Walk down the health aisle of any supermarket and you’ll see shelves lined with brightly packaged vitamin and mineral supplements designed for children.

These products promise to support immunity, boost brain development and promote healthy growth – leading many parents to believe they’re a necessary addition to their child’s diet.

For parents of fussy eaters in particular, supplements may feel like a quick and reassuring solution. But are they actually needed?

The nutrients children really need

It’s true that children require a broad range of vitamins and minerals – such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, along with folate, calcium, iodine, iron and zinc – for healthy development. These nutrients play essential roles in brain and nerve development, vision, bone strength, immune function, metabolism and maintaining a healthy weight.

However, for most healthy children, these nutrients can and should come from food – not from supplements.

Even children with selective eating habits typically receive adequate nutrition from everyday foods, many of which are fortified. Common staples such as breakfast cereals, milk and bread are often enriched with key nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, calcium and iodine.

What the science says about supplements

Although many children’s supplements claim to support immunity, growth, or overall wellbeing, there is little robust scientific evidence that they improve health outcomes or prevent illness in otherwise healthy children.

Leading health bodies advise that children who consume a varied diet do not need additional supplementation.

Research consistently shows that getting vitamins and minerals through whole foods is superior to taking them in supplement form. Foods provide these nutrients along with fibre, enzymes, and bioactive compounds, such as phytochemicals and healthy fats, which enhance absorption, metabolism and overall efficacy in ways isolated supplements cannot replicate.

Potential risks and unintended consequences

Parents should also be aware that supplements are not risk-free.

Fat-soluble vitamins – such as A, D, E and K – can accumulate in the body if consumed in excess. If they reach toxic levels, they can cause cause health issues. In the case of A and B vitamins, these issues can be severe and even cause death.

High doses of other water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C, may not be dangerous, but can cause side effects like diarrhoea or interfere with the absorption of other nutrients.

Many children’s supplements are flavoured or sweetened to make them more appealing. While this might make them easier to administer, it also introduces added sugars and artificial ingredients into children’s diets – potentially undermining healthy eating habits.

There is also a psychological dimension to consider. Routinely giving children supplements in response to normal eating behaviours, such as fussiness or selective food preferences, may inadvertently teach them that pills are a substitute for a nutritious diet, rather than a temporary aid.

So, what should parents do?

The most reliable way to provide children with essential vitamins and minerals is through a varied and balanced diet. This means including dairy, meat, poultry, fish, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and a colourful array of fruits and vegetables.

If you’re regularly negotiating with a pint-sized dictator over a single pea, rest assured you’re far from alone. Research shows nearly half of children go through a phase of picky eating – a behaviour rooted in our evolutionary past.

Early humans developed an aversion to unfamiliar or bitter foods as a survival mechanism to avoid potential toxins. At the same time, they learned to seek out and store energy-rich, palatable foods to survive periods of scarcity.

So, how can parents gently encourage toddlers to embrace healthier, more colourful food options?

• Mix things up. Blend less nutritious beige or white foods with healthier ingredients. For example, add cannellini beans and cauliflower into mashed potatoes to boost nutrient content without sacrificing familiarity.
• Make healthy swaps. Gradually replace white bread, pasta and rice with wholegrain versions. Start by mixing brown rice into a serving of white rice to ease the transition.
• Use familiarity to your advantage. Pair new, colourful foods with familiar favourites. Offer fruit dipped in yoghurt or add a vibrant red or green sauce to pasta, making new flavours less intimidating.

By taking these small, strategic steps, parents can support their child’s nutrition and help them develop a positive relationship with food – no matter how selective their tastes may be.

That said, there are cases where supplementation may be appropriate – such as children with diagnosed nutritional deficiencies, specific medical conditions, or highly restricted diets.

In these instances, parents should seek advice from a qualified health professional, such as a GP or paediatric dietitian. Warning signs may include symptoms such as persistent constipation or signs of impaired growth.

But for most children, vitamin supplements aren’t necessary – they may be doing more harm than good.

Nick Fuller is the author of Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids – Six Steps to Total Family Wellness. His free, practical recipe ideas for a nutritious, varied diet can be found at feedingfussykids.com.

Nick Fuller, Clinical Trials Director, Department of Endocrinology, RPA Hospital, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Once, the only nut butter on the supermarket shelf was peanut butter. Now you can also buy almond, cashew, hazelnut and macadamia nut butters, or blends.

So which is the healthiest nut butter to spread on your toast?

As we’ll see, the healthiest is not just about the actual nut. It’s also about what else goes in the jar.

What do they all have in common?

All nut butters are made from ground nuts that provide healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, plant-based protein, fibre. They also provide essential minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, zinc and iron.

