Many parents and nutritionists alike have debated the use of multivitamins for children over the past few years. Experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics state that multivitamins are not necessary if a child consumes a healthy, balanced diet. Although this may be true, today’s children consume foods that are far from being nutrient dense.
To fully understand just how important it is for children to take a good quality multivitamin, we must first discuss the quality of our food sources. Due to intensive agricultural methods, are soil has been consistently stripped of its vital minerals, producing foods that are of a poorer nutrient quality than the generation before it.
This does not mean that the produce we consume today has no nutritional qualities. The vitamins and nutrients are present, but in a greatly reduced amount. A groundbreaking study conducted by a research team from the University of Texas showed that between the years of 1950 and 1999, there was a dramatic decline in the nutrient content of 43 various vegetables. It showed that modernized agricultural methods did increase produce size and growth rate, yet yielded food that was deficient in vitamin C and B12, phosphorus, protein and calcium.
Aside from the poor quality of our soil, today’s busy lifestyles also play a large role in our children’s nutrient deficient diets. It can be faster to throw together a fatty casserole or microwave a plate of fries and chicken nuggets than it is to prepare a healthy dish full of fresh vegetables and lean meats. The US Department of Agriculture released a report studying the nutritional intake of children between the ages of two and nine years, which showed a large decline in diet quality over the past decade. The researchers determined that children who fall into this age group had a diet that was rated as being ‘poor’ or ‘needing improvement’. The children between the ages of seven and nine years appeared to have a poorer diet than the younger children.
It doesn’t seem that the agricultural industry is going to be changing their practices in the near future, or the schedules of busy parents will slow down. So, to ensure your child is receiving the recommended daily value of nutrients and vitamins, supplement their diet with a good quality multivitamin. Children seem to do well with liquid vitamins, such as Children’s Multiple Liquid by VitaBase. It has a pleasant flavor and features a base consisting of aloe vera juice, which contains high levels of digestive enzymes. It is high in important nutrients, vitamins, amino acids and trace minerals that are important for growing children.
Aside from supplying your children with a multivitamin, it is also of utmost importance that you take a good look at their diet and ensure you’re giving them as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. Not only will this help to boost the effects of the multivitamin, it will also instill a love of nutritious foods to help them grow into healthy, well-balanced adults.