How to Make Sure Your Children Get Enough Vitamin D
Know how much Vitamin D your children should be getting., Eat foods rich in Vitamin D. See a Vitamin D Rich Foods List for exact amounts of Vitamin D in certain foods., Encourage outside play time., Take vitamin supplements.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know how much Vitamin D your children should be getting.
Infants, children, and teenagers should be getting about 400 IU of vitamin D every day.
That's equivalent to 10 μg. -
Step 2: Eat foods rich in Vitamin D. See a Vitamin D Rich Foods List for exact amounts of Vitamin D in certain foods.
Many fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, and sardines, are rich in vitamin D.
Drink fortified milk and orange juice, and eat cereals with vitamin D supplements.
Use fortified milk instead of water in soups and oatmeal.
Feed children yogurt fortified with Vitamin D.
A teaspoon of cod liver oil has about 400 IU of Vitamin D, the recommended level for children. , Vitamin D is a conditional vitamin, which means that it is necessary to eat only when your body does not make enough of it by itself.
Your body makes it in your skin through the action of UV rays from the sun.
It only takes about 15- 20 minutes in the sun for your body to make enough.
However, putting on sunscreen blocks the UV-B rays that help make Vitamin D, so slathering on sunscreen every time you go outside will not help you make more Vitamin D.
Unless you burn easily, don't put on sunscreen as soon as you go outside.
Instead, wait for about 10 minutes.
People with darker skin coloring have a harder time getting enough Vitamin D naturally
- that is, through exposure to the sun- because darker skin blocks UV rays. , Children lacking in Vitamin D can make up for it with multivitamin tablets.
Make sure to purchase ones that write "Calcium + Vitamin D" for added minerals. -
Step 3: Encourage outside play time.
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Step 4: Take vitamin supplements.
Detailed Guide
Infants, children, and teenagers should be getting about 400 IU of vitamin D every day.
That's equivalent to 10 μg.
Many fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, and sardines, are rich in vitamin D.
Drink fortified milk and orange juice, and eat cereals with vitamin D supplements.
Use fortified milk instead of water in soups and oatmeal.
Feed children yogurt fortified with Vitamin D.
A teaspoon of cod liver oil has about 400 IU of Vitamin D, the recommended level for children. , Vitamin D is a conditional vitamin, which means that it is necessary to eat only when your body does not make enough of it by itself.
Your body makes it in your skin through the action of UV rays from the sun.
It only takes about 15- 20 minutes in the sun for your body to make enough.
However, putting on sunscreen blocks the UV-B rays that help make Vitamin D, so slathering on sunscreen every time you go outside will not help you make more Vitamin D.
Unless you burn easily, don't put on sunscreen as soon as you go outside.
Instead, wait for about 10 minutes.
People with darker skin coloring have a harder time getting enough Vitamin D naturally
- that is, through exposure to the sun- because darker skin blocks UV rays. , Children lacking in Vitamin D can make up for it with multivitamin tablets.
Make sure to purchase ones that write "Calcium + Vitamin D" for added minerals.
About the Author
Janice Green
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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