Consider These Children’s Multivitamins to Support a Growing Mind and Body

What are the benefits of giving children multivitamins? For healthy children who are growing normally, they may not be necessary. Many of the vitamins and minerals children need to grow are accessible through healthy foods.

However, there are still reasons parents may choose to give their children a multivitamin. The Mayo Clinic says that a multivitamin may be beneficial for your child if they have a delay in physical and developmental growth, certain chronic diseases or food allergies, or have a restrictive diet such as a vegan diet.

As parents of young children know, a child doesn’t need to be adhering to a vegan (or otherwise restrictive) diet to have food restrictions. That’s because some young children are infamously picky, and no amount of bribing or begging can get a toddler to eat a food group they simply refuses to eat. So some parents, understandably, may have concerns about the nutrients their picky young child is taking in.

The good news is that breakfast cereal, certain pastas, and milk and orange juice are fortified with vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, vitamin D and B vitamins. This may help offset some of the potential deficiencies caused by a picky or strict diet.

Another option that parents choose to give their child is a multivitamin.

If any of the above scenarios apply to you, or if your doctor recommends a multivitamin for any other reason, you have options. Be sure to choose one that is appropriate for your child’s age – most bottles will specify the intended age range. And while it may sound like a good thing to see that a multivitamin provides, for example, 150% of your child’s daily recommended vitamin C, skip these and choose multivitamins that provide no more than 100% of the daily value of any included vitamins or minerals.

The next step in choosing your child’s multivitamin is to find a trusted, high-quality brand. When it comes to children’s multivitamins, three of your best options are Metagenics, Jarrow Formulas, and Nutri-Dyn.

Metagenics

Metagenics uses nutrition to help promote a healthy mind, body and spirit for both you and your child. Metagenics has a variety of nutritional supplements specifically for children, in forms ranging from soft chews to powders.

Metagenics’ MetaKids Multi is a great-tasting, soft chew multivitamin that contains 15 essential vitamins and minerals, along with unique phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables. It is non-GMO and gluten free.

Another option from Metagenics is MetaKids Nutrition Powder, a chocolate powder that simply needs to be blended, shaken or stirred with water. Formulated for kids ages 4-12, MetaKids Nutrition Powder is a comprehensive formula containing a blend of essential nutrients such as choline, plant sourced DHA, 8 grams of high quality plant-based protein, amino acids, and a proprietary vitamin and mineral blend to support a healthy diet.

Jarrow Formulas

The mission of Jarrow Formulas is to provide optimal health through high quality, cutting edge, affordable formulations that promote optimal health for children and adults.

Kids Multi from Jarrow Formulas is a child’s multivitamin that comes in the form of chewable, cherry-flavored bears. This formula contains essential vitamins, like vitamin C, vitamin D3, vitamin E, and a B-complex; minerals like calcium, magnesium, selenium, and manganese; and carotenoids like lutein to support eye health.

Nutri-Dyn

Nutri-Dyn sells its products exclusively to healthcare practitioners who use specific nutritional protocols with their patients.

Nutri-Dyn helps support children’s health and well-being through their Kids Fruits and Greens Daily Drink. In delicious fruit punch flavor, this mix provides an excellent natural source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. Each serving contains 20 servings of fruit and vegetables. Even better, this formula contains enzymes, probiotics, and fiber. The better news, it doesn’t have any added sugar, preservatives, stimulants, caffeine, or gluten. Kids and adults alike can enjoy Nutri-Dyn’s Kids Fruit and Greens Daily Drink.

What multivitamin does your family use?