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and to run efficiently. We get vitamins from eating both plants and animals. If we don’t eat enough (or eat too many) vitamins, the body can become ill.

VITAMIN A is important for healthy eyesight and night vision. It helps in the growth of healthy bones and teeth, and in the development of healthy skin. (It’s best to get your Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene—a nutrient found in bright orange and green vegetables which our body converts to Vitamin A as needed.) Good sources of Vitamin A (in the form of beta carotene) are:

Orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin, and apricot

Dark green leafy vegetables

Daily Recommendations

1 to 3 years old: 300 mcg/1000 IU

4 to 8 years old: 400 mcg/1333 IU

9 to 13 years old: 600 mcg/2000 IU

VITAMIN B6 is important for making hormones, enzymes, and hemoglobin (red blood cells) in the blood. It also helps to make antibodies and insulin, and helps to maintain normal brain function. Good sources are:

Fortified cereals

Legumes

Vegetables

Bananas

Eggs

Meat (beef, pork, and chicken)

Daily Recommendations

Infant to 3 years old: 0.5 mg

4 to 8 years old: 0.6 mg

9 to 13 years old: 1 mg

VITAMIN B12 helps to make hemoglobin (red blood cells) and helps maintain healthy nerve cells. It is also needed to make DNA, the genetic material found in all cells. Good sources are:

Fish

Shellfish

Meats

Dairy products

Daily Recommendations

Infant to 3 years old: 0.9 mcg

4 to 8 years old: 1.2 mcg

9 to 13 years old: 1.8 mcg

FOLIC ACID is necessary for the normal growth and maintenance of all cells. It also helps to make red blood cells and DNA. Folic acid is found in:

Dark green leafy vegetables

Avocados

Beets

Broccoli

Orange juice

Strawberries

Daily Recommendations

1 to 3 years old: 150 mcg

4 to 8 years old: 200 mcg

9 to 13 years old: 300 mcg

VITAMIN C helps children resist infections by supporting immune cell functions. It also helps make collagen and maintain body tissues, and helps cuts and wounds heal. Good sources of Vitamin C are:

Red, green, and yellow bell peppers

Strawberries

Oranges and grapefruits

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Daily Recommendations

1 to 3 years old: 15 mg

4 to 8 years old: 25 mg

9 to 13 years old: 45 mg

VITAMIN D helps absorb calcium and is needed for strong bones and teeth. Good sources are:

Milk

Wild salmon (fresh or canned), sardines, and other fatty fish

Egg yolks

Vitamin D–fortified foods

Daily Recommendations

Children and adolescents need 5 mcg

VITAMIN E is an antioxidant, which means it helps protect healthy cells from damage. It is also important for healthy red blood cells. Good sources are:

Vegetable oils

Avocados

Nuts

Seeds

Wheat germ

Vitamin E–fortified foods

Daily Recommendations

Infant to 3 years old: 6 mg

4 to 8 years old: 7 mg

9 to 13 years old: 11 mg

VITAMIN K is best known for helping blood clot properly after an injury. Good sources of Vitamin K are:

Turnip greens

Broccoli

Kale

Spinach

Cabbage

Asparagus

Dark green lettuce

Daily Recommendations

Infant to 3 years old: 30 mcg

4 to 8 years old: 55 mcg

9 to 13 years old: 60 mcg

Minerals

Two of the most important minerals for kids are iron and calcium—potassium is another one to keep an eye on.

IRON is key for transporting oxygen. If your child is a meat eater (beef, pork, poultry, shellfish, and eggs), you’re set. Iron from animal sources (called heme iron) is better absorbed than that from plants (called non-heme iron). If your child isn’t a big meat-eater, she or he can consume enough iron from beans, nuts, seeds, fortified cereals, and even raisins and spinach. To help increase the absorption of iron, add Vitamin C to a meal (i.g. bell peppers, tomatoes and tomato sauce, potatoes, strawberries, broccoli, and citrus fruits).

Daily Recommendations

1 to 3 year olds: 7 mg

4 to 8 year olds: 10 mg

9 to 13 year olds: 8 mg

CALCIUM is key for bone health, but it also helps keep muscles working optimally and regulate blood pressure.