It's hard to distinguish fact from fiction among all the talk surrounding nutrition. However, one confirmed fact is that vitamin A is good for kids!
Kids' Facts: Vitamin A
Vitamin A is one of several major vitamins required for health. According to the National Institute of Health's fact sheet, vitamin A promotes everything from healthy eyesight to a healthy immune system. Listed below are facts about Vitamin A, including how it functions in the body.
- Vitamin A is naturally occurring vitamin. That means it is available in the foods you eat.
- It is scientifically known as preformed vitamin A (retinol) or provitamin A (carotenoids).
- Vitamin A promotes vision by assisting in night vision and relaying messages to the brain. This is important for playing outside at night!
- It helps build strong bones, hair, nails, and skin.
- Vitamin A helps prevent you from getting sick by supporting your immune system.
- Vitamin A helps create new cells in the body, also known as cell differentiation, which helps you grow bigger and stronger.
Vitamin A is important for anyone's health, but especially for kids! Bone growth and cell division are rapid in kids and if there is a lack of vitamins and nutrients, malnourishment and other health problems can happen.
How Much Vitamin A Do Kids Need?
All vitamins have an RDA or Recommended Daily Allowance. This is the amount of a vitamin that people should be getting in one day for good health. Here are the vitamin A RDA's for kids:
- Babies ages 0 to 6 months need 1,320 IU or which is in about 3/4 cup cooked spinach.
- Infants ages 7 to 12 months need 1,650 IU, which is in about half of a sweet potato.
- Kids ages 1-3 years need 1,000 IU of vitamin A, which you'll find in 2 cups of skim milk.
- Kids ages 4-8 years need 1,320 IU. There's that much in 1/4 cup raw cantaloupe.
- Kids ages 9-13 years need 2,000 IU of vitamin A, which is in a little over 1 cup of raw carrots.
Kids can get enough Vitamin A through a balanced diet with the foods listed below. However, taking vitamin supplements can boost vitamin A levels if you don't eat a variety of foods. Here are some tips on taking vitamins:
- Most doctors say you should take vitamins to make sure you're getting plenty of vitamin A.
- Kids shouldn't take more vitamin A than the RDA unless your doctor suggests you do and monitors you.
- If you get too much vitamin A, you could get really sick.
- When you regularly don't get enough vitamin A, your body doesn't always have enough stored, which could also make you sick.
- Vitamins are not candy even though they may taste like it! Only take the recommended amount or you could get ill.
Supplements are a great way to get all of your necessary vitamins. However, always check with a doctor before taking any type of vitamins.
Sources of Vitamin A
Food are the best source of vitamin A! Some excellent sources of vitamin A are:
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Beef Liver for brave kids
- Kale
- Cantaloupe
- Apricot
- Mango
- Papaya
- Oatmeal
Some ways to make these foods taste delicious is by boiling carrots until soft and mashing them like a potato, making a fruit salad with mango, papaya and cantaloupe, or having oatmeal for breakfast. There are many ways to get vitamin A through the foods you eat.
Too Much Vitamin A
Although vitamin A promotes health in many ways, the body stores this vitamin. Therefore, extreme intake or taking too many vitamins can have negative effects such as:
- Bone loss that can contribute to osteoporosis
- Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting (throwing up)
- Liver damage
- Potential death
Toxicity from food sources of vitamin A is very rare. If taking vitamins, take a safe level by never going over the RDA's listed above.
Vitamin A Deficiency in Kids
Just like any other nutrient, kids can be deficient in vitamin A if you are not eating the right foods or taking vitamins.
-
Deficiency is rare among kids born in Western societies like the USA.
-
Vitamin A deficiency is much more common in developing nations where kids don't get a variety of foods.
-
Children deficient in vitamin A can develop vision problems, blindness, and skin problems.
-
The World Health Organization states that 250 million preschool children around the world are at risk of not getting enough vitamin A.
-
Deficiency can be prevented by consuming foods high in vitamin A or taking vitamins.
In Western culture, vitamin A deficiency is uncommon. However, around the world, many children are being treated for it.
Kids and Vitamin A
Vitamin A provides many health benefits, such as bone growth, immunity, vision, and much more! You can find vitamin A in many foods, so there are sure to be some you can enjoy. With a varied diet, you are likely to get plenty of this important vitamin through food sources, but if you need supplements follow the guidelines your doctor gives you.
