Growing children need all the help they can get and vitamins have, for a long time, been considered clever little helpers. They can be found naturally in food and contribute to proper functioning of the body and overall wellbeing. With just a small daily dose, vitamins can even prevent disease and illnesses.
Vitamin A | |
Forms of the vitamin | Retinol, retinal, retinoic acid and beta-carotene. |
Important functions | · Improves eye health and promotes healthy vision. · Maintains healthy skin. · Strengthens the immune system. · Crucial for reproduction and growth of bone, teeth and body cells. |
Recommended dietary allowance | 0-6 months – 400 μg/day 7-12 months – 500 μg/day 1-3 years – 300 μg/day 4-8 years – 400 μg/day 9-13 years – 600 μg/day |
Food sources | Dairy products (milk, yoghurt and cheese), carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, butternut, spinach, broccoli, oranges, berries, and tomatoes. |
Vitamin B | ||||||
Forms of the vitamin | Multiple forms exist, each with their own unique characteristics and functions in the body: · Thiamine (Vitamin B1). · Riboflavin (Vitamin B2). · Niacin (Vitamin B3) · Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6). · Cobalamin (Vitamin B12). · Folate also known as folic acid. · Pantothenic acid. · Choline. · Biotin. | |||||
Important functions | · All B vitamins are used to release energy from food and play a direct and indirect role in energy metabolism. · Choline plays an essential role in brain functioning as it is needed to synthesize neurotransmitters. · Folate is important in DNA synthesis and new cell formation. · Vitamin B6 assists with red blood cell production. · Vitamin B12 helps maintain nerve cells. | |||||
Recommended dietary allowance | 0-6 months 7-12 months 1-3 years 4-8 years 9-13 years | Vitamin B1 0.2 mg/day 0.3 mg/day 0.5 mg/day 0.6 mg/day 0.9 mg/day | Vitamin B2 0.3 mg/day 0.4 mg/day 0.5 mg/day 0.6 mg/day 0.9 mg/day | Vitamin B3 2 mg/day 4 mg/day 6 mg/day 8 mg/day 12 mg/day | Vitamin B6 0.1 mg/day 0.3 mg/day 0.5 mg/day 0.6 mg/day 1.0 mg/day | Vitamin B12 0.4 μg/day 0.5 μg/day 0.9 μg/day 1.2 μg/day 1.8 μg/day |
0-6 months 7-12 months 1-3 years 4-8 years 9-13 years | Folate 65 μg/day 80 μg/day 150 μg/day 200 μg/day 300 μg/day | Pantothenic acid 1.7 mg/day 1.8 mg/day 2 mg/day 3 mg/day 4 mg/day | Choline 125 mg/day 150 mg/day 200 mg/day 250 mg/day 375 mg/day | Biotin 5 μg/day 6 μg/day 8 μg/day 12 μg/day 20 μg/day | ||
Food sources | Bananas, watermelon, avocados, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and organ meats (liver, kidneys and giblets). |
Vitamin C | |
Forms of the vitamin | Ascorbic acid. |
Important functions | · Plays an important role in collagen formation to keep skin, teeth, bones, ligaments and tendons healthy. · Protects the body from inflammation, infection, and injury. · Enhances the absorption of iron in the body. |
Recommended dietary allowance | 0-6 months – 40 mg/day 7-12 months – 50 mg/day 1-3 years – 15 mg/day 4-8 years – 25 mg/day 9-13 years – 45 mg/day |
Food sources | Red peppers, strawberries, kiwi fruit, papaya, and cabbage. |
Vitamin D | |
Forms of the vitamin | Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3). |
Important functions | · Helps calcium absorption from the intestines to enable good bone mineralisation and prevent rickets. · Plays a major role in teeth and bone growth by maintaining blood concentrations of calcium and phosphorus. · Plays an essential role in cells of the immune system, brain and nervous system, skin, pancreas and muscles. |
Recommended dietary allowance | 0-6 months – 400 IU/day 7-12 months – 400 IU /day 1-3 years – 600 IU /day 4-8 years – 600 IU /day 9-13 years – 600 IU /day |
Food sources | Oily fish such as pilchards, sardines, salmon, mackerel, and tuna; eggs, and mushrooms. |
Vitamin E | |
Forms of the vitamin | Alpha-tocopherol. |
Important functions | · Protects vulnerable cells from destruction and injury. · May reduce the risk of heart disease and protect fatty acids in the body from oxidation. |
Recommended dietary allowance | 0-6 months – 4 mg/day 7-12 months – 5 mg/day 1-3 years – 6 mg/day 4-8 years – 7 mg/day 9-13 years – 11 mg/day |
Food sources | Vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. |