Growing children need the right mix of vitamins and minerals in order to thrive. While many nutrients are found in abundance when your child has a proper diet, it is always important to make sure that the body is being nourished with the correct number of crucial vitamins. Here are three vitamins that you should be adding to your child’s diet to ensure optimal health:
Vitamin B
Vitamin B assists the body in producing red blood cells while also helping in a variety of metabolic activities. By helping the body to make energy from food, the vitamin plays a crucial role in the function of a child’s body. This vitamin is found naturally in poultry, fish, meat, milk, eggs, whole grains, and in a myriad of enriched cereals and bread. Because B vitamins are water-soluble, the body does not hold on to the vitamin for an extended period of time.
Vitamin D
Did you know about 42 percent of Americans are vitamin D-deficient? Growing children need this crucial vitamin to build strong bones. There are not many foods that are naturally high in vitamin D. Instead, the body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun. However, because you want to reduce the risk of skin cancer, you do not want your child out in the sun for an extended period of time without proper protection. A vitamin D supplement can ensure that your child is getting the recommended amount of this nutrient without putting them at risk of melanoma and skin damage.
Vitamin C
While it may sound cliché, taking your vitamin C truly does help fight off infection and disease. This powerhouse vitamin also strengthens tissue, muscles, and skin. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes, and more. While it is generally easy to meet the recommended levels of vitamin C through diet alone, supplements of the nutrient can be exceptionally helpful when aiming to protect the body from illness. A vitamin C supplement is a good idea during cold and flu season or if you feel that your child’s immune system is not functioning at top levels.
Providing your child with the right vitamins will ensure that their body has what it needs to stay on the right nutritional track. Making the effort to give your child these three crucial vitamins will deliver the insurance that you need to know that your child is growing and thriving.
