Teens who are eating on the go may not be getting all of the vitamins and minerals they need to grow and develop properly. In fact, even teens with a well balanced diet may not be getting all the nutrients they need to reach their optimum health levels. Natural vitamin supplements can help ensure your teen is getting what they need to fuel their mind and body every day.
Choosing Vitamins
Choosing the right type of vitamin supplements can be a challenge. There are both natural and synthetic types of vitamins available. All natural vitamins are the best for several reasons. Most importantly, natural supplements are made from ingredients that your body recognizes as food. Since your body identifies the ingredients, it can absorb more of the vitamins and minerals in the supplement than if you were taking a synthetic vitamin.
Reading labels is the most effective way to find out what your vitamin supplements are made from. Natural vitamins will say that they are made from plant sources right on the label. Being able to recognize the difference between synthetic and natural sources can be difficult, however, since some synthetic vitamins claim to come from plant sources. For example, brewer’s yeast is a natural source of vitamin B2 and should be listed in the ingredients if it is used. In general, if the source of the vitamin or mineral isn’t listed you can assume it is a synthetic supplement. Additionally, vitamins that have a “dl” prefix are also made synthetically.
Why Choose Multivitamins?
A multivitamin just makes sense for a teen who is on the go a lot, but there are actually health advantages to choosing a vitamin that includes enzymes and trace minerals in addition to vitamins. According to www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/natural-vitamins-synthetic.html, natural sources are the best because plants contain other compounds that allow vitamins to be used by the body more efficiently. The human body needs enzymes and minerals to absorb and use vitamins properly. If you take one isolated vitamin, Vitamin A, for example, it may not be absorbed without the needed co-occurring compounds available in a natural source.
Types of Vitamins
Eating a healthy, organic diet is one way to boost your teen’s vitamin intake, but you can also find natural vitamin supplements for them to take when they just don’t seem to be getting enough from diet alone. You can now find everything from gummy vitamins to individual packets of multivitamins in your local health food stores. It is a good idea to look for vitamins according to your child’s age. Most adult vitamins can be taken by kids over the age of twelve. Reading the label for age guidelines can also help you find the right supplements for your teen.
If you want a natural vitamin, you will want to avoid any supplements that have ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. The addition of sugar and sugar substitutes is common in products that are chewable. And organic vitamin may be your best option if your teen prefers a chewable vitamin.
Author Bio
Ron Thompson is an avid blogger on how to fight fatigue, who loves to camp and writes for Del-Immune V®, a unique probiotic supplement made from the lactobacillus rhamnosus which is an immune support.
