Millennials like me will surely remember the yummy Flintstones chewable vitamins our parents required us to take back in the 1990s. The orange-flavored Fred Flintstone was my favorite! As a child, all I knew about vitamins was it prevented me from being sick, it’s sweet, and it’s cool coz it’s Flintstones.
Now the millennials who grew up chewing Flintstone-inspired vitamins are now the hands-on parents who are open about giving their little ones Supplements. But with the many options on the market today and the loads of information within reach, we tend to be very selective and more cautious when it comes to dietary supplements for kids. Not just looking at its look or fruity flavor, we want to check what’s actually inside a vitamin supplement. Is it worth the money? Is it good for my child?
US-based nutritional company USANA, known for its adult vitamin and anti-oxidant supplements, saw how parents nowadays are really into taking charge of their children’s health. Hence, USANA now offers a vitamin supplement for kids that has additional benefits other than a yummy flavor and cute look that kids will love.
Why does my child need dietary supplement?
Children need a diet sufficient in macro and micronutrients. Macronutrients refer to carbohydrates, fats and protein needed by the body to provide the vital energy and body building elements for survival and development. Meanwhile, micronutrients are essential vitamins and minerals children needed in small amounts to support their physical and mental development.
A child’s diet must also be sufficient to provide for the accumulation of stores of nutrients in preparation for the accelerated growth spurts of the teen years. The lack of micronutrients such as iodine, vitamin A or iron in their daily diet may result in brain underdevelopment and poor performance in school, as well as the inability to cope with stress.
Sadly, we are not able to give them 100% healthy meals all the time. “We’ve always said food first to get your child’s recommended daily dose of vitamins but the reality is that most diets are deficient in many areas. And in many ways, nutrition is even more crucial in children who are actively growing and developing, kilo by kilo each day,” states USANA Health Sciences Executive Director of Scientific and Clinical Affairs Brian Dixon, Ph.D.
Hence, there is a need for supplements. According to Dr. Rio Rita Santiago, a pediatrician and a USANA product user, there are four steps to promoting our child’s health:
- Exercise
- Eat right
- Minimize stress
- Make supplementation a habit.
Yes, the need for supplementation has already been sold to us millennial parents. The question now is what supplement do we give our child?
What is Usanimals?
One of the options in the market today is Usanimals. It is a daily multivitamin for children 2 to 12 years of age with a balanced formula that contains 23 essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support healthy growth and development for healthy immune functions and energy levels, and bone support.
According to USANA Corporate Pharmacist Gen Blasurca, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes Usanimals as a household remedy for multivitamis and minerals deficiency.
Why should I consider choosing Usanimals over other known dietary supplements for kids in the market?
Of course, this was the first question in my mind when I learned about Usanimals. More than flavors and brands, I wanted to look more into the details of a vitamin supplement.
So here are some of the noteworthy advantages of Usanimals I learned about:
- Aside from the usual multivitamins and minerals present in other supplements, Usanimals contains:
- Lecithin – rich source of Choline which is good for memory and is found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
- Hydrolized Rice Protein – good for skin and hair
- Inositol – keep fats collecting from the body particularly in the liver, may also benefit mental health
- Unlike other vitamin supplements for kids that have high sugar content, Usanimals is free from artificial flavors and sweeteners. As obesity and diabetes are among the major health concerns nowadays, it’s important to lessen the sugar that’s getting into our child’s body.
- Safe for children with Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency
- Chewable tablet with a berry flavor
- It looks expensive at P18.75 per tablet (1 jar contains 56 tablets), but considering the contents it has that’s not in other supplements, it’s not far from the cost of kiddie vitamin syrup that’s only 15 ml.
Unfortunately, Usanimals is not available in drug stores. To get a bottle of Usanimals, moms and dads need to contact one of USANA’s associates or distributors.
For more information on Usanimals, check the USANA website or its Facebook page.
