Vitamins For Kids - Do They Need These?

Here are some details about the vitamins for kids and which ones they need most.

VITAMINS FOR KIDS – The different kinds of vitamins address certain body functions but do kids need vitamins? Here’s the answer to this.

For the body to grow and work properly, we need vitamins and there are 13 existing essential vitamins. These 13 vitamins are A, C, D, E, K, and B vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B₆, B₁₂, and folate.

Minerals, on the other hand, are elements needed by the body to function. They can be found on the earth and in foods. Calcium, magnesium, and potassium are needed in larger amounts while others like iodine and fluoride are needed in smaller amounts.

Do babies and children need these?

Vitamins For Kids — **Photo lifted from Healthline**

The answer is yes. They are needed for their growth, development, and good health. And these can be picked up by consuming foods from the five food groups.

A lack of vitamins and minerals may lead to some problems in their growth and development.

The five food groups are:

vegetable
fruit
grain food – bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, rice, corn, and so on
reduced-fat dairy food – milk, yogurt. and cheese
lean meat and fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, legumes (peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and so on), and nuts.

Meanwhile, here’s a list of vitamins and their food sources:

Fat-soluble:
- VITAMIN A
  - dairy products, liver, fish, and fortified cereals; the top sources of provitamin A include carrots, broccoli, cantaloupe, squash
- VITAMIN D
  - from sunlight, oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel, red meat, liver, and egg yolks, fortified foods such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals
- VITAMIN E
  - wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnut oil, peanut, avocado, raw red sweet pepper, mango, kiwi fruit, lobster, pistachio, blackberries, olives,
- VITAMIN K
  - vegetables like spinach, asparagus, and broccoli, legumes like soybeans, eggs, and strawberries, meat like liver
Water soluble
- VITAMIN B-1 (thiamine)
  - just in moderate amounts, you can find it in pork, whole grain foods or enriched bread and cereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds
- VITAMIN B-12 (cyanocobalamin)
  - clams, liver, trout, salmon, canned tuna, beef, low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, ham, eggs, chicken breast
- VITAMIN B-6
  - from pork, poultry, such as chicken or turkey, some fish, peanuts, soya beans, wheatgerm, oats, bananas, milk, some fortified breakfast cereals
- VITAMIN B-2 (riboflavin)
  - from milk and milk products, leafy green vegetables, whole grain foods, enriched bread, and cereals
- VITAMIN B-5 (pantothenic acid)
  - from mushrooms, nuts, beans, peas, lentils, meats, poultry, dairy products, broccoli, members of the cabbage family, white and sweet potatoes, whole-grain cereals, eggs
- VITAMIN B-3 (niacin)
  - from meat, poultry, fish, whole grain foods, enriched bread and cereals, vegetables (especially mushrooms, asparagus, and leafy green vegetables), peanut butter
- VITAMIN B-9 (folate, folic acid)
  - from dark green leafy vegetables (like turnip greens, spinach, romaine lettuce, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli), beans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, fresh fruits, fresh juices, whole grains, liver, seafood, eggs, fortified foods, and supplements
- VITAMIN B-7 (biotin)
  - from walnuts, peanuts, cereals, milk, egg yolks, whole meal bread, salmon, pork, sardines, mushroom, cauliflower, avocados, bananas, raspberries
- VITAMIN C
  - citrus fruit, such as oranges and orange juice, peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussels sprouts, potatoes

While babies and children get their vitamins and mineral from food, an added peace of mind for parents is making them take multivitamins. Do they need these?

In a post from Mayo Clinic, “most healthy children don’t need multivitamins if they are growing at the typical rate and eating a variety of foods”.

Still, the best way for them to get enough fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals is through food. Parents just have to be mindful and careful about their food choices.

Your nutrition specialist may suggest multivitamins appropriate for your child. Make sure to heed the suggested dosage.