The Top Five Best Vitamins and Minerals for Kids (And How to Get Them In Their Diet)

As a parent, one of your many challenges might not just be getting your kids to eat. But instead, getting them to eat a balanced and healthy diet.

That balanced diet might go beyond the chicken nuggets, pizza, and ice cream they'd prefer to eat daily.

What are the best vitamins and minerals for kids? You may not know exactly what vitamins and nutrients your kids need for a balanced diet.

Read on for important tips to help get your children get the necessary vitamins and minerals in their diet.

1. Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential in the diet for both kids and adults. There are two subcategories of Vitamin A, including preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids.

The Vitamin A in the body helps to:

• Promote growth
• Assist the eyes in going from dim and bright lights
• Keep skin healthy
• Work to prevent infection

Kids can get Vitamin A in their diet naturally by eating:

• Salmon
• Fish oils
• Eggs
• Broccoli
• Sweet potatoes
• Squash
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Apricots

The amount of needed vitamin and from which subcategory of the vitamin varies based on age and the child's weight. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin so if you are supplementing outside of the diet, follow levels and dosages with your practitioner.

2. Vitamin C

You have already heard when your kids start showing signs of illness they need Vitamin C. However, balanced nutrition for kids means they get a regular source of Vitamin C from their diet. 

The Vitamin C can help to:

• Hold the body's cells together
• Heal wounds
• Promote strong teeth and bones
• Strengthen the walls of blood vessels

Good natural sources of Vitamin C include:

• Orange juice
• Citrus fruits
• Strawberries
• Cantaloupe
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower

Vitamin C needs vary by age and talk to your practitioner about optimal doses.  As a water soluble vitamin though, excess amounts are excreted through urination. In some children with ASD or ADHD, too much Vitamin C can increase agitation so watch out for that if supplementing outside of good dietary sources.

3. Vitamin D

You might already know the importance of Vitamin D in helping to create strong bones and teeth. 

It also helps with many processes in the body, including:

• Hormone production
• Blood pressure regulation
• Immune system function
• Nervous system function

A lack of vitamin D has been linked to depression, fatigue and myalgia.  Increasing vitamin D levels can be associated with improved mood and vitality as well as downregulation of autoimmune processes {CITE 1}.

Kids can get their Vitamin D from:

• Eggs
• Orange juice
• Fish and fish oil
• Dairy, but in our sensitive children, nondairy alternatives
• Pork
• Mushrooms

With Vitamin D, keep in mind a couple other important factors.  First, those children with genetic differences (VDR), with darker skin, who live farther from the equator and who spend more time indoors are more susceptible to Vitamin D deficiency and may need supplementation.  However, like vitamin A, vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and if supplementing beyond diet, levels should be measured by your practitioner.

4. Magnesium

Deficiencies in magnesium have been associated with hyperactivity, anxiety, migraines, and insomnia.  Magnesium is important in more than 300 enzymatic functions and symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include:

• Constipation
• Twitches and tics
• Salt craving
• Sighing

Magnesium is found in many foods including:

• Flax seeds
• Brazil nuts, almonds and pine nuts
• Pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds
• Spinach and broccoli

Several studies have shown that lower levels of magnesium can be associated with many chronic conditions {CITE 2}. Magnesium can play a therapeutic and preventive role in diabetes, heart disease, preeclampsia, migraines and more.

5. Zinc

There are multiple studies that demonstrate that zinc is essential in hundreds of metabolic pathways for optimal energy metabolism, neurologic development, immune function, and detoxification. Infants, children, adolescents and pregnant and lactating women have increased need for zinc. {CITE 3}

Deficiencies in zinc can results in:

• White spots/lines on nails
• Loss of smell and taste
• Acne and mother sores
• Alterations in attention, memory and capacity to learn

Good food sources of zinc include:

• Red and white meats
• Oysters
• Beans
• Nuts
• Whole grains

Getting adequate zinc is essential to a child’s healthy growth and development.

Other Important Nutrients for Kids' Diets

To have a healthy child, they need some other important things in their childhood diet.

In addition to the vitamins listed, other important nutrients in a child's diet come from:

• Protein
• Healthy fats and oils
• Fiber
• Lots of vegetables and fruits
• Probiotic or fermented foods

The right amount of vitamins for children is typically based on age, weight, height, and other health factors. 

Best Vitamins for Kids

Your task is to plan meals and snacks for your children that include these best vitamins for kids. Establish healthy amounts and make sure they are eating many foods with good colors to get those nutrients. Eat the RAINBOW!

To learn more about the latest research in neurobehavioral health, be sure to visit this page often. 

CITATION 1 (Vitamin D)
Sandhya P, Mahasampath G, Mashru P, Bondu JD, Job V, Danda D. Vitamin D Levels and Associations in Indian Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Sep;11(9):OC33-OC36. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2017/28493.10697. Epub 2017 Sep 1. PMID: 29207757; PMCID: PMC5713779.

CITATION 2 (Magnesium)
Al Alawi AM, Majoni SW, Falhammar H. Magnesium and Human Health: Perspectives and Research Directions. Int J Endocrinol. 2018 Apr 16;2018:9041694. doi: 10.1155/2018/9041694. PMID: 29849626; PMCID: PMC5926493.

CITATION 3 (Zinc)
Roohani N, Hurrell R, Kelishadi R, Schulin R. Zinc and its importance for human health: An integrative review. J Res Med Sci. 2013 Feb;18(2):144-57. PMID: 23914218; PMCID: PMC3724376.