Do PICKY EATERS NEED A MULTIVITAMIN?
The obvious answer might seem to be...Yes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But multivitamins are often unnecessary and not ideal. Here's why.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Most kids, even the picky ones, will eat a smoothie or pureed soup if presented with one. This is a far superior source of nutrients than a multivitamin. ⠀⠀
- The nutrients in food are more easily absorbed by the body than those in pill form.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Oftentimes, multivitamins are a go-to and can lead to a lack of investigation as to what nutrients are actually needed either due to a food deficiency or a metabolic disruption.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Multivitamins do not usually take into consideration minerals and vitamins that cancel each other out. For instance, vitamin C can interfere with the absorption of B12.
- Some vitamins, especially gummies and chewables, have junk additives.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Better ways to get Vitamins & Minerals:⠀⠀
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- Eat as much variety as possible. Easier said than done, I know. But a little can go a long way, especially when it comes to kids. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Incorporate smoothies or a pureed soup once per day.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Opt for fortified food when possible. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- If you do buy a multivitamin or mineral complex, do your research...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Purchase from a brand that specializes and takes pride in supplementation. You usually get what you pay for in this realm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Learn what vitamins and minerals support each other, and which don't. ⠀⠀
- Learn the time of day and with what food certain items should be taken. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My obvious disclaimer, I'm not a doctor. This is just my two cents based on my own research and experience. The bottom line:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Do your homework and learn as much as you can. This puts you in control.
- Food is by far the superior source for vitamins and minerals. Eat real whole food and try to diversify where possible. ⠀
