10 Essential Vitamins and Minerals Kids Often Miss
Folate & Magnesium
Average User Rating:
FOLATE
Why it's important: Most people don't get enough of this B vitamin, which helps produce and maintain new cells and prevent anemia. Folate in its natural form is found in orange juice and spinach. It's more readily absorbed in its manufactured form, folic acid, which is added to fortified grain foods, including cereals, says Dr. Robinson.
How much your child needs:
- Ages 1-3: 150 mcg/day
- Ages 4-8: 200 mcg/day
- Ages 9-13: 300 mcg/day
How to get more folate:
- A bowl (3/4 cup) of breakfast cereal fortified with folic acid has about one quarter of what your child needs each day.
- Broccoli, lentil, green pea, and asparagus soups are all rich in folate.
- Toss folate-rich beans into chili and soups and add green peas to pasta or mac and cheese.
- Add chopped or pureed broccoli or spinach to casseroles or pasta sauces. Hide healthy spinach or greens in sandwiches: place spinach on a tortilla, layer meat and cheese on top, then just roll it up.
Folate-rich recipes:
- Chicken Pasta with Tomato and Spinach
- Asparagus with Hazelnuts and Parmesan
- Angel Hair Pasta with Asparagus
- Cavatelli and Broccoli Saute
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
MAGNESIUM
Why it's important: Many Americans don't get enough of this healthy mineral, which is essential for chemical reactions within the body, keeping the heart rhythm steady and the immune system and bones strong. Magnesium is found in a range of foods, including whole grains, fish, nuts, potatoes, and dairy products.
How much your child needs:
- Ages 1-3: 80 mg/day
- Ages 4-8: 130 mg/day
- Ages 9-13: 240 mg/day
How to get more magnesium:
- One peanut-butter sandwich on whole-wheat bread would meet a three-year-old child's magnesium needs for the day.
- Substitute whole-wheat bread for white bread and serve your kids more whole-wheat pasta and brown rice. "Americans don't eat enough whole grain foods; half of the portions of grains your child eats should be whole grains," says Dr. Robinson.
- Sprinkle salads with pumpkin seeds and serve nuts or raisins on breakfast cereal.
Magnesium-rich recipes:
