Which vitamins are right for you and your family?

Sure, Canada’s Food Guide gets drilled into us starting in grade school, but does that mean we’re all getting our seven-to-eight servings of fruit and veggies a day? No such luck, says Jacqueline Ehlert, a registered dietitian and adjunct professor at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

“Generally if your diet is adequate, you don’t need to supplement,” she says. “But some Canadians aren’t meeting their daily nutritional requirements.” That’s when vitamins and mineral supplements come in handy. To make sure you’re not getting too much of a good thing, Ehlert suggests talking to your doctor or to a dietitian first.

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Babies

Breastfed babies, or those who are getting a combination of breast milk and formula, may need extra vitamin D and iron until they start eating cereal and solid foods, depending on what Mom passes on through her milk.

Vitamin D

Because sun exposure isn’t recommended for babies younger than six months, supplements are the best way to prevent possible vitamin D deficiency. “Vitamin D helps them absorb calcium and phosphorous, which is important for building strong bones and teeth,” says Christy Brissette, a registered dietitian in Toronto.

If your baby is only formula-fed, 32 ounces of vitamin-D-fortified formula a day should cover her vitamin D needs. Talk to your doctor before giving small babies any supplements.

Daily amount: 400 IU (International Units), in liquid drops.

Jamieson Baby-D, $15.27 for 350 droplets.

Iron

“Not only does iron prevent anemia (a condition in which the blood doesn’t contain enough healthy red blood cells), it’s also necessary for healthy brain development,” says Brissette.

Although babies are born with iron stores in their bodies, at about four or six months they may need extra iron until they begin eating iron-rich foods, she says.

Daily amount: 1 mg per kg of body weight, available in liquid drops.

Enfamil Fer-In-Sol, $17.97 for 50 mL.