Across decades of research, regularly eating nuts is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and premature death. That benefit appears whether the nut is peanut, almond or cashew or any other type of nut.

But many commercial products contain vegetable oils, palm oil, salt, sugar, or stabilisers to improve texture and shelf life. These added ingredients dilute the nutritional quality and increase salt or kilojoules without providing any health benefits.

Choosing a nut butter made only from nuts (or nuts with minimal salt) means you get the full nutritional value.

How do I choose a nut butter?

Check the ingredients list. The healthiest options contain just one ingredient – nuts. Some added salt is fine, if minimal. But avoid products with seed oils (such as canola oil), palm oil, fillers or added sugars.

Looking at the nutrients in each nut butter per serve (a tablespoon, about 16 grams) can highlight how they differ. The numbers vary slightly by brand. But when the product contains 100% nuts, the numbers don’t generally change dramatically between nuts.

To keep things simple, we’ve focused on peanut, almond and cashew butters:

• protein: peanut butter wins slightly for protein content, at 3.84g per tablespoon, making it a solid choice for post-workout snacks or adding extra protein to your day. However, almond (3.36g) and cashew butters (2.82g) aren’t far behind. So they still contribute meaningful protein to your diet
• fat: almond butter takes the top spot for healthy fats (8.88g per tablespoon), followed closely by peanut (7.98g) and cashew butter (7.9g). The fats in nuts are mainly heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have been associated with improved cholesterol levels and reduced inflammation
• carbohydrates: cashew butter contains the most carbohydrates (4.42g per tablespoon), which might be important if you’re looking for quick energy before a workout or if you have type 1 diabetes and are adjusting your medication based on your carbohydrate intake. Then comes peanut butter (3.49g), followed by almond butter (3.01g)
• fibre: almond butter takes the lead for fibre (1.65g per tablespoon) followed by peanut butter (1.06g). Cashew butter lags significantly behind (0.32g), about one-fifth of the almond butter’s content. This makes cashew butter the weakest option if you’re relying on nut butter to contribute to your daily fibre intake
• calcium: almond butter dramatically outperforms the others for calcium, with 55.5 milligrams per tablespoon. This offers about eight times more than peanut butter (6.56mg) and cashew butter (6.88mg). This makes almond butter an excellent choice for bone health, especially if you avoid dairy
• potassium: both peanut and almond butter tie for potassium content (120mg per tablespoon). This makes them useful for supporting healthy blood pressure and muscle function. Cashew butter contains 87.4mg
• iron: cashew butter leads the pack for iron (0.805mg for tablespoon), followed by almond butter (0.558mg) and peanut butter (0.304mg). This is particularly relevant for people with higher iron needs, such as those menstruating, pregnant or breastfeeding, or people following plant-based diets. But overall, nut butters are not a meaningful source of iron
• zinc: cashew butter (0.826mg per tablespoon) offers nearly twice the zinc of peanut butter (0.445mg). Almond butter’s zinc content is in the middle (0.526mg). This makes cashew butter valuable for immune function and wound healing
• selenium: cashew butter provides the most selenium (1.84 micrograms per tablespoon), an important antioxidant mineral that supports thyroid function. Peanut butter comes in second (1.2µg), while almond butter contains notably less (0.384µg)
• magnesium: almond butter leads for magnesium (44.6mg per tablespoon). Close behind is cashew butter (41.3mg), then peanut butter (25.4mg). This mineral is crucial for muscle relaxation, sleep quality and energy production.

In a nutshell

Each nut butter has distinct nutritional advantages:

• peanut butter leads in protein and ties with almond butter for potassium, making it ideal for muscle support and feeling full
• almond butter is the standout for calcium, and is also higher in fibre, magnesium and heart-healthy fats. This makes it an excellent choice for bone health, digestion and cardiovascular support
• cashew butter is naturally sweet and is the strongest source of minerals such as iron, zinc and selenium. These are essential for immune function, energy production and thyroid health. However, it is the lowest in both protein and fibre. So while it contributes valuable micronutrients, it’s better suited as an occasional option rather than a primary protein source.

Any concerns?

Often, almond and cashew butters are processed on equipment that’s been used to process peanuts or other nuts. So traces of one nut may appear in another nut butter, which is stated on the label. So if you have a specific nut allergy, check labels carefully.

The cost also varies. Almond and cashew butters are usually slightly more expensive (at around A$2.40 per 100g) compared with about $1.82 per 100g for peanut butter.

What now?

No single nut butter reigns supreme as each brings different nutritional strengths.

The smartest approach would be to keep more than one on hand, choose versions made from 100% nuts, and let your taste preferences and nutritional goals guide you.

Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Lecturer, Southern Cross University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.