When kids are growing up, parents not only receive a lot of good advice but a lot of useless advice as well. In such a scenario, they get really confused and do not know what is actually good for their child. When it comes to supplements, parents are unsure as to what is best for their kids. This is where we offer our advice.
Ensure is a supplement powder brand, that is manufactured by Abbott. Ensure is targeted for adults. So you might want to know if you can give it to kids. In this article, we will discuss whether Ensure is safe for kids, its benefits and side effects and the alternatives available. Read on to find out everything that you need to know about Ensure for kids.
In this article:
Is Ensure Good for Children?
When Should Kids Can Have Ensure?
Benefits of Drinking Ensure
Side Effects of Ensure
Alternatives to Ensure
All You Need to Know About Before Giving Ensure to Your Kids
Is Ensure Good for Children?
Ensure contains 24 vitamins and minerals, eight grams of high-quality protein, and 240 calories in one serving. But the assortment and quantity of nutrients may not be ideal for children. There might be instances where Ensure could also be helpful, like when the kid is severely malnourished. But don’t give Ensure without seeking medical advice.
When Should Kids Can Have Ensure?
Ensure is marketed as a nutritional supplement for adults. It doesn’t specify any age or related guidelines about when to start consuming it. But ideally, kids of any age can have it, so as long as they have the recommendation from their doctors. However, avoid feeding “Ensure” to kids below the age of three.
Benefits of Drinking Ensure
While Ensure drinks are often taken by either adults or children, it should not be necessary for your child as children generally don’t require additional calories. Unless your doctor has advised otherwise, it is best to not offer Ensure to children. These drinks provide large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and proteins that aren’t needed for young children and should not be safe in excess. It’s best to provide your child with healthy, nutritious food as their source of vitamins, proteins, and minerals.
Each bottle of Ensure provides 50% vitamin C, 25% vitamin A, and 30% vitamin E that an adult needs every day. These bottles of Ensure also contain energy-releasing nutrients like thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. They also contain calcium, choline, vitamin B12, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D. Before you give your child Ensure and think that this will benefit them, remember that children require much smaller amounts of vitamins and minerals than adults. Excessive amounts can cause health problems.
In certain cases your child could also be recovering from an illness and therefore, they need to drink additional calories to regain the weight that was lost during the illness. If this is the case, ask your pediatrician about a recommended drink for your child.
Side Effects of Ensure
The side effects of Ensure do exist, after all. These side effects also are reported among adults and not children. However, since this drink is not made for children in the first place, there are chances that your child might fall prey to the same side effects that adults are subjected to. Therefore, do not be tension free just because you have heard that the side effects are only for adults and not kids. The following are the purported side effects of Ensure:
- Excessive consumption of Ensure was found to lead to constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea.
- Ensure is not suitable for those with galactosemia, a condition where the body is unable to digest the sugar named galactose. Ensure could cause abdominal discomfort among those with galactosemia.
Alternatives to Ensure
It is okay if your child doesn’t want to have a nutritional supplement or if you are hesitant to provide it. You may prepare a well-balanced diet that includes proteins, vitamins, and other essential nutrients.
- Milk and other dairy products may be included in the child’s meal
- Add fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins A and C
- Whole grain bread can provide fiber
- Meat, poultry, or fish can provide protein and micronutrients
It is good to consult a doctor if the child has a nutrient deficiency or problems in gaining weight or height.
Therefore to conclude, Ensure as a nutritional supplement is usually meant for adults and may provide some benefits to the kids drinking it. But to understand if it’s entirely safe, consult a doctor before serving it to a toddler. What might be good for other children might not suit your kid, so just make sure to consult your doctor.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037526/
https://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/ensure-is-ensure-appropriate-for-children
