A healthy diet is important for everyone, but for your child's proper growth and development, they must get their recommended daily allowances of bone-growing, muscle-strengthening vitamins and minerals.
A colorful diet based on whole foods like dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats will help make sure your child has all the building blocks so their body can function at its best.
Here are nine essential nutrients their developing bodies need and where to find them:
What it Does:
Calcium is found in dairy products, green leafy veggies like kale and spinach, and edible fish bones like those found in sardines. Cheese is an ideal source because the casein found in cheese is a protein that helps strengthen tooth enamel!
What it Does:
Magnesium can be found in pumpkin seeds, almonds, fortified dairy products, and dark leafy vegetables.
What it Does:
Vitamin D can be found in egg yolks, oily fish, and fortified dairy, bread, and cereals.
What it Does:
Foods rich in iron include eggs, seafood, red meat, green leafy vegetables, nuts, red kidney beans, and enriched bread and cereals.
What it Does:
Phosphorous is found in high amounts in dairy, beans, lentils, and meats.
What it Does:
Natural potassium sources include bananas, beans, nuts seeds, mushrooms, and avocados.
What it Does:
Foods rich in vitamin A include carrots, eggs, sweet potatoes, and fish.
What it Does:
Foods rich in Vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, and kiwi.
What it Does:
Vitamin E can be found in nuts seeds, plant oils, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables, fish, and avocado.
Keeping your children healthy may seem like an impossible task. But helping them by offering healthy foods and limiting processed food and sugar will create healthy habits that will carry them through adulthood.