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Children are growing at a rapid rate from the minute they are born until their teenage years, when growth rate slows down. It takes an extraordinary amount of energy for the body to continue to grow, and it cannot do it without the help of essential vitamins and minerals. Read on to find out what science says are the most important vitamins and minerals during childhood.

Minerals:

CALCIUM

Calcium is an important mineral needed to form our teeth and bones. It helps to build up bone reserves for later life – this vitally prepares our bones for when bone density decreases with age. Did you know that calcium also assists muscle function, much like potassium (link to Tassi)? And, calcium also plays an important role in our nervous system.

Healthy sources of calcium include: dairy products, fortified foods, salmon, dark green leafy vegetables like kale, brazil nuts, cheese, yoghurt, chickpeas, milk, and even tinned sardines.

Allergic to dairy products? No problem! One of the most underrated vegetables that helps to strengthen our bones is the onion. In a study carried out by the University of Bern, Switzerland, evidence found that only one gram of onion per day was sufficient to strengthen the human skeleton (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050411112150.htm). If you are interested in other alternative sources of calcium than milk, visit here: https://www.today.com/food/foods-more-calcium-glass-milk-t110786

IRON

Iron is a mineral that assists red blood cells in carrying oxygen around the body, and prevents us from becoming anaemic. A typical symptom of anaemia is extreme fatigue, and iron helps to combat this.

Red meat is a common source of high iron content, but other foods high in iron include dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, different types of beans, nuts and legumes, and also dried fruit.

Did you know that carrots are a source of both calcium and iron? Watch out for our next book to learn more!

Vitamins:

B VITAMINS

B vitamins including – most prominently – B12 help to give us energy and assist with our metabolism. These B-vits are also known for contributing to normal cell growth and development, and for ensuring we have a healthy nervous system.

Like iron, animal by-products such as meat, fish, poultry and eggs are high in the B vitamins, as well as cheese. If you are trying to avoid animal-based products, soya milk and bananas are also known for containing B vitamins.

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D teams up with calcium to help build stronger bones and teeth and keep our joints healthy. Oily fish like sardines, salmon and mackerel contain Vitamin D. In meat-free produce, it can be found in eggs, wheatgerm and seeds, and fortified cereals.

VITAMIN E

Vitamin E is a sort of super vitamin! Not only does it have a positive effect on our skin, hair and nails, but it is also integral to protecting our bodies. It helps to keep our immune system strong and prevent free radical attack due to the antioxidants it contains. In addition to that, it has anti-inflammatory properties, aids with healing, and even helps to level out our hormones! For these reasons, Vitamin E is one of the most important vitamins that you should ensure your child is getting plenty of to help keep them healthy.

Vitamin E is widely found in nuts and seeds such as hazelnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds (as well as their oil). Nut allergy? No problem! Vitamin E is also in a variety of vegetables like carrots, tomatoes and spinach.

Did you know that strawberries contain both Vitamin E and iron? To learn more about the amazing properties of strawberries, purchase your copy of Cece the Strawberry now!

Fruit and vegetables are an important and rich source of vitamins and minerals, which is why it’s so essential to each a variety each day. Eat the rainbow! The best way to ensure that your child is getting the necessary vitamins and minerals is to give them as many different coloured fruit and vegetables as you can each day. How many different types of fruit and vegetable should children eat each day? Click here to read our previous blog post about the NHS guidelines.

Here at Vitaminnies we are pleased to announce that we have a bright, shiny new book for you! Our second illustrated book in the Vitaminnies series is called Tassi the Banana, following our debut book Cece the Strawberry.

Tassi the Banana seeks to teach children about the important benefits of bananas. Did you know that bananas help your muscles to concentrate? ‘Tassi’ takes her name from potassium – an important mineral that helps all of our muscles to work properly. And, importantly, this includes our heart for beating and our lungs for breathing!

We want all children to realise why they should eat fruit and vegetables, and be excited about helping their bodies reach their best potential. Secondly, we want all children to dream about the things that they could achieve if they are healthy and nourished with vitamins and minerals. So, we aim to inspire children through our characters; Tassi could even be a brain surgeon one day!

Our latest book is beautifully illustrated, colourful and engaging; we even give our little readers a list of fun things to find that are hidden throughout the book. It takes our illustrator months to create a theme and draw out every tiny bee, leaf and monkey individually before the images can be digitised and compiled into book format. You can check out the other amazing artwork that our illustrator Maxine Hughes has done by visiting her website here.

We hope that you’re excited to see how the finished product looks! You can purchase your copy of Tassi the Banana now by clicking HERE.

