Essential Vitamin Intake for Children: Are They Necessary and Which Ones Are They?
Nutrients play a crucial role in a kid's healthy growth and development. Essential vitamins like A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins are essential for various functions, such as supporting eyesight, energy production, maintaining healthy nerves and cells, and fighting infections.
Making sure children consume the right amount of these vitamins daily is vital. Be it through food or supplements, a balanced meal full of a variety of grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits can meet most children's vitamin requirements naturally.
Nuts, in particular, can be a superfood for kids, as they offer multiple essential vitamins in a single package. Their natural packaging contains healthy fats, which aid in better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) from other foods consumed in the same meal. Plus, nuts themselves are rich in vitamin E and certain B vitamins, providing more nutritional goodness. Moreover, consuming these vitamins through nuts significantly lowers the risk of excessive consumption compared to supplements, as portion sizes are naturally self-limiting.
However, some kids might be picky eaters, and introducing a multivitamin in delicious formats like chocolate spreads, crisps, or even spreads on their favorite bread or cakes, can help fill any nutrient gaps. These multivitamins are formulated using real food, like nuts, beans, veggies, fruits, and Ayurvedic herbs, ensuring that your child gets the right balance of nutrients they need, without unhealthy additives like preservatives, refined sugars, or palm oil.
Here's a snapshot of the recommended daily intake, food sources, and considerations for maximum absorption, and reduced over-consumption of essential vitamins for kids:
Recommended Daily Intake and Food Sources
| Vitamin | Daily Intake for Kids (Age 1-3 / 4-8 / 9-13) | Key Food Sources | Notes ||-----------|----------------------------------------------|------------------------------|----------------------|| A | 300-400 / 400-500 / 600 μg RAE | Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, liver, dairy, eggs | RAE = Retinol Activity Equivalents || C | 15 / 25 / 45 mg | Citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli | || D | 400-600 IU (10-15 μg) | Fatty fish, fortified milk, egg yolks, sunlight | 400-600 IU for maintenance; up to 4,000 IU for deficiency || E | 6 / 7 / 11 mg α-TE | Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, spinach | α-TE = alpha-tocopherol equivalents || K | 30 / 55 / 60 μg | Leafy greens, broccoli, vegetable oils, liver | || B1 (Thiamine) | 0.5 / 0.6 / 0.9 mg | Whole grains, pork, nuts, seeds, | || | | | || B2 (Riboflavin)| 0.5 / 0.6 / 0.9 mg | Dairy, eggs, lean meats, green vegetables | || B3 (Niacin)| 6 / 8 / 12 mg NE | Poultry, fish, whole grains, nuts | NE = niacin equivalents || B5 (Pantothenic Acid)| 1.8 / 2.2 / 4 mg | Meat, whole grains, avocado | || B6 | 0.5 / 0.6 / 1.0 mg | Poultry, fish, potatoes, bananas, nuts | || B7 (Biotin) | 8 / 12 / 20 μg | Eggs, nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes | || B9 (Folate) | 150 / 200 / 300 μg | Leafy greens, legumes, citrus fruits | || B12 | 0.9 / 1.2 / 1.8 μg | Animal products, fortified cereals, nutritional yeast | |
Practicing a varied diet, limiting processed foods, and supplements, and watching intake, especially with supplements, can help ensure that your child receives the perfect mix of essential nutrients for their growth and development. So, encourage your child to abide by a diet rich in whole foods and witness their energy and growth soar high!
- Nuts, being a rich source of essential vitamins like vitamin E and certain B vitamins, can act as an immunity booster, contributing to a kid's growth and development, especially when consumed in a balanced diet.
- The brain development of children can greatly benefit from a balanced diet that includes nutrients such as vitamin A, found in foods like carrots and sweet potatoes, and vitamin D, which can be obtained from fatty fish and fortified milk.
- Science plays a crucial role in formulating multivitamin products that cater to the health-and-wellness needs of picky eaters. These multivitamins are carefully crafted using real food sources, like nuts, beans, veggies, fruits, and Ayurvedic herbs, ensuring a balanced intake of essential vitamins without unhealthy additives.
