SUPPLEMENTS: VITAMINS AND OTHER COMMON SUPPLEMENTS


Generally speaking, if your toddler is a pretty good eater and takes in most food groups on a regular basis, supplementation is probably unnecessary. However, if you plan to give any of them, please check with their healthcare provider before starting.


  • Vitamin D: This is probably the one vitamin that most toddlers end up needing daily.

    • A  toddler needs 600 IU units per day

    • 16 ounces of whole milk fortified with vitamin D offers about half the daily requirement

    • Other sources of Vitamin D include salmon, tuna, and egg yolk

    • If you think that your toddler is not getting enough vitamin D, you can give a daily supplement. The Vitamin D supplement should be 200 IU to 400 IU, depending on your toddler’s intake of vitamin D fortified milk or other fortified foods/beverages.


  • OMEGA-3 (with both DHA and EPA): If your toddler does not eat any fish, consider giving them between 50-100 mg/day of an Omega-3.


  • PROBIOTICS and PREBIOTICS:  


What are probiotics? 


They are live “friendly” microorganisms that offer health benefits when given in adequate amounts, including aiding your child’s digestion and immune system. 

 

Fermented foods contain probiotics, and if your toddler is eating fermented foods regularly, they probably do not need supplementation. Examples of fermented foods include yogurt, Kefir, miso, sauerkraut, etc. Yogurt and Kefir appear to be excellent sources. If your child does not eat enough of these foods, consider asking their healthcare provider about supplementation. 


If you are going to give a probiotic, purchase one made for toddlers probiotic that contains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. 


Note: Special Circumstance–If your toddler needs antibiotics for an illness or has gastroenteritis (stomach virus), it is probably a good idea to take a daily probiotic supplementation during the duration of the antibiotic use or the course of the GI illness. Please ask their healthcare provider about offering probiotics during this time. The specific strains that are needed during these events are Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (Lactobacillus GG) and Saccharomyces Boulardii.



What are prebiotics? Prebiotics are hard-to-digest ingredients (oligosaccharides to be exact) that can be metabolized (“eaten”) by the beneficial probiotics. So, they help encourage probiotics to thrive. Prebiotics have been added to many probiotic supplements and are even sold on their own, however, many foods contain them. So supplementation is unnecessary. The foods that contain prebiotics are apples, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, cabbage, chicory, onions, garlic, leeks, milk, oats, onions, and wheat. 


  • IRON:

Iron remains a very important mineral nutrient. Iron-rich foods should continue to be a regular part of your toddler’s diet as you. Typically this age group needs about 7 mg daily. If your toddler has several daily servings of red meat, dark meat from poultry, eggs, beans, tofu, iron-fortified cereals, or green leafy vegetables, they probably do not need supplemental iron. 


Which foods are rich in iron?


IRON-RICH FOODS FOR Toddlers:

  • MEAT animal proteins contain iron that is easier to absorb than other sources of iron. Red meats, dark meat chicken, and mollusks (oysters, clams) are just a few options.

  • Eggs (use the whole egg, not just egg whites)

  • Whole grains and iron-fortified cereals 

  • Peanut butter and other nut and seed butters (can be offered thinly spread on toast or a banana)

  • Beans, lentils, and tofu 

  • Leafy green vegetables, peas, sweet potatoes (combined with iron-rich seafood like oysters or clams makes leafy greens more bioavailable)


Note: Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. Combine Iron-rich foods with foods high in vitamin C ( broccoli, kiwi, papaya, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, berries, citrus, peaches, papayas, sweet red peppers, green vegetables) to help with iron absorption.