What are the Best Supplements for Growing Children?
By: Micheal MoreTotal Views: 376, Word Count: 625,
As a Child Growth Expert, I am frequently confronted by the question what are the best supplements for growing child? Each and every parent wants to provide best nutrition to their children during growing years so that they stay healthy all their lives.
It is rather difficult to answer the question or rather reach at the conclusion as to what supplements are best for a growing child because in reality a good balance of all the nutrition is what we aim at. Vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, starch, all of these are equally important to nurture a child in a balanced manner.
Let us see have a look at the various supplements and their role in a child’s growth:
Vitamins
Vitamins are a broad category that comprise of Vitamin A, B, C, D and E. All the vitamins are required for the healthy development of the child. Vitamin D supplements boost strong bones; Vitamin A is good for eyesight. However, the most crucial in this category is Vitamin B 12 that largely impacts the physical and mental growth of children. Vitamin B 9 that has folic acid is also quite important for normal development of children and thus is recommended to be taken by women since the time they start planning for child.
If the child is given a balanced diet then most of the vitamin requirements are fulfilled. However, if you feel that your child shows signs of any Vitamin deficiency then immediately check with your physician regarding giving Vitamin supplements in the form of medicines.
Calcium
It’s a common knowledge that not only kids but people of all age group require calcium for healthy development of bones. Calcium also helps in strengthening the teeth and increases their longevity. According to Medical Fraternity children between the age group of 1-10 requires 1,200 mg of calcium per day. The natural source of calcium is milk and other dairy products like yoghurt, cheese, and so on. Apart from dairy products calcium can also be obtained by eating fish like sardines and salmon and spinach for vegetarians. Because children are fussy eaters it is very crucial to give calcium supplements to growing children.
Protein
The role of protein is to repair body tissues. Protein plays an important role in growing children by providing a strong body structure to the child. So every child must have the required amount of protein in order to have robust muscles, bones, and other body organs. The most common sources of protein are meat, poultry, pulses, eggs, beans, dairy products and so on. Protein supplements come in the form of whey protein or soy protein that can be added to children’s food. They do not have a distinct taste and thus a good way to add protein supplement to children.
Carbohydrates and Starch
Carbs and starch are quite crucial especially for a child’s growth as they are good sources of energy and vitality. The level of physical work is higher in children as compared to adults. Thus they need a lot of Carbohydrates and starch. Mostly the requirement of these is fulfilled by day-to-day meal that we provide to children. However, parents should try and see that children eat lots of cereals and products with sugar so that the requirement of carb and sugar is met.
Apart from the above mentioned nutritional supplements the child also needs Zinc and Fluoride. Fluoride is important for strong teeth and Zinc for proper development of Pubic system.
So it’s not worth asking as to what are the best supplements for growing children as they need a certain amount of all the nutrition. Parents can ensure this by providing healthy and calculated diet to the child and also by giving good health drinks to their children.
About the Author
Micheal More is a Nutritionist who specializes in growth of children. He has been in this field for almost 12 years and runs his own clinic in Maryland, Virginia.
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