Homeschool Views - Quick Guide to Vitamins & Minerals/nutrition/vitamins

Know Your Foods. Knowing which foods are rich in which vitamins will help you plan your meals better. Print out these Guides to Vitamins and Minerals and pin them on your kitchen bulletin board or refrigerator.
- So how do you know how much calcium is in an apple, anyway? (There’s 9.6 mg, by the way). I use Easy Health, a program that downloads directly to your Palm PDA so that you can take it with you anywhere! The program’s very easy to use, allows you to look up info on foods from carrots to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and even lets you keep track of what you’ve eaten so that you know how many vitamins and minerals you (or your kids) have gotten that day:
- Another great way to look up vitamins and minerals is to visit the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Center’s Searchable Database. It’s free and full of information.

Know the Signs. Some deficiencies have very clear symptoms. If your child isn’t getting enough magnesium they may be depressed, anxious, or irritable. Calcium deficiencies often result in leg cramps or trouble sleeping. The above Guides to Vitamins and Minerals list other deficiency symptoms to watch out for.

Know About Iron. Iron is a very important mineral for kids that is critical for maintaining an adequate number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, which in turn are necessary to fuel brain growth. Infants need 6-10 mg of iron a day, children need 10-15. To put this in perspective: 1 cup of raw chickpeas has 12.4 mg of iron, 1 cup of boiled spinach contains 6.4 mg, ½ a turkey breast has 5.4 mg, and a cup of raisins has 3.7 mg. However, Iron Overdoses can be Deadly. Kids should receive ALL of their iron through foods, not through vitamin supplements, especially since kids can think that vitamins are candy and take too many at once.

Know Your Supplements. If you’re unsure that your kids are getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals, it may be a good idea to give them a daily children’s vitamin. Read The Lowdown on Children’s Vitamins for more info on how to choose the right supplement. Remember: Make Sure that the Vitamin Does Not Contain Iron because iron overdoses are very dangerous. And always keep vitamins (both yours and theirs) out of reach.