healingways
KIDS’ VITAMIN GUIDE M
by Carlotta Mast
ost kids are more likely to grab a French fry than a broccoli floret. Fortunately, a children’s-specific, high-quality multivi- tamin can help provide crucial, miss- ing nutrients, as well as build an early shield against diabetes, heart disease and childhood cancers, according to the writings of Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., a clinical nutritionist often cited for her bestselling The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book. But do children need additional supplements, and how do parents know which ones to choose? The natural health experts we tapped pinpoint the nutrients kids need and what to look for on a label.
CALCIUM
With just 20-100 milligrams (mg) of calcium, most children’s multis don’t come close to packing in the required amount they need daily (800 mg for ages 4 to 8; 1,300 mg for kids over 9). If children don’t drink organic dairy or enriched soy milk, which contain 300 mg per cup, consider supplementing with two daily doses.
IRON Many multis don’t contain iron be- cause it can be harmful if taken in high doses, but youngsters still need it.
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Fish oil is not a food that tykes typi- cally go for, but buy a fruit-flavored product and your little one will gulp it down. Packed with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Lieberman notes that the omega- 3s in fish oil help boost brain and eye development and decrease the risk of aggression, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Read labels to ensure that the fish oil has been tested for mercury and poly- chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
A child can get the recommended 10 mg by eating meat, spinach or fortified cereals, advises Marilyn Tanner, a registered and pediatric dietitian at St. Louis Children’s Hospi- tal. She notes that menstruating girls, who need 15 mg daily, are a possible exception.
FOLIC ACID
Essential for growth and the production of red blood cells (as well as healthy gums, skin and hair), folic acid supports nervous system function and repairs DNA damaged by toxins. It also may help protect against leukemia and other types of cancer. A typical kids’ dose is 75-150 micrograms (mcg) daily.
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