Baby foods high in vitamin c
Vitamin C for Babies: Safety, Efficacy, and Dosage
Becoming a parent can be one of the most joyous and challenging experiences of your life.
One of the first lessons every new parent learns is how to make sure your baby is well fed and adequately nourished throughout each stage of their life.
Vitamin C is an important nutrient that’s essential for optimal health across the life cycle.
Many new parents wonder if their infants are getting enough vitamin C and whether a supplement is ever necessary.
This article reviews everything you need to know about vitamin C for babies, including what it is, how much is needed, and how to make sure your baby is getting enough every day.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient that plays a critical role in a variety of your baby’s most vital physical functions.
It’s essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, enhancing iron absorption, and producing collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body (1).
Vitamin C is unique to many other nutrients because it also functions as an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect cells from free radical damage (2).
Free radicals are highly volatile, cell-damaging chemicals that are a byproduct of normal human metabolism. Antioxidants like vitamin C can bind to free radicals, making them unable to harm surrounding tissues (2).
Vitamin C is considered an essential nutrient, which means your baby’s body can’t produce it by itself. Therefore, it must be obtained from the foods they consume each day.
This nutrient can be found in breastmilk, infant formula, and many types of fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin C requirements for infants
Though essential throughout every stage of life, infants need less vitamin C than adults.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that babies receive the following amount of vitamin C each day (3):
- 0–6 months of age: 40 milligrams (mg)
- 6–12 months: 50 mg
Women who are breastfeeding have increased vitamin C requirements because they’re supplying the baby with vitamin C through their breastmilk.
If you’re breastfeeding, aim to consume 120 mg of vitamin C per day. This is about 60% more than the amount required for women who aren’t breastfeeding (3).
Infant formulas also contain vitamin C. Thus, if your baby is formula fed, they’ll be able to meet their vitamin C needs.
summaryVitamin C is an essential nutrient that supports immunity and collagen production. It also functions as an antioxidant. Babies require 40–50 mg of vitamin C per day, depending on their age.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), infant formula, breastmilk, and food should be the only sources of vitamin C your baby consumes (3).
Supplementing with vitamin C is unnecessary for most healthy babies and could increase their risk of developing symptoms associated with vitamin C toxicity.
Possible side effects associated with overconsumption of vitamin C include kidney stones, nausea, and diarrhea (3).
The U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) only advises that vitamins and mineral supplements be given to infants 6 months of age or older (4).
Supplementing at 6 months is recommended for infants who aren’t breastfeeding and consume less than 16 ounces (500 mL) of formula per day (4).
If taking a supplement is deemed necessary, the dosage should be determined by your baby’s healthcare provider (4).
When supplementing may be appropriate
If you suspect that your baby isn’t getting enough vitamin C, taking a supplement may be necessary.
Vitamin C deficiencies are rare in developed countries, but babies with neurodevelopmental disorders, digestive dysfunction, or cancer may be at an increased risk of developing them (5).
Severe vitamin C deficiency is the root cause of a serious medical condition known as scurvy.
Symptoms include bleeding gums, bruising, fatigue, loss of appetite, and irritability. If scurvy is left untreated, it can be fatal (1, 5).
You should never attempt to diagnose your baby with a vitamin deficiency on your own.
Be sure to consult with a qualified healthcare provider before adding any supplements to your baby’s diet.
They can determine the safest, most appropriate dosage.
summaryVitamin C supplements are generally not recommended for babies. In rare instances, supplements may be required, but dosage should be determined by a qualified healthcare provider.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends beginning to introduce solid foods when your baby is about 6 months old (6).
This is the perfect time to start offering foods that are rich in vitamin C to help your baby continue meeting their nutrient needs as they grow.
At 6 months of age, most babies can meet their daily vitamin C requirements from a combination of food and formula or breastmilk (3).
