Vitamin Chart For Kids – Everything You Need To Know
Do you know vitamins are vital for children? Are you aware of the best sources of vitamins? Well, if you are clueless about the answers to the above questions, reading this post is a must.
Vitamins are critical to your child’s growth and development as it boosts immunity and keeps illness and infections at bay. There are tons of vitamin supplements available in the market, but does your child really need them? Get a scoop about how much vitamins children need, their best sources and why they are important for kids by reading on.
[ Read: Calcium Rich Food For Kids ]
What Are Vitamins?
Plants and animals contain organic compounds like Vitamins. They are essential for the growth, function, and general well-being of the body. The human body cannot synthesize vitamins, so you can obtain it through your diet (1). However, an indiscriminate intake of vitamins or vitamin supplements may interfere with the normal bodily functions.
[ Read: Nutrition Food For Kids ]
Vitamin Chart For Kids:
A vitamin chart helps to outline the benefits and dosage of each vitamin, along with its sources that should be a part of your child’s daily diet. Here is the vitamins chart for kids.
Type | Benefits | Sources | Recommended Dietary Allowance |
Vitamin A | Vitamin A is essential for bone growth and clear night vision of children. It helps protect the body from infections. Vitamin A also promotes the growth of cells and tissues in the body, including the cells of nails, skin, and hair. | Some of the best sources of Vitamin A are eggs, milk, dark green vegetables (spinach, kale, and chard), carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. Fruits rich in vitamin A are mangoes, apricots, papaya, and peaches. | 0–6 months: 400 mg 7–12 months: 500 mg 1–3 years: 300 mg4–8 years: 400 mg9–13 years: 600 mg14–18 years: 900 mg for males and 700 mg for females |
Vitamin B | B complex vitamin comprises of all of Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. These include thiamin, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, and Cobalamin. These vitamins are essential for your kid’s daily bodily functions. Riboflavin converts carbohydrates into energy and thiamine support the function of the heart, muscles, and nervous system. Niacin supports nerve function and promotes the growth of healthy hair. Folic acids aid cell regeneration. They are also the building blocks of our DNA. Cobalamin is essential for the production of red blood cells. Pyridoxine helps the body break down protein into essential amino acids. These vitamins also promote hormonal functions. | Breads, cereals, pasta, dark green leafy vegetables, seafood, dairy and kidney beans are rich sources of thiamin and riboflavin. Whole grains, fish, poultry, dried beans and red meat contain rich amounts of niacin. Fruits like bananas, beans, fishes, mangoes, papayas, and potatoes contain Pyridoxine. Milk, cheese, shellfish, shrimps, lobster, eggs, chicken and lean meat are excellent sources of vitamin B12. | 0–6 months: 0.4 mg 7–12 months: 0.5 mg 1–3 years: 0.9 mg4–8 years: 1.2 mg9–13 years: 1.8 mg14-18 years: 2.4 mg |
Vitamin C | Vitamin C is necessary for the assimilation of calcium and iron. It helps to form and repair bones, tissues, and red blood cells. It also keeps the kid’s gums healthy and strong. Vitamin C also strengthens the blood vessels and promotes healing. In addition, it boosts the immune system and keeps infections at bay. | Vitamin C is available in abundance in citrus fruits like sweet lime, orange, and berries. Other fruit sources of vitamin C include grapefruit, kiwi, and guava. The vegetable sources of vitamin C include spinach, broccoli, bell peppers, and tomatoes. | 0–6 months: 40 mg 7–12 months: 50 mg 1–3 years:15 mg4–8 years: 25 mg9–13 years: 45 mg14-18 years: 75 mg for males and 65 mg for females |
Vitamin D | Vitamin D is essential for the body’s bone building process. It helps to absorb calcium and helps protect the health of your child’s bones and teeth. Vitamin D also functions as a hormone and regulates cell growth. | Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D. Other sources of Vitamin D are milk, egg and egg yolks. | 0–12 months:10 mg 1–13 years: 15 mg 14–18 years: 600 mg |
Vitamin E | Vitamin E helps fight free radicals, thereby protecting the cells from damage. It is also essential for DNA repair, immunity, and other metabolic processes. | You will find high levels of vitamin E in nuts and seeds, fish oil, avocado, vegetable oil and leafy vegetables. | 0–6 months: 4 mg 7–12 months: 5 mg 1–3 years: 6 mg4–8 years: 7 mg9–13 years: 11 mg |
[ Read: Iron Rich Food For Kids ]
A nutritious diet plays a very important role in your child’s growth and development. Rather on relying on vitamin supplements, make sure you serve a range of healthy foods to your kids. We hope this vitamins and minerals chart for kids was informative.
Do you have some tips or suggestions on how to include vitamin rich foods in your child’s diet? Please share with us.
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.