How to Support Your Child’s Immune System through Nutrition?

Balance is the game and variety is its name when it comes to what a healthy plate for a child should look like. There should be plenty of proteins, healthy fats, high quality sources of vitamins (C, E, D, Lutein), Choline, minerals, fatty acids, filling fibers, and carbohydrates that support growth and most importantly, immunity. Today we will have a quick look at some of the most important ones from each category and how PediaSure^Ⓡ can help top off your child’s nutritional needs.

Vitamin C and E

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), which is also an antioxidant, is a critical nutrient in supporting the various cell functions that are responsible for fighting and adapting to infections. While Vitamin C is supporting the adaptability of cells, Vitamin E (dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate) helps with their resilience. It helps your child’s blood flow, thus allowing the body to distribute nutrients properly.¹

Vitamin C: Strawberries, Pineapples, Broccoli, Bell Peppers

Vitamin E: Nuts, sunflower seeds, dark green leafy vegetables

What is Choline and how it Helps

Choline is actually neither a mineral or a vitamin, but a water soluble compound. This compound is important for other bodily functions in your child besides supporting the immune system. Functions like brain sharpness, development, muscle memory, and nervous system. But as for immunity alone, it helps with the immune cells reaction time to bodily invaders. Though the body already makes choline, these are the best food sources: eggs, mushrooms, red meat, chicken and beef liver, cod fish, soybean oil.¹

Healthy Fats and Carbohydrates

Saturated fats found in most packaged food and fast foods is the unhealthy version while unsaturated fats found in non farmed fish, tree nuts, organic meats, pure milk and avocados. Fats are needed for vitamins to be absorbed while it boosts T-Cell activity, allowing your child’s body for better antibody production. Carbohydrates are what provides energy and keeps your child active throughout the day. An appropriate amount will keep the blood sugar in their body stable, which reduces stress, thus giving the body more time to recover from infections faster. There are carbs in a lot of foods, but whole food sources like non refined whole grains, brown rice, choice of fruits or vegetables, and fortified cereals. High quality or complex carbohydrates are also high in fiber which keeps your child’s gut healthy (feeds the good bacteria known as probiotics to fight off the harmful ones).²

Nutrition has a powerful role in how well their bodies fight off infections. But it is not always easy for a parent to do. That is why enlisting the help of child nutrition like PediaSure^Ⓡ to help with nutrients missing from natural food. One serving (225 ml in liquid or 5 scoops in powder) has protein content of 1 egg, Vitamin C content of 3 giant strawberries, Choline from 1 handful of nuts, and Vitamin E amount equal to ½ a cup of cooked spinach, a parent is rest assured that their child will have a complete and balanced diet when they need the help.³

References:

https://pediasure.com/child-development-nutrition/powerful-nutrition-kids#immune-support
https://pediasure.in/child-nutrition/complete-balanced-diet-and-nutrition-for-kids
https://pediasure.in/about-pediasure/pediasure-product-formulation