Vitamins B1 and B2, and children

Vitamin B1, thiamin
Thiamin is important because it plays a vital role in how the body successfully uses the 'fuel' (the nutrition from food) that it takes in.
Thiamin helps to take the carbohydrates from the food we eat, and makes sure that the brain and our nervous system get the glucose they need to operate healthily.
Although grown women spend their diet-watