Children need nutrition for growth and development to run well. For this reason, the intake of important nutrients, including children's vitamins and minerals, must be included in their daily diet.
In order to be able to perform various activities, children's bodies need carbohydrates, proteins, fats, as well as various vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals can be obtained by eating various types of healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Various Minerals and Vitamins for Children that are Important for Their Growth
The following vitamins and minerals are needed by the child's body:
1. Vitamin A
So far, vitamin A is known for its good role for eye health. However, the benefits of this vitamin are not just for the eyes.
Vitamin A is also good for maintaining healthy skin, maintaining endurance, supporting child development and growth, and repairing bones and tissues.
Vitamin A can be obtained from two sources, namely animal sources in the form of retinoids and vegetable sources in the form of carotenoids.
Vitamin A from animal sources, can be found in eggs, liver, milk, cheese, and yogurt. Meanwhile, vegetable sources of vitamin A can be spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, mangoes, papaya, and apricots.
In Indonesia itself, the government runs a program of providing vitamin A supplementation for children every February and August at Puskesmas and Posyandu.
2. Vitamin B complex
Vitamin B consists of several types, namely thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (vitamin B9). ), and cobalamin (vitamin B12).
Vitamin B complex has a variety of functions, including:
- Turning food into a source of energy for the body
- Maintain the health and function of various organs, such as the nervous system, eyes, and skin
- Helps the formation of hemoglobin, which is a substance in red blood cells that functions to carry oxygen throughout the body
- Supports body metabolism
This vitamin can be obtained by eating vegetables, such as peas, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, and chickpeas, as well as eggs, whole grains, liver, milk, rice, meat, fish, potatoes, tomatoes, soybeans, cheese, and cereals. enriched with B vitamins.
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C or also known as ascorbic acid has several functions, namely protecting and protecting body cells from damage, helping the absorption of iron, and increasing the body's resistance so that the body is stronger against infection.
Vitamin C can be obtained from fruits, such as oranges, guavas, strawberries, kiwi, lemons, and tomatoes, as well as vegetables such as bell peppers, chilies, and broccoli.
4. Vitamin D
There are 2 forms of vitamin D that are important for humans, namely vitamin D2 which is produced by plants and vitamin D3 which is produced by human skin when exposed to sunlight.
The main function of vitamin D is to maintain calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood and support the process of calcium absorption in the body, so it is good for forming and maintaining healthy bones and teeth.
Vitamin D also plays an important role in strengthening the immune system and reducing the risk of various diseases, such as rickets, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and cancer.
Most of the vitamin D is obtained from sun exposure. However, don't forget to keep wearing sunscreen when you're out in the sun. You can get this vitamin in salmon, sardines, cobs, eggs, dairy products, and liver.
5. Vitamin E
This vitamin has an important function in maintaining the immune system, helping the process of child growth and development to run perfectly, and maintaining the condition of blood vessels so that blood flow can run smoothly. Vitamin E can be obtained from almonds, spinach, broccoli, soybeans, and wheat.
6. Calcium
Compared to other minerals, calcium has the highest amount in the body. The function of calcium is to help build strong bones and teeth, regulate body muscle contraction and heart rate, and ensure normal blood clotting.
Calcium is found in milk and its processed products, soybeans, tofu, nuts, fish, and green vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage.
7. Iron
Iron is a mineral that plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells. These red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Iron deficiency can occur in adolescents, especially adolescent girls who are starting to enter their menstrual period.
There are various sources of liver iron, including red meat, nuts, dried fruit, whole grains, cereals, soy flour, dark green leafy vegetables, turkey, tuna and salmon, and eggs.
8. AA and DHA
A A (arachidonic acid) and DHA (docosehaxaenoic acid) is a type of unsaturated fatty acid that is good for the formation and development of children's body cells from the time they are in the womb, especially the brain and eyes. Not only that, AA and DHA are also good for increasing a child's immune system and supporting their intelligence.
The content of AA and DHA can be obtained naturally in breast milk and various types of fish, such as cod, salmon, and mackerel. In addition, these two nutrients can also be found in eggs and red meat.
9. FOS
FOS or fructo-oligosaccharides is a carbohydrate group consisting of fructose and glucose. These nutrients are also known as natural prebiotics that are good for maintaining a healthy digestive tract.
Not only good for digestion, FOS also has various other benefits, such as increasing the immune system and calcium absorption, and reducing the risk of respiratory disorders in children.
FOS is naturally found in onions, bananas, and asparagus. This nutrient is also often added to formula milk.
Although needed by children, excessive levels of vitamins and minerals in the body are also not good for children's health, which can actually cause various diseases.
Before giving multivitamin supplements to infants and children, it is advisable to consult a doctor first, in order to get the right information about the type and amount of mineral and vitamin intake for children, according to the age and health condition of the little one.