The immune system is a network of cells, organs, proteins and tissues that works to protect the body against germs. Your immune system works around the clock to defend you from developing infections, such as the common cold. Healthy people tend to not get as many infections and ailments as an unhealthy person – their lifestyle helps to strengthen their immune system, helping to stop the body from developing more serious illnesses. This is why it is key to have a strong immune system!

What is the immune system?

The immune system is made up of white blood cells of two different types. Phagocytes are white blood cells that attack foreign organisms in the body. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that identify and record details of previously defeated foreign organisms to tell us how to beat them. The ‘immune response’ is the interaction between these white blood cells that helps to protect us and keep us well.

What are the symptoms of a weak immune system?

Do you constantly feel tired or frequently suffer with anaemia? Or do you seem to pick up every type of bug and infection going around? Do you suffer with allergies? These can all be indicators that your immunity is suffering. Injuries that are slow to heal, unexplained weight loss or weight gain and hair loss can also be more serious signs that your immune system is weak. Even something as innocent as having digestive problems can give us a clue that there’s more bad bacteria in your gut than good! For me, I know that I’m run down when I start suffering from mouth ulcers.

If you frequently suffer with any of the above, it may be worth checking in with your doctor. Luckily, there are also natural ways that you can help to make your internal defences stronger.

Which fruit and vegetables help the immune system?

Fruit and vegetables are filled with vitamins and minerals that help to contribute towards a healthy body. Below are the vitamins and minerals which are most commonly associated with improving your body’s immune response:

Vitamin A:

• Can boost our immune system to make it healthier

Vitamin C:

• Increases the activity of white blood cells which are the foremost cells in the immune system helping resistance against infections
• Keeps tissues in our body healthy and strong
• Helps to clean up damaging free radicals in our body

Beta-Carotene:

• Is a potent antioxidant
• Assists with quicker healing of mucous membranes
• Stimulates the immune system to make it stronger

Zinc:

• Is an important mineral for strengthening the immune system and speeding up wound healing

Some fruit and vegetables which contain these vitamins and minerals essential to immune function are carrots, nectarines and strawberries. Carrots contain vitamin A, beta-carotene and zinc. Nectarines are high in vitamin E – vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps the immune system. Strawberries are high in iron and vitamin C – the iron in them helps to prevent anaemia, which can be a symptom of low immune function.

To teach your children more about how strawberries can help your immune system, buy your copy of Cece the Strawberry here!

According to the official NHS website, we are told that we should eat five different types of fruit and veg per day. But what counts? Why should we eat five different types of fruit and vegetables? And is five portions really enough?

What Counts As A Portion of Fruit or Veg?

Fruit and vegetables that contribute towards your five a day can be fresh, canned, frozen, dried and juiced. Your ‘five a day’ is classed as five different portions of fruit and vegetables combined – not five portions of each!

A general rule to give you an idea on how much of a fruit or vegetable counts as one portion is that it should be enough to fill the palm of your hand. This means that one portion of fruit or veg for a child is a smaller amount than that which an adult would have to eat to reach their target. For an adult, 80g of fruit or veg is recommended as one portion.

Why Should We Eat Five Different Types of Fruit and Veg Per Day?

Different types of fruit and vegetables have different types of vitamins and minerals in them which contribute towards keeping us feeling healthy and our bodies functioning at their best. For example, strawberries contain vitamin C, which is really important for our immune system. To read more about the superhero-like qualities that strawberries give our bodies, pick up a copy of our debut children’s book Cece the Strawberry here.

The idea of having five portions of fruit and vegetables per day has come from advice given by the World Health Organisation, who state that eating this as a minimum lowers the risk of “serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and some cancers”. Fruit and vegetables should be eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Is Five Portions of Fruit and Veg Really Enough?

Since 2014, there has been extensive talk of changing the Five A Day campaign to a ‘seven a day’ campaign. Health professionals believe that eating just five portions of fruit and vegetables does not go far enough for our dietary requirements and that we should be striving for more. This research was conducted at University College London, and results showed that eating seven portions of fruit and vegetables dramatically reduced the risk of death by any cause (33%). More recently, the NHS have even stated that ten portions of fruit and vegetables is best. This comes from researchers looking at more than 350 studies combined examining the effect that fruit and vegetable consumption had on general health and reduction in premature death.

So what should we take from this? In summary, five portions of varied fruit and veg is the minimum that you should be aiming to eat every day, but the more, the better.

Watch out for upcoming blog posts with ideas on how to make fruit and vegetables seem more exciting to your little ones, fact sheets on the benefits of different types of fruit and veg, and ‘hidden’ vegetable recipes.

The NHS website is a fantastic resource for everything you need to know about getting your five a day. They have ideas about how to encourage fussy eaters to eat more fruit and vegetables, tips and tricks, and tips for growing your own fruit and veg.