What Are the Best Multivitamins for Kids?
As your child grows and develops their nutrition is of the utmost importance. They need proper vitamins and minerals to grow and function. Yet, many children continue to lack necessary and essential vitamins and minerals in their diet. This is why we are going to talk about multivitamins for kids.
Perhaps you have a picky eater or certain foods are unavailable. Whatever the case may be, you might begin to wonder if multivitamins are suitable for your children. In this article, we look into what multivitamins for kids are, why they are important, and how they can contribute to your child’s good health.
The Best Multivitamins for Your Kids
If your doctor has recommended multivitamins for your children, consider the following brands. Please note that none of these recommendations should override the advice from your doctor. If your doctor has recommended a certain brand, you should follow their instructions as they know you and your children the best.
1. SmartyPants Kids Complete Daily Gummy Vitamins
This multivitamin gummy contains omega-3s, vitamin A, and vitamin B12. Vitamin A is important for proper eye development and vision. It also plays a significant role in the immune response. Vitamin B12 is invaluable for proper nerve and blood cell development. The SmartyPants gummies are suitable for children ages 3 and up. It’s further recommended not to consume more than four of the gummies per day.
2. Li’l Critters Gummy Vites
This one is loaded up with a wide-variety of vitamins, including vitamin A, B12, B6, C, D, and E. Vitamin C is important for your body to fight off infections, the maintenance of gums, blood vessels, and bones, and for wound healing. Vitamin D is necessary for strong bones. Meanwhile, vitamin E acts to protect your body’s tissues from damage, as well as contributes to the health of red blood cells. These gummies come in many flavors. They are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and contain no artificial flavors.
3. Yummi Bears Gummies
This organic multivitamin gummy has 16 nutrients and is free of anything that would aggravate a peanut, fish, eggs, dairy, or wheat allergy. If you are on the hunt for the cleanest multivitamin for kids, this is likely it.
4. Flintstones Active Kid Gummies
These multivitamins contain Vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, folate, zinc, and calcium. Thus, this gummy contributes to good immune function, bone development, eyesight, and much more! It’s also a fairly popular choice since the Flintstones are recognizable characters. These guys are further free from artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, and aspartame. Usually, one gummy per day is recommended. It should also be taken with food to guarantee the highest absorbency.
What Are Multivitamins for Kids?
Multivitamins for kids frequently come as an appetizing gummy or other forms. They are a dietary supplement containing vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. They are particularly useful when you have a child who refuses to eat certain foods, when a deficiency is present, or when another illness has occurred.
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The Importance of Multivitamins
Quite commonly, families who stick to plant-based diets will have their kids take multivitamins to ensure they are getting all the proper nutrients their little bodies need. In fact, children who eat only plant-based diets are often deficient in calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B12. This can lead to development and growth problems, such as brittle bones and more.
A multivitamin may further be useful for children who have digestive conditions, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. It may also be important to include if your child has had cancer or another serious disease that may lead to malnutrition or any allergies preventing them from consuming certain foods.
The Pros and Cons of Multivitamins for Kids
While multivitamins come with obvious advantages, there are disadvantages involved as well. Yes, multivitamins are useful in particular situations, such as picky eaters, those in ill health, or those with food allergies. But they do come with some risks.
Some multivitamins in high dosages may prove to be toxic, particularly with vitamin A, K, D, and E. Further, some of these vitamins and minerals may interact with certain medications. This is why it is crucial to discuss your options with your doctor before giving your child any multivitamins or supplements. Your doctor can further recommend safe dosages and frequency of use.
You should also consider keeping these vitamins far out of children’s’ reach. The gummy versions may seem appetizing. Yet, in the hands of your kids, they can quickly overeat these types of multivitamins which may lead to some issues as described above.
Ensure Your Child is Getting Enough of the Right Nutrients, Vitamins, and Minerals!
Multivitamins are not always a must. If you ensure your child is eating a well-rounded, healthy, and balanced diet, you might not have anything to worry about. Include veggies, fruits, lean proteins, grains, and dairy into your child’s meals and snacks. To pique their interest, include these varieties in different meals and snacks.
For instance, there are a ton of sneaky ways to add veggies or fruit into snacks and meals without your children even realizing it. A good example of this is chocolate zucchini muffins or pureed veggies into soup. Find what works for you and your family, whether that includes multivitamins or not.