Here are some examples of baby-friendly foods that are high in vitamin C (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12):
- Red bell pepper, 1/4 cup (23 grams): 58% of the daily vitamin C recommendation for babies
- Strawberries, 1/4 cup (41 grams): 48% of the daily vitamin C recommendation for babies
- Kiwi, 1/4 cup (44 grams): 82% of the daily vitamin C recommendation for babies
- Tangerines, 1/4 cup (49 grams): 26% of the daily vitamin C recommendation for babies
- Cooked broccoli, 1/4 cup (24 grams): 31% of the daily vitamin C recommendation for babies
- Papaya, 1/4 cup (57 grams): 70% of the daily vitamin C recommendation for babies
Remember that every baby is different and not all of them will be particularly open to trying new foods right away.
Be patient with them as they explore all the new flavors and textures that solid foods provide.
In the meantime, you can rest assured that your baby will get plenty of vitamin C from their formula or breastmilk.
summaryAt 6 months, you can begin introducing foods rich in vitamin C to your baby’s diet. Strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and tangerines are all excellent baby-friendly options.
One of the most important parts of caring for a new baby is ensuring they’re provided with adequate nutrition.
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in immunity, collagen production, and protection from free radical damage.
Breastmilk, infant formula, and whole foods, such as bell pepper, strawberries, and papaya, are the best sources of vitamin C for your baby.
Vitamin C supplements aren’t appropriate for infants unless recommended by a healthcare provider.
If you’re concerned that your baby isn’t getting enough vitamin C, talk to your medical provider before adding any supplements to their routine.
Top 10 Vitamin C Foods for Babies and Kids
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that’s crucial for immunity. Make sure your child gets enough of this nutrient with these Vitamin C Foods for Babies and Kids.
Health Benefits of Vitamin C for Babies and Kids
Top 10 Vitamin C Foods for Babies and Kids
1. Citrus Fruits
2. Bell Peppers
3. Papaya
4. Kiwi Fruit
5. Broccoli
6. Cantaloupe
7. Guava
8. Tomatoes
9. Strawberries
10. Indian Gooseberry
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Ever since COVID-19 began, people have become increasingly concerned about boosting immunity to fend off all kinds of infections.
Even if an improved immunity doesn’t actually stop the coronavirus, it can prevent many other common illnesses so that we can avoid hospital crowds during this time. As a way to boost immunity, everyone was researching about one essential nutrient – Vitamin C.
So what is Vitamin C and why is it so important? Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid, and it is a water soluble nutrient that is essential for some crucial body functions. While all nutrients are important for kids, Vitamin C has some specific health benefits for children.
Health Benefits of Vitamin C for Babies and Kids
- Vitamin C helps maintain a healthy immune system which can fight off minor infections like the common cold
- Even if we do catch an illness, Vitamin C ensures that it is not severe, by lessening the symptoms and duration
- Vitamin C promotes faster healing and minimizes damage from injuries
- This nutrient is crucial to produce collagen, required for skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and bones
- Vitamin C is essential to form blood cells, blood vessels and tissues as well as neurotransmitters
- Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron and calcium from food
- Unlike other Vitamins, Vitamin C is an antioxidant which helps protect against free radical damage
A deficiency of Vitamin C can cause scurvy, an illness that has symptoms like joint pain, bleeding gums and fatigue.
In babies and children, Vitamin C deficiency can cause more severe effects like affecting growth and reducing immunity. We all need a certain amount of Vitamin C on a daily basis for optimum health, and these are the recommended amounts:
- 0-6 Months – 40 mg
- 6-12 Months – 50 mg
- 1-3 Years – 15 mg
- 4-8 Years – 25 mg
- 9-13 Years – 45 mg
- 14-18 Years (boys) – 75 mg
- 14-18 Years (girls) – 65 mg
During the first six months of life, infants get all their Vitamin C needs through breast milk, which is why the requirement of this Vitamin for pregnant and breastfeeding women is higher. Once the baby starts solids, however, he’ll need to get Vitamin C through food. This is because Vitamin C is an essential nutrient; we cannot make it on our own and need to get it from food.
What’s more, humans cannot store large amounts of Vitamin C in our body, which means we have to constantly include it ion our diet. While Vitamin C is available as a standalone supplement, it is far better to get it from food sources as it is more bio available, i.
e. it is more easily absorbed. Here is a list of the top 10 Vitamin C foods for babies and kids to ensure they never run short of this important nutrient.
1. Citrus Fruits
The most obvious choice for Vitamin C foods is citrus fruits, and rightly so! Citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits, all of which are rich in Vitamin C. A medium orange provides 70 mg of Vitamin C, while one lemon provides 83 mg an a grapefruit contains 88 mg. In fact, in the 1700s, when British sailors started getting scurvy, they were given lemons as treatment and prevention.
2. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are a popular ingredient in many cuisines, and we now have a variety of colors available. The sweeter bell peppers are considered to be higher in Vitamin C, like the yellow and red ones. Half a cup of yellow capsicums gives a huge 137 mg of Vitamin C, while green capsicums provide half of it. Besides these, bell peppers are also rich in Vitamins A, B, E and K as well as magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium and folate.
3. Papaya
Papaya is a fruit many of us have growing in our backyards, but little do we realize how nutritionally superior it is! Just one cup of papaya provides 8 mg of Vitamin C, making it an easy way to include this nutrient in our diet. Papaya is also great for digestion and is rich in fiber, magnesium, potassium, carotene, flavonoids and B vitamins. With these, papaya is great to protect against serious illnesses like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
4. Kiwi Fruit
Kiwi fruits are little powerhouses of nutrients, particularly of Vitamin C. One medium sized kiwi contains 71 mg of Vitamin C, along with other nutrients like fiber and antioxidants like flavonoids. Kiwi fruit is generally loved by kids, thanks to its fuzzy exterior and bright insides. Kiwi fruits help reducing blood lots, strokes, cholesterol and also fights against free radical damage.
5. Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable that is a constant point of contention between kids and parents.
However, parents have a good reason for trying to get kids to eat the tree-like vegetable; just half a cup of broccoli has 51 mg of Vitamin C. This is not all, broccoli is packed with powerful enzymes that have antioxidant function. Broccoli is also rich in fiber that improves digestion and reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease.
6. Cantaloupe
Most of us associate muskmelons or cantaloupes with milkshakes – they are a popular summer fruit! Just half a cup of cantaloupes gives 30 mg of Vitamin C, and this fruit is very low in calories as well. It is great for rehydration during summer since it is made up of a good amount of water.
7. Guava
Guavas take us back to our childhood, as we remember plucking guavas and having them with salt and chilli powder. But guavas aren’t just great for a trip down memory lane; just one guava has a whopping 126 mg of Vitamin C, which is 40% more than your daily quota! Eating guava regularly has also shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.
8. Tomatoes
Whether you consider a tomato or a fruit, the fact is that it is an excellent source of Vitamin C. A medium tomato provides 20 mg of Vitamin C, along with other nutrients like folate, potassium, Vitamin K and the important lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that lowers blood cholesterol and improves heart health.
9. Strawberries
We know that berries in general are great for health, but strawberries score extra marks for being rich in Vitamin C. One cup of strawberries contains 89 mg of Vitamin C – nearly an entire day’s worth! That’s not all, strawberries have all the good things we hear about in berries – folate, flavonoids and a load of antioxidants that prevent cancer, dementia and heart disease.
10. Indian Gooseberry
Amla, or the Indian gooseberry is the biggest superstar when it comes to Vitamin C – 100 grams of amla has as much Vitamin C as 20 oranges! Indian gooseberries are great in preventing lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cardiac issues and hypertension.
They are also great for improving skin and hair health, vision and for boosting immunity.
Most of these foods are best eaten raw, since that is when their Vitamin C stores are at the highest. However, this may not be possible for babies and young kids so it’s okay to cook them lightly. Here are some more tips on feeding your child Vitamin C foods:
- Get fresh produce from a local market. Older fruits and vegetables will have lost some of its Vitamin C.
- Make sure the fruit or vegetable is completely ripe before feeding your baby to get the maximum amount of Vitamin C
- Store the produce in the fridge or in a cold, dark place to ensure the Vitamin C isn’t lost
- Opt for serving the whole fruit or vegetable rather than the juice to get the fiber as well
- When cooking Vitamin C foods, cook them for as short a time as possible, to retain all the nutrients
- Steaming keeps the nutrients intact when compared to boiling
- Serve cooked food as soon as its made to prevent any loss of nutrients
- Avoid using copper pots or adding baking soda while cooking – these can kill the Vitamin C
In some cases, like premature births or severe malnutrition, doctors may prescribe a Vitamin C supplement, but generally speaking we can get all the Vitamin C we require through food.
Over consumption of Vitamin C is usually not a problem since it is a water soluble vitamin and is flushed out in urine. However, severe overdoses can cause nausea, diarrhea, gastritis and even kidney stones.
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Shop now!The best powdered milk formulas | Rating of Roskachestvo
About products
As part of a rolling study, dry adapted initial milk formulas (as close as possible in chemical composition to breast milk) produced on the basis of cow's and goat's milk, intended for healthy children from 0 to 6 months (18 products) and from 0 to 12 months ( 3 products).
The choice of brands was determined by mothers - the most active audience of the Roskachestvo portal. For a whole year, they sent the names of the brands they were interested in. As a result, experts tested the products of 21 brands in 82 quality and safety indicators. At the same time, the geography of the production of dry milk mixtures turned out to be quite extensive.
We tested milk powders from Belarus (1), Germany (2), Denmark (3), Ireland (1), Spain (2), the Netherlands (4), New Zealand (1), Russia (4), Finland (1 ), Switzerland (1) and Estonia (1). The cost at the time of purchase ranged from 53.43 to 288.25 rubles per 100 grams of the product.
According to the results of the study, the powdered milk formula "Bellakt Optimum 1" (Republic of Belarus) met not only the requirements of current standards for quality and safety, but also the advanced requirements of the Roskachestvo standard. However, this product cannot qualify for the Russian Quality Mark, as it was produced abroad.
RUSSIAN QUALITY SYSTEM STANDARD
The standard of the Russian quality system for dry adapted milk formulas for children from 0 to 6 months has tightened the requirements for the content of some components:
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the mixture does not contain starch;
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the mass fraction of moisture in a dry product should not exceed 3.
5%; -
the index of the solubility index of the raw sediment (for dry mixtures) should be no more than 0.2 cm³;
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the level of active acidity is 6.6–7.4 pH.
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the required level of product localization for awarding the Russian Quality Mark is at least 25%.
Safety first
According to Rosstat, today about 40% of children in the country are bottle-fed. The parents of these babies can easily purchase milk formulas, since there is no shortage of them on the shelves of Russian stores. The choice of the consumer is offered both imported and domestic products.
However, consumers have concerns about this product. For example, it is believed that milk mixtures may contain antibiotics (from raw materials), E.
coli, heavy metals, preservatives and impurities that can harm the health of the child.
The experts checked the adapted dry milk formulas (breast milk substitutes) for microbiological safety, for the presence of preservatives and antibiotics.
The mixtures were also checked for the presence of melamine in them. After more than 6,000 babies were poisoned with infant formula in China in 2008 (in those mixtures, the melamine content was 500 times higher than the permissible norm), the very word “melamine” terrifies consumers.
The results of our study allow us to state that there is no melamine in the mixtures.
FOR REFERENCE
How did the chemical get into baby food in 2008?
“According to the most common version, the reason for the Chinese melamine crisis was the deliberate addition of melamine to baby food and dairy products,” explains Dmitry Makarov, senior researcher at VGNKI, Rosselkhoznadzor. - This was done in order to increase the protein value of products.
