In an ideal world (and on social media) we picture the youth of today eating healthy animal-shaped, rainbow-themed school lunches and snacks – freshly picked from their community gardens. But the reality is that kids are faced with some pretty big nutritional obstacles.

It’s hard enough to have kids eat their veggies, but today’s families are also faced with fast-paced lives where getting everyone fed is a feat unto itself. The wide-spread availability and aggressive marketing behind processed foods have pushed them front and center. Even with the pressures of living an Insta-worthy life and a freshly updated Canada’s Food Guide, kids just aren’t meeting the following daily nutritional recommendations:

• Only 10% of Canadian students in grades 6‐12 meet fruit and veggie intake recommendations
• About 40% of this intake among Canadian children and teens is from juice and white potato
• 84% of children consume less than one serving of fish/seafood per week
• 55% of Canadian children & teens’ energy intake is from ultra-processed foods (soft drinks, fast food, sweets, etc.)

It’s becoming increasingly obvious that kids need help in building up nourishment and resiliency to the abundance of harmful dietary & environmental influences. So, what can we do to get our kids on the right track? What do they need for robust health and development?

We know that consuming a gut-friendly diet that includes PHYTONUTRIENTS, FIBRE and OMEGAS nourishes children, supports their gut health and helps protect them from autoimmune conditions early in life. We also know that it’s also vital for the development of a healthy immune system, both in childhood and as an adult! And while we can’t come over and tell your kids to put down the screen and get outside, we can offer support in nourishing the bodies and brains of the next generation.

How to Boost, Build & Balance Your Child’s Nutrition

Genuine Health partnered up with Joyous Health to bring your kids a line of supplements that gives them the essential nutrition they need for a healthy body, gut and life! Genuine Health-y kids makes nourishment easy as 1-2-3!

1. BOOST their nutrition with fermented organic gut superfoods + kids

Every scoop is made with 22 organic, whole food, polyphenol-rich ingredients and prebiotics that nourish the body and gut with a yummy grape flavour they’ll love. Not only that – it’s fermented to provide a rich source of amplified plant nutrients for overall health, Non-GMO Project Verified and free from dairy, soy, gluten and peanuts. 

2. BUILD their healthy gut flora with advanced gut health probiotic kids

A made-for-kids probiotic containing 7 strains specifically chosen for kids, in yummy lemonade chewables they’ll love! A unique “honeycomb” technology delivers the strains exactly where they’re needed for better oral and digestive health. Plus, advanced gut health probiotic kids conveniently are room temperature-stable with label claim 5 billion CFU GUARANTEED at expiry. 

3. BALANCE their EFAs with omega3 kids + D3

Provides omega-3 fatty acids – an essential supplement – in a simple, clean source that provides their daily EPA and DHA – key nutrients in brain and eye development. Each serving also contains 600 IU of vitamin D and 5.5 mg of lutein for protection from blue light, in a yummy cherry flavour they’ll love! 

All Genuine Health-y kids products are:

• Formulated to help your children thrive, because they’re based on the latest research on children’s health.
• Made from wholesome ingredients, like USDA organic fruits and veggies, triple-cleaned probiotic strains and fish oils from wild and sustainable sources.
• Free from nasty stuff, like added sugar, artificial colours and GMO ingredients.

Genuine Health-y kids is a complete approach to boost, balance and build children’s unique nutritional needs and gut health! Providing a simple, daily nutritional insurance policy that supports clean, whole food nutrition and makes colourful, varied fruits and vegetables appealing to perhaps the most discerning critic – kids!

References

Minacker, et al. Low Frequency of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Canadian Youth: Findings From the 2012/2013 Youth Smoking Survey. J School Health 2016; 86:135-42

Black, et al. Do Canadians meet Canada’s Food Guide’s recommendations for fruits and vegetables? Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2013 Mar;38(3):234-42.

Black, et al. Fast food intake in Canada: Differences among Canadians with diverse demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics. Can J Public Health. 2015 Feb 3;106(2):e52-8

Moubarac, et al. Consumption of ultra-processed foods predicts diet quality in Canada. Appetite. 2017 Jan 1; 108:512-520

https://guelphfamilyhealthstudy.com/2018/05/08/how-fish-may-reduce-your-childs-breast-cancer-risk/

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2018 (vitamin D)

https://infobase.phac-aspc.gc.ca/datalab/asthma-blog-en.html

Mennella JA, Finkbeiner S, Lipchock SV, Hwang LD, Reed DR. Preferences for salty and sweet tastes are elevated and related to each other during childhood. PLoS One. 2014 Mar 17;9(3):e92201.

Letona P, Chacon V, Roberto C, Barnoya J. Effects of licensed characters on children’s taste and snack preferences in Guatemala, a low/middle income country. Int J Obes 2014

Black JL, Billette JM. Do Canadians meet Canada’s Food Guide’s recommendations for fruits and vegetables? Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2013 Mar;38(3):234-42.

Ventura AK, Worobey J. Early influences on the development of food preferences. Curr Biol. 2013 May 6;23(9):R401-8.

About the Author: Genuine Health Team

Genuine Health believes that we should all have a vibrant, healthy life, and that a well-nourished body is the best way to get there. They work with renowned scientists and professionals at leading institutions and a panel of esteemed health experts, including researchers and doctors of natural and traditional medicine to back their formulas with research and clinically proven ingredients. Learn more at genuinehealth.com