Whelehans Pharmacy: Just the Tonic

Just the Tonic

Does your child eat enough Fruit and Vegetables?

 

Eamonn Brady is a pharmacist and the owner of Whelehans Pharmacy, Pearse St and Clonmore Mullingar. If you have any health questions e-mail them to info@whelehans.ie
 

Fruit and vegetables are a reliable source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Including more fruit and vegetables as part of a balanced diet will help your children grow and develop, improve vitality and help prevent a range of chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer in later life. It can be notoriously difficult to get some kids to eat the recommended “five a day” of fruit and veg. Research has shown that the more fruit and vegetables are available and easily accessible for children, the more likely they are to eat them. Therefore, if fruit is chopped up and ready to eat, children will eat more of them. Providing a variety of different fruits and vegetables is one way to encourage your children towards healthy eating habits, however you must be patient. There is some evidence that children need to try new fruits and vegetables up to eight or nine time before they are liked or accepted. Being creative in the way you serve up fruit and vegetables can help. For example, prepare vegetables in diverse ways to vary the texture such as raw, microwaved, mashed, baked, grated into a casserole, or as a soup. Fruit juice or fruit drinks should not be considered as a substitute for real fruit. Fruit juice is often regarded as a healthy choice as it contains Vitamin C. However, one small glass (125 ml) of most juices provides a child’s daily requirement for Vitamin C. More than this provides excess sugar and calories that can lead to weight gain. A piece of fruit is a better choice than juice.

 

When can a tonic be beneficial?

Vitamin and mineral supplements should not be considered an alternative to a healthy diet. However, tonic is an option for those kids who won’t eat enough fruit and veg. For example, Whelehans Children’s Tonic is a natural tonic containing iron and all the B vitamins which may be lacking in kids not fond of fruit and veg. Iron is known to relieve fatigue and improve concentration in your child. It is important not to exceed the recommended dosage for your child’s age as excess iron can cause health problems including constipation and diarrhoea. Whelehans Children’s Tonic also contains Vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B12. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is traditionally used to regulate mental functions and nerve growth and can also help with memory. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is known to release energy from foods, make many of the body’s hormones and help growth & development. Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) is used for over 50 body processes including releasing energy from food, making hormones, removing toxins and helping to keep cholesterol within the normal range. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) breaks down the proteins, carbohydrates and fats consumed to give release energy. It may prevent heart disease and combats depression. Whelehans Children’s Tonic contains no “E” numbers so can be a good option at times of illness or as a temporary boost at times of poor diet. Our Adult and Children Tonic is available at both our Mullingar Pharmacies (Pearse St and Clonmore).

 

Supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet. Not meant for long term use. Keep all supplements out of the reach of children

 

For comprehensive and free health advice and information call in to Whelehans, log on to www.whelehans.ie or dial 04493 34591 (Pearse St) or 04493 10266 (Clonmore). Find us on Facebook.