Have you ever had a pharmacist tell you that children don't need  vitamins because they should be getting it from their food? But wait... what if your child doesn't eat much or prefers only one or two items that may not have much nutritional value? Or what if you believe that foods these days are not as nutritious as they once were?

As parents we want to give our children the absolute best chance at being strong and healthy. Many children are picky eaters or just don't eat enough. It may be that they don't receive the essential vitamins and minerals from food, so many of us ensure they have their daily vitamin to supplement this fact.

If you're one of those parents who doesn't always take the time to research the quality of vitamins you give your children, this little phrase might help you to remember what to look for: "No Art 26"

"No Art" - No Artificial Sweeteners or Colors
Vitamins should not include aspartame or other artificial sweeteners.  Look for natural sweeteners like Xylitol. Xylitol is actually proven to reduce cavities and ear infections. Stay away from any vitamins that include any FD&C colors. These are primarily artificial, petrochemicals and suspected health hazards.

"26" - Essential Vitamins and Minerals
There are 12 essential vitamins and 14 essential minerals that are required to keep us healthy and prevent disease. Very few children's vitamins provide all 26 of these, but the more the better. So when looking at the label, count how many vitamins and minerals there are.  The closer you get to 26, the better. If a vitamin has only around half of these, consider an alternative.

The last and probably the most important thing you'll want to know is how they taste. Unfortunately you can't know this until you get them home, but most stores have a return policy that will cover you if your  child just won't eat them. It's often difficult to get children to take vitamins if they don't taste good. Taste them yourself. If they taste great, then kids will be more likely to eat them, and maybe even look forward to them everyday.

Different brands will have other ingredients that provide benefits to our kids as well. Look for ingredients like fruits and vegetables that you recognize.

Along with vitamins keep your kids strong and healthy through a well balanced diet, regular exercise and lots of love.

Tracy Matthewman is a cleansing coach who helps families live a  
healthier lifestyle through nutritional cleansing. She is particularly  
passionate about children's health and nutritional issues. She lives  
in Mississauga with her husband, daughter and two cock-a-poos. Click  
here for Tracy's recommended vitamins for children.

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