Common Nutritional Gaps in Kids’ Diets and How to Fill Them

1. Common Nutritional Gaps in Kids’ Diets and How to Fill Them

2. A nutritious diet not only ensures that kids grow up healthily but also keeps them protected from deficiencies. Nutrients are important for the body to perform various functions. Therefore, if there is a lack ofnutrition for kids, they can develop deficiencies, making them weak and prone to illnesses. • For the long term well-being of their kids, parents need to understand common nutritional gaps that they should not ignore and how to address them promptly.

3. Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Children • One of the most frequent issues related to nutrition for kids is the lack of key vitamins and minerals. A study conducted by NCBI concluded the following as the most common nutritional deficiencies in Indian children: • Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for bone and teeth strength. A lack of vitamin D infused foods and sunlight can be a cause of the deficiency. • Iron: This is an essential macro nutrient for the body to function. Iron helps in taking oxygen from lungs to other parts of the body. This deficiency can occur when iron rich foods are not consumed by kids. • Vitamin A: Vitamin A contributes to better eye-sight, metabolism and cell development. The body cannot produce it; hence it has to be consumed through foods.

4. Vitamin B12: A lack of Vitamin B12 nutrient for kids can hamper the development of a healthy nervous system and red blood cells. • Iodine: Iodine is essential for kids to develop their cognitive health. Its deficiency can cause them to delay physical and brain development. • Ensuring that these nutrient gaps are addressed is key to improving daily nutrition for kids.

5. How to Fill Nutritional Gaps • There are a few ways that can help you improve nutrition for kids and fulfil these nutritional gaps in children. • Whole Foods: Incorporate a variety of whole fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your kids diet as they contain more nutrients. • Dairy products: Dairy based foods contain protein, calcium, vitamin D and B12. These are especially beneficial for children following a vegetarian diet. • Iron-Rich Foods: Ensure that your kids eat foods that are rich in iron. These include leafy vegetables, meats, beans, lentils, and fortified cereals. Along with these have foods rich in vitamin C that can help in iron absorption.

6. Balanced diet: Plan meals that contain all essential nutrients. Maintaining a balanced diet for kids daily can help get adequate nutrients and can prevent any nutritional gap and thrive in life!

7. The Role of Nutritional Supplements • It can be challenging to feed nutritious food to kids who are fussy. Kids diet can also lack certain nutrients as incorporating all food groups in their daily diet is difficult. It is true that sometimes even with consistent efforts, daily nutrition for kids may not be enough. Some nutrients can be lacking in their meals. In these situations, nutritional supplements can play a crucial role. A nutritional drink like Complan can be incorporated in children’s diet. Complan contains 34 vital nutrients that are vita for a kid’s growth and development. It includes milk protein, Vitamin A, C, E, B12, Iron, zinc, folic acid and iodine etc • Being packed with vital vitamins and minerals it can help kids be healthy. Complan along with a balanced diet for kids, can be a good way to bridge any nutritional gaps in a kid’s diet.

8. Conclusion • It’s essential to find and address any nutritional deficiencies that kids might be going through. Addressing these issues promptly can help kids grow healthily and avoid any issues while growing up. Provide them with more nutritional foods including, fruits and vegetables, whole foods, pulses, lentils meats and dairy products. A balanced diet with all these essentials along with Complan can ensure daily nutrition for kids.

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