement, plus a omega 3 essential fatty acids make a good basic dietary supplement program for most children. Some kids with health problems may need more complex dietary supplementation, which should be determined by a doctor, nutritionist or dietitian.

Make sure you purchase high quality children's dietary supplements for children from a nutrition store or a health food store. Children's dietary supplements can be in the form of capsules, tablets, liquids, or chewable vitamins. There are even brands that taste like gummy bears or lollipops.

^Sources:

Mahoney CR, Taylor HA, Kanarek RB, Samuel P. "Effect of breakfast composition on cognitive processes in elementary school children." Physiol Behav. 2005 Aug 7;85(5):635-45.

Vatanparast H, Whiting SJ. "Calcium supplementation trials and bone mass development in children, adolescents, and young adults." Nutr Rev. 2006 Apr;64(4):204-9.

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