Did you know that the nutritional needs of a child and a teenager are different from that of an adult? That is why many educators at Child Care Whittier CA recommend that parents design a meal that holds the capability to meet their nutritional requirements. But before you get their daily meals jotted down, let's get to know which vitamins and minerals are essential.

Important Vitamins And Minerals Your Children Need :

1. Calcium

According to many doctors, calcium is the most important building block of teeth and bones. The more bone, your child, builds, the more reserve they will require. A kid aged 1 to 3 needs about 700 milligrams of calcium daily. The kids aged 4 to 8 will require about 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. Kids aged 9 to 18 will require 1,300 milligrams of calcium daily. The foods that have calcium are as follows.

• Dairy products
• Fortified foods
• Salmon
• Dark green leafy veggies, etc.

2. Fiber

Although fiber doesn't fall under the category of vitamin or mineral, it is nonetheless an essential requirement that needs to be fulfilled by consuming certain food. As it happens, fiber tends to be packed with vitamin E, C, and minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Fiber recommendation is based on how many calories your children take every day. For example, if your child consumes about 1,000 calories every day, you need to ensure that they have consumed about 14 grams of fiber. Foods high in fiber include avocados, oatmeal, broccoli, beans such as pinto, red, kidney, or navy.

3. B12 and Other B Vitamins

The B vitamin is essential for developing metabolism, energy, and a healthy heart. It is also essential for developing the nervous system. One of the most important vitamins B is B12. The recommended intake of Vitamin B varies differently. For example, toddlers should consume 0.9 micrograms of Vitamin B, while kids aged 4 to 8 should have 1.2 micrograms of it daily. The children aged I to 13 should consume 1.8 micrograms of Vitamin B. Significant foods include meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.

4. Vitamin D

Vitamin D works in collaboration with calcium to ensure that the development of strong bones has taken place. It also helps protect against chronic disease in later life. According to the sources, a child should get about 400 IU of vitamin D daily. Moreover, a breastfed baby needs to rely on vitamin D supplements until they get at least 32 ounces of Vitamin D fortified infant formula or milk. The sources of vitamin D are fish, including salmon, mackerel, sardines, egg yolk, and fortified milk. Those who are vegan should consider opting for fortified cereals rich in vitamin D.

According to the educators at Child Care Whittier CA, a child's meal should be wholesome and should include the vitamins mentioned above. Now that you know what vitamins your child requires at what amount, we recommend designing a dietary chart for your child with the help of an expert.