Making sure your kids get the right amount of vitamins is important to their health. Vitamins and minerals are essential to boosting their immunity, promoting healthy growth, improving their mood and supporting brain development.

Let’s look at 8 essential vitamins your kids need, the benefits they provide, and where to find them.

Calcium

Calcium is essential for building strong bones, as well as helping muscles to contract and blood to clot. Since our bodies do not naturally produce calcium, your kids are only getting it through the food they eat. Most people think of dairy as a good source of calcium, but it can also be found in nuts, fish and leafy greens. 

Iron

Iron is another important mineral, but for different reasons. Iron helps our muscles store oxygen and our bodies carry oxygen to our lungs. Iron deficiency, or anemia, can happen if your children aren’t getting enough iron. However, too much iron can be detrimental too. Seafood and lean meat are great sources of iron, as well as nuts, beans and vegetables.

Magnesium

Magnesium may not be as well known as calcium and iron, but it’s equally as essential. Magnesium helps with healthy muscle and nerve function, plus blood pressure regulation and immune system support. Nuts, seeds, dark green vegetables, whole grains and legumes are great to feed your kids for magnesium.

Potassium

Potassium is a unique mineral because it is also an electrolyte. It helps in all kinds of ways in the body, including blood pressure, digestion, nerve health, water balance, heart rhythm and more. Like calcium, your body does not produce potassium. So you need to make sure your children are getting enough fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is most widely known for promoting good vision, but it also helps with healthy growth, reproduction and immunity. The good news is, most foods contain Vitamin A. So as long as your kids are getting a balanced diet of meat, vegetables, dairy and fruits, they’ll be getting some good Vitamin A.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is found in many different fruits and vegetables, most notably citrus fruits. Vitamin C provides a big boost of antioxidants, which are good for the immune system. It may also help prevent heart disease and eye disease. 

Vitamin D

Our bodies produce Vitamin D when exposed to the sun, which is one of the many reasons that time outside is important for your children. But as the weather gets colder and the day shorter, they may need to supplement their Vitamin D with foods like fatty fish, egg yolks, cheese and mushrooms. Vitamin D is essential for regulating insulin levels, supporting lung and heart health, and promoting brain and nervous system health.

B Vitamins

There are eight B Vitamins that are important to your kids’ health. Altogether they impact energy levels and brain function. They also help to prevent infections and promote good digestion, hormone production, muscle tone and many other health benefits. B Vitamins can be found in most foods, so again, a balanced diet should be sufficient for getting enough B Vitamins in your children.

Supplements

If you have a picky eater at home that makes a balanced diet difficult, or if you just want to make sure your kids are achieving the best health possible, we carry several natural, sugar-free vitamin supplements that are kid-friendly and taste great. Check out our Vitamin Boost Bundle for the full package!