The fact is that the generally accepted method for determining protein does not distinguish between protein and melamine. Apparently, therefore, the manufacturers hoped that their scam would go unnoticed. However, they did not take into account the fact that in high concentrations, melamine causes the formation of crystals in the urinary tract, which leads to disruption of the kidneys.
Based on the results of testing mixtures for safety, it can be concluded that all products are safe. It does not contain antibiotics, heavy metals and toxic elements. Microbiological indicators meet the established requirements. There are no preservatives (including sorbic, propionic and benzoic acids) in the composition.
Special production
Many people think that powdered milk mixtures are made from ordinary milk powder, to which various vitamins, micro- and macroelements are added. This, of course, is not true.
First of all, it must be said that all mixtures are divided into adapted - as close as possible to women's milk, partially adapted and the so-called subsequent formulas - mixtures for feeding children over a year old.
Also on the market is a category of adapted milk formulas with average indicators for feeding children from birth to 12 months.
Age distinctions of mixtures are as follows:
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The prefix "pre" in the title refers to mixtures for premature or low birth weight babies.
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"1" - for children from birth to 6 months.
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"2" - for babies from 6 months to 1 year.
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"3" - for children older than a year.
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"4" - as a rule, starting from 18 months.
“The choice of optimal nutrition for children in the first months of life seems especially difficult, because the stomach of babies does not yet have the enzymes necessary for digesting food,” says Tatiana Butskaya -pediatrician. - These children often have functional digestive disorders, and they are at high risk of developing various forms of food intolerance.
That is why pediatricians insist on a mandatory consultation with a doctor before transferring a child of the first year of life to full or partial artificial nutrition.
The main principle that must be observed when creating adapted mixtures for children of the first year of life is their maximum approximation (adaptation) to the composition and properties of human milk and compliance with the characteristics of the child's digestion and metabolism. To achieve this, manufacturers are constantly improving blends.
Read HERE about the benefits of breastfeeding and how it affects your baby's health.
What makes formula closer to breast milk?
For the health of the baby, it is important that the mixture is balanced in terms of the content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, which must be present in the composition of the mixture.
Proteins, fats, carbohydrates
In the course of the study, the experts found that in mixtures of all brands, the content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates complies with the requirements of the law.
Vegetable fats and polyunsaturated fatty acids
– To improve lipid metabolism, milk fat is partially or completely replaced with vegetable oils (corn, rapeseed, soybean, coconut, sunflower, etc.)0003 Head of the Department of the Research Institute of Baby Nutrition of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology" Elena Simonenko.
In this regard, two more consumer fears are worth mentioning:
In our study, soy with GMOs was not found in mixtures.
In addition, experts have dispelled consumer fears about the inappropriateness of vegetable fats in baby food.
– The main essential fatty acid in human breast milk is palmitic. It is found in the fruits of the oil palm. Palm oil is about half made up of palmitic acid. Infant formulas are made as close as possible in composition to breast milk, and palm oil is an important ingredient.
The requirements for the indicators of raw materials used in the production of infant formula are established in the technical regulation of the Customs Union "On food safety" (TR CU 021/2011), says Executive Director of the Association of Fat and Oil Producers and Consumers Ekaterina Nesterova.
– It should be emphasized that the level of palmitic acid in breast milk is 25%, and by refusing palm oil in the composition of infant formula, the manufacturer must ensure that its content is close to that of mother's milk. Meanwhile, in some milk "palm-free" mixtures, it is below 10%, - specifies Director General of the National Union of Milk Producers "Soyuzmoloko" Artem Belov.
Also, the child in the process of growth and development requires energy. The body receives a significant part of it from the breakdown of fats.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids are very important for the baby. These substances ensure the normal development of the organs of vision and hearing of the child, are responsible for the harmonious physical development and behavioral functions.
Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids play a special role in the maturation and functioning of the central nervous system in children and have a direct impact on brain development. They are involved in the construction of the myelin sheaths of the brain and play a critical role in the transmission of signals between nerve cells. All this is extremely important for the development of intelligence, mindfulness, memory, psychomotor function, - clarifies Anastasia Kirillova, pediatrician at the Children's Clinic MEDSI (Moscow).
