Nutrients Kids Need
You know your kids need to eat healthfully to grow properly. But do you know what they need on a daily basis? We’ve made it easy. For a crash course in kiddie nutrition, check out the following charts featuring the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals your child should consume each day.
Calcium You’ve heard the message – calcium builds strong bones. Not only that, but calcium helps bones grow longer as well as stronger
| 1-3 years | | 500 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 800 mg |
| 9-18 years | | 1,300 mg |
Iron Iron helps carry oxygen to the cells and helps kids resist disease.
| 1-10 years | | 10 mg |
| 11-18 years – boys | | 12 mg |
| 11-18 years – girls | | 15 mg |
Fiber Fiber keeps kids feeling full and aids in smooth bowel movements. Use your child’s age as a guide to figure out how much fiber he or she should consume each day. Simply add 5 grams to your child’s age. For example, a 3-year-old should get 8 grams a day; a 14-year-old should get 19 grams per day.
Potassium Potassium helps kids’ muscles, including the heart, to function properly and, it helps to maintain normal blood pressure.
| 1-3 years | | 3,000 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 3,800 mg |
| 9-13 years | | 4,500 mg |
| 14-18 years | | 4,700 mg |
Magnesium Magnesium helps keep the nerves, muscles and heart working properly, and it helps to produce energy.
| 1-3 years | | 80 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 130 mg |
| 9-13 years | | 240 mg |
| 14-18 years – boys | | 410 mg |
| 14-18 years – girls | | 360 mg |
Vitamin A Vitamin A helps kids’ eyes to see in the dark, boosts the immune system and keeps the skin and tissues healthy.
| 1-3 years | | 300 mcg |
| 4-8 years | | 400 mcg |
| 9-13 years | | 600 mcg |
| 14-18 years – boys | | 900 mcg |
| 14-18 years – girls | | 700 mcg |
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Vitamin B1 helps to convert carbohydrates into energy and maintains a healthy nervous system.
| 1-3 years | | 0.5 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 0.6 mg |
| 9-13 years | | 0.9 mg |
| 14-18 years – boys | | 1.2 mg |
| 14-18 years – girls | | 1.1 mg |
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Vitamin B2 helps the body break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats and, it helps cells produce energy.
| 1-3 years | | 0.5 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 0.6 mg |
| 9-13 years | | 0.9 mg |
| 14-18 years – boys | | 1.3 mg |
| 14-18 years – girls | | 1.1 mg |
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Vitamin B3 promotes healthy digestion and uses the body’s sugars and fatty acids to produce energy.
| 1-3 years | | 6 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 8 mg |
| 9-13 years | | 12 mg |
| 14-18 years – boys | | 16 mg |
| 14-18 years – girls | | 14 mg |
Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) Folic acid helps promote healthy skin and hair and helps to produce red blood cells.
| 1-3 years | | 150 mcg |
| 4-8 years | | 200 mcg |
| 9-13 years | | 300 mcg |
| 14-18 years | | 400 mcg |
Vitamin C Most parents know that vitamin C bolsters the immune system. It also speeds up healing, protects the body against bruising and builds healthy gums.
| 1-3 years | | 15 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 25 mg |
| 9-13 years | | 45 mg |
| 14-18 years – boys | | 75 mg |
| 14-18 years – girls | | 65 mg |
Vitamin D Vitamin D helps the body absorb other important nutrients like calcium and magnesium and keeps the immune system strong.
Vitamin E Vitamin E is essential for a healthy immune system, helps to speed healing and may help prevent some types of cancer.
| 1-3 years | | 6 mg |
| 4-8 years | | 7 mg |
| 9-13 years | | 11 mg |
| 14-18 years | | 15 mg |
Vitamin K Vitamin K helps kids’ blood to clot.
| 1-3 years | | 30 mcg |
| 4-8 years | | 55 mcg |
| 9-13 years | | 60 mcg |
| 14-18 years | | 75 mcg |
