A well-balanced diet that provides all of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals we need is important at any age. However, it’s perhaps most critical for helping children reach their physical, mental, and intellectual potential. Unfortunately, recent statistics show that children’s nutrition in North America is severely lacking and has plenty of room for improvement.

• 70% of kids 4 to 8 are not reaching their recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake
• Each day, at least 30% of children eat at fast food restaurants
• In the past 25 years, the number of overweight children aged 6-11 has doubled in North America and the number of overweight teenagers has tripled

Most parents aim to provide their children with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, high-quality proteins, and natural fats. However, picky eating, school cafeteria food, the abundance of fast food, busy lives, and other challenges often cause their nutrition to fall short despite a parent’s best intentions. That’s why supplements specially designed for children can be helpful additions to a healthy diet. They help bridge nutritional gaps while providing extra nutrients to keep up with the demands of growing bodies and minds.

Here are a few ways to help keep your kids happy and healthy:

Multivitamin: The All-in-One Approach

If it feels as though your kids are growing up right before your eyes, it’s because they are. Not surprisingly, the extensive physical, mental and emotional development that occurs throughout childhood demands a constant supply of nutrients. For some parents, work, life and finances make it difficult to always give their little ones the nutrition they need. For a quick and convenient way to complement a balanced diet and fill any nutritional gaps, consider adding a multivitamin. Be sure to choose clean, non-GMO formulations providing a comprehensive array of vitamins and minerals. Of course, they also need to taste great.

For balanced, high quality multivitamin support, give Sisu a try. For kids on the go, there’s Kid Stiks Multivitamin in Cherry or Grape. This non-effervescent powder comes in convenient, single-serving packets, and mixes easily into water or their favourite drinks. Formulated with 250 mg of non-acidic Ester-C® vitamin C, Kid Stiks multi provides 24-hour immune support that’s easy on the stomach. It’s also loaded with nourishing B vitamins, and essential minerals including calcium, magnesium and zinc. Naturally sweetened with Stevia and non-GMO beet sugar, each packet has only 5 grams of sugar and 20 calories.

For a healthy way to support your child’s nutrition while also satisfying their sweet tooth, try Sisu U-Cubes™ Multi Gummies. These great-tasting, pectin-based gummies provide your little ones with the optimal complement of vitamins and minerals essential to their proper growth and development. What’s more, they are naturally-sweetened, and made with no high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial colours or sweeteners.

Supplements specially designed for children help bridge nutritional gaps while providing extra nutrients to keep up with the demands of growing bodies and minds

Calcium, D3, & Vitamin C: Help Where It’s Needed

While a multivitamin can go a long way towards supporting a healthy childhood, many kids benefit from a more targeted approach. Whether due to dietary limitations, increased lifestyle demands, or simply wishing to optimize their growth and development, parents often look to safely and gently boost their kids’ daily intake of certain key nutrients. Appearing at the top of the list for many are calcium and vitamin D3. If you’re looking to help support strong, healthy bones now and into adulthood, there’s Sisu U-Cubes™ Calcium & D3. Made with the same clean, high quality base as U-Cubes™ Multi, U-Cubes™ Calcium & D3 have three delicious flavours in each bottle: strawberry, blueberry and pink lemonade.

For many kids, growing up healthy and strong can be a challenge amidst the multitude of germs, bacteria and viruses present in every park, playground and classroom. To help support a strong, robust immune system, consider adding a vitamin C supplement to your child’s routine. With Sisu U-Cubes™ Vitamin C, kids get 250 mg of vitamin C in each gummy, with two delicious flavours in each bottle: orange and strawberry.

Probiotics: Ensuring a Happy Tummy

As we’ve already discussed, it’s vitally important to ensure that kids eat a healthy, balanced diet. But what good is a nutritious diet if the body has trouble digesting and absorbing the nutrients? To help optimize both digestive and immune function, many parents turn to probiotics. Unfortunately, many probiotic supplements have not been proven safe or effective in supporting a child’s unique gut flora. Compounding the problem is the difficulty many parents experience getting their kids to take the supplement in the first place.

That’s why Sisu created Probiotic Kid Stiks; an unflavoured, odourless, tasteless powder that mixes easily with cool food or drinks. Each single serving packet contains 5 billion multi-strain cultures specially chosen to promote optimal digestive function in children, with virtually no sugar or calories. They don’t need refrigeration, and are easy to take with you whenever and wherever you need them. And, like the Kid Stiks Multivitamin, they’re non-GMO, and free of gluten, peanuts and tree nuts.

Omega 3’s: A Sea of Health Benefits

The body needs an adequate supply of healthy fats to support the health of the brain, cardiovascular system, skin, and joints. This is particularly important for children and adolescents who are learning, growing, and rapidly forming new tissues. Unfortunately, many fish, seafood products and omega 3 supplements contain high levels of contaminants including mercury, lead, and PCBs.

To ensure that your kids are getting enough healthy fats without the risks, Sisu created Omega 3 Bursts. These great-tasting chewable capsules contain standardized dosages of key omega 3 fats DHA and EPA, without toxins or contaminants. Omega 3 Bursts provide just the right amount of what your kids need most to promote heart health, control inflammation, and support brain and mood health. In addition, supplementation with EPA and DHA may also help reduce behaviour problems and modulate the allergic response. And while most kids love the naturally sweetened, fruit-flavoured burst from chewing the capsules, they can also be opened and squeezed into food or juice.

Healthy Kids Make Healthy Adults

There’s no substitute for a childhood full of discovery, adventure, and the nurturing guidance of loved ones. But with the right support, it’s never too early to help build the foundation for a long, healthy and happy life.