Core Supplements for Kids: Which do they need?
Even when you feed your family the healthiest diet, children often don’t get enough of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients their growing bodies need. Fortunately there are safe core supplements for kids you may consider adding to your child’s nutrition routine.
Kids need fresh, real foods – especially vegetables and fruits. They also need to drink plenty of clean water and spend time outside. Time in nature is great for a child’s physical health – moving their body, breathing fresh air, and getting natural Vitamin D. It’s also a huge boost to their mental health.
But because it can be hard to get your child (especially a picky eater) to eat enough vegetables, and because our soils no longer contain as many beneficial minerals, it’s likely that they need extra support for their developing body, brain, and immune system.
Research shows that many kids don’t get the recommended intakes of minerals including iron, zinc, and magnesium. (source) Other studies show a low intake of vitamins A, C, and E among children, while adolescents are often found to lack the mineral magnesium. (source)
Proper nutrition can help prevent and protect against chronic diseases. It can affect their bodies both long term and short term. And a child lacking nutrients and minerals is at a higher risk of catching colds and viruses.
HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD GET PROPER NUTRITION
“As a pediatrician, I’ve yet to come across a child who eats a perfectly balanced diet every single day,” explains Dr. Alina Olteneau. “With school, activities, and our overall culture of busy, it’s not always easy for parents to prepare a nutritious meal every night.”
Dr. Olteneau advises families to get the most nutrition possible with these tips.
Eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruits each day
Aim for a variety of brightly colored vegetables at every meal. Snack on veggies and fruits once or twice a day. Let kids help to “buy a rainbow” at the farmer’s market or grocery.
Red – beets, tomatoes, and apples
Orange – squash and apricots
Yellow – pineapple and corn
Green – broccoli, green beans, cucumbers, and kiwi
Blue & purple – blueberries, plums, and eggplant
Load up on healthy fats
Choose healthy fats like sockeye salmon, nuts, avocados, and olive oil. Growing bodies and brains need healthy fats every day. A handful of walnuts and brazil nuts makes a nutritious after school snack.
Balance the carbs
Balance protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal. Add eggs or toast with nut butter for breakfast, don’t just have a muffin.
Try fermented foods
Yogurt without dyes and a lot of sugar is great. But you can encourage your child to try other fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, buttermilk, and kombucha. Even a tablespoon of fermented veggies can work wonders for food allergies and gut health at any age.
CORE SUPPLEMENTS FOR KIDS
The reality is that parents (and pediatricians) know that all of these steps can be tough to implement on a daily basis. Some days kids just aren’t going to get all the nutrition they need.
So, to maximize health and vitality, you may want to consider adding these core supplements to your child’s routine.
Multi Vitamin & Mineral Supplement
ChildLife Essentials Multi Vitamin & Mineral supplement is an excellent way to give your child the vitamins and nutrients they could be missing. Specifically it helps provide the building blocks for growth and development, immune support, and proper brain function.
You can find it in liquid form or Multi Vitamin SoftMelts which are naturally sweetened (without the sugar found in many gummy supplements).
Liquid Vitamin C
Vitamin C has been thoroughly researched and shown to help support the immune system through daily use.
Liquid Vitamin C for kids helps reduce the impact of environmental substances. Children today are being exposed to more toxins than any previous generation. To defend against these pollutants, your child’s body utilizes and requires extra antioxidants.
Pure DHA
60% of the brain grows from, develops from, and is comprised of fats and oils. Of these, 50% is DHA, an essential fatty acid. DHA is abundant in the nervous system. It also helps brain cells deliver information smoothly so it helps support focus, learning, memory, and mood.
ChildLife Essentials Pure DHA is derived from Cod Liver Oil, again from the highest quality oil which is purified and tested to ensure it is free of any detectable amounts of mercury, lead, dioxins, or PCBs. You can also find Omega-3 DHA + Choline SoftMelt Gummies, which are super convenient for on the go.
Vitamin D3
Millions of kids lack the proper Vitamin D levels they need, most likely due to our modern lifestyle, more time spent indoors, and sometimes overuse of sunscreen.
A supplement like ChildLife Essentials Vitamin D3 drops helps maintain: bone health, heart health, overall immune support, and respiratory health.
You can feel confident giving your child supplements from ChildLife Essentials. Their products are certified non-GMO, allergy-free, and gluten-free, and they contain no artificial colors, flavors, fillers, or sweeteners. They also taste great. We know… we’ve tried most of them!
High quality supplements can give you peace of mind when it comes to core supplements for kids. And just like when we as adults start to eat better, once the body gets used to how well it functions with proper nutrients, it begins to crave more of the good stuff.