The
whole question of vitamins is conflicting. Do I need to give my
twins vitamin supplements or will their food provide everything
they need? I
don't know a parent who isn't concerned about vitamins. The fact
is there are vitamins in everything we eat. However, there is
a connection between food, vitamins and calories that is important
to understand. For instance, when you eat a chunk of cheese, you
get a lot of calories per vitamin. One the other hand,
when you eat broccoli and cauliflower, you get a lot of vitamins
per calorie. The better choice is obvious to me. I'd rather
have my daughter eat a cup of vegetables to get her vitamins and,
at the same time, she'll stay slim by avoiding all the fat in
cheese.
In the best of
all worlds, every child would eat a perfectly balanced diet to
get just the right amount of vitamins. There was a time when we
ate much differently. We would dig roots from earth that wasn't
contaminated with pesticides and fertilizers. We'd pick fresh
fruits and vegetables grown in soil that was still rich in nutrients.
The diet that was adequate 50 years ago may no longer exist in
this age of chemically-assisted agriculture and processed foods.
That's why I recommend
supplemental vitamins after infancy. During the first year when
children are breast-feeding or taking a formula, they are getting
all the vitamins they need. After the ages of 12 to 18 months,
I think it's a good idea to give a supplementary vitamin. Children
who are going through growth spurts may temporarily outgrow their
vitamin supply, and you can think of the supplemental vitamin
as an insurance policy.
When choosing a
supplemental multi-vitamin, go to a good health food store and
find a formula without a lot of artificial colors or flavors.
I like to recommend those which have large doses of the B vitamins,
along with extra vitamin E, beta carotene, and large quantities
of vitamin C. For younger children, a liquid vitamin is preferable
to the chewable variety. Like other medicines, you can mix the
vitamins in foods or drinks, and your child will take them without
a fuss.
Vitamin
B-6 & Folic Acid & Pregnancy
I'd like to point
out a potential vitamin deficiency that every pregnant woman must
understand. During pregnancy, it is necessary for the mother to
get the RDA of folacin and vitamin B-6. Also referred to as folic
acid, folacin is essential for the production of genetic material
in the cells and the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells.
The lack of folic
acid can cause the mother to become anemic and possibly miscarry.
In the worst case scenario, the child may be born with a deformity.
Folacin is abundantly
available in foods, including dark-green, leafy vegetables, fruits,
and legumes. It is thought that the vitamin is lost when the foods
are cooked, so as much as possible, eat the vegetables and fruits
uncooked. |