– It should be noted that polyunsaturated linoleic acid (omega-6 family) is not synthesized in the human body, it is one of the essential nutritional factors, including for young children, therefore it is used in infant formulas and is normalized by technical regulations, – specifies Elena Simonenko .
According to the requirements of TR TS 033/2013, in the dry milk mixture of linoleic acid should be from 14 to 20% of the total fatty acids.
The study showed that in milk mixtures Nutrilon Premium (Ireland) and "MD mil SP Goat 1" (Spain) insufficient amount of linoleic acid, which does not meet the requirements of TR CU.
Amino acids
Particular attention should be paid to the presence of taurine in the composition of the mixture - an essential amino acid necessary for the proper development of the child's body, - notes Elena Simonenko .
Our research has shown that all brands of products meet the required taurine content.
Vitamins and minerals
Any adapted milk formula, according to the recommendations of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, must contain at least 11 minerals and 15 vitamins. We checked whether the content of vitamins and minerals meets the established standards.
According to the results of the study, it turned out that in the product Frisolac (Netherlands) the content of calcium and magnesium in the diluted mixture is below the established norms:
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According to the requirements, the calcium content in the reconstituted mixture should be 330.
0–700.0 mg/l, in fact it is 300.31 mg/l. -
Magnesium should be 50.0-150.0 mg / l, and in fact - 6.75 mg / l.
In the products of other brands, the experts did not find violations in terms of the content of minerals.
The level of vitamins in adapted mixtures should be higher than in human milk, on average by 15–20%, since their digestibility is lower than from breast milk. According to the requirements, in the reconstituted adapted mixture of vitamin C there should be at least 55-150 mg / l.
The audit showed that the products of nine brands of vitamin C are less than the established norm TR CU 033/2013: "Kid Istra" (Russia), Bebi Premium (Denmark), Frisolac (Netherlands), Frisolac (Netherlands), Humana Expert (Germany), Nestogen (Russia), Nutricia Malyutka (Russia), Nutrilon Premium (Ireland), Similac (Denmark).
However, this cannot be attributed to violations: due to the volatility of dry components, it is incorrect to say that this indicator turned out to be lower due to the fault of the manufacturer, the content of vitamin C could decrease during storage.
Read HERE for how to choose and store powdered milk formula.
Taste, color, smell and texture
Products of all brands fully met the organoleptic requirements.
Smell - pleasant, barely perceptible.
The taste of is delicate, slightly sweet, without foreign aftertastes.
Consistency. All mixtures were a fine homogeneous powder without lumps (or with a small amount of lumps that easily crumble under slight pressure). In the restored form, the liquid is homogeneous.
Color also met the requirements - from white with a slight creamy tint to a light creamy yellow.
We checked the level of active acidity (pH) in the mixtures and whether they dissolve well in water.
The results of the study showed that the products of all brands are highly soluble in water, and the level of acidity (pH) corresponds to the advanced standard of Roskachestvo. This means that all mixtures are well absorbed.
Compliance with marking
And finally, one more concern: many are convinced that the ingredients of powdered milk mixtures declared on the label may not correspond to the actual composition. Our experts have checked whether such concerns are justified.
“According to the requirement of the TR CU for product labeling, the manufacturer is obliged to place information on the composition of micronutrients (they determine the development of the child), as well as the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the volume in which they are present in the dry milk formula, on the package,” says Elena Saratseva, Deputy Head of the Russian Quality System . – At the same time, it is important for consumers to obtain information about the composition of the mixture in the finished (reconstituted) form in accordance with the recommendations indicated by the manufacturer.
It is important to note that the rationing for infant formula is based on the diluted product. Therefore, labeling on mixtures is often put through a fraction or in two columns in the table: on the dry matter contained in this package, as well as on the finished (diluted) product.
During the study, it was found that there are certain discrepancies in the indication of prebiotics, minerals and vitamins in the labeling.
Only one manufacturer indicated absolutely reliable information in the labeling of his product - in the mixture "Bellakt Optimum 1" (Belarus).
“The problem of inconsistencies in labeling may be related to the dry mixing method in production,” says Elena Saratseva. - This method of manufacture does not allow achieving uniformity of the composition. Thus, in almost every package, the actual concentrations of trace elements differ from those declared. This creates an inconvenience when choosing baby food, since, for example, mixtures where a high content of calcium or vitamin C is declared may not turn out to be such, therefore, they will not meet the expectations that the consumer places on it.
At the same time, despite deviations from the information stated in the labeling, the products of most brands will provide a healthy child with the necessary amount of all substances, the content of which is normalized in milk mixtures.
Vitamins in the children's menu
If there are not enough vitamins
When a child is deficient in vitamins, first of all, his growth and ability to absorb the necessary nutrients suffer. Sometimes it is possible to understand which vitamins are lacking - by characteristic signs.
External signs of vitamin deficiency:
• the child does not want to get up in the morning,
• he becomes irritable,
• loss of appetite,
• the skin becomes dry, sometimes covered with pustules;
• dandruff, stomatitis, unexpected allergic reactions may suddenly appear,
• nails become brittle and hair becomes dull.
Many of these symptoms are especially pronounced during periods of increased growth: in the first two years of life, at the age of 6-8 years, and at the beginning of puberty - at 12-14 years.
The best vitamin foods for children
Every day, a child's diet should include foods that can be a source of various vitamins: vegetables, fruits, herbs, meat, legumes, nuts, vegetable oils. According to international medical organizations, every day a child should receive at least 4-5 servings of various vegetables and fruits.
In fact, vegetables and fruits, and even more so juices and other products prepared from them, can mainly serve as a source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), carotene (vitamin A precursor), folic acid and bioflavonoids (vitamin P), vitamin K. As for the vitamins of group B (B1 B2, B6, B12, PP, etc.), as well as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E, their content in vegetables, fruits and products based on them is less and cannot contribute much any real contribution to providing them to a growing organism.
Vitamin food
Sprouted grains of wheat, sunflower, beans, peas and beans can be added to salads and vegetable mixes to increase the amount of vitamins in a child's diet.
In them, the content of vitamins C and B6 increases 5 times, vitamin B2 - 13 times, and folic acid - 4 times. Be sure to use a variety of leafy greens in baby food: dill, parsley, cilantro, salads, basil, green onions, etc. In autumn and winter, you can give your child sauerkraut, pickled apples, and pureed berries. This is an invaluable source of vitamins B and C, practically untouched since the summer!
All other vitamins can be found in other products: B1 is meat (especially offal), or coarse breads and cereals - buckwheat, oatmeal, millet. Vitamin E - vegetable oil. Bread that contains vitamins is bread baked from wholemeal flour with bran. It is bran - the shell of the grain - the most useful in bread. However, to get, for example, the daily intake of vitamin B1 (it needs only 1.5 mg) with food, you need to eat a kilogram of black bread, or a pound of lean meat. To get the daily intake of vitamin B2 - drink a liter of milk or eat a pound of cottage cheese. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the rules of a varied and balanced diet.
Vitamins and fortified products
As evidenced by world and domestic experience, it is possible to provide children with vitamins most effectively through rational nutrition and the inclusion in the diet of foods additionally enriched with these valuable biologically active nutrients to a level corresponding to the physiological needs of the child's body, and multivitamin complexes.
Multivitamin complexes are prescribed by a pediatrician! Use only specialized children's complexes so as not to overload the child's excretory system. Make sure children take their vitamins with meals - this is how they are best absorbed.
To find out exactly which vitamins your child lacks, you can take a special blood test.
Products enriched with vitamins and minerals are widely represented in the organized nutrition of preschool and school institutions, as well as on the shelves of our stores.
Cooking to save vitamins
Since the child must get the necessary vitamins from food, it must be prepared in a gentle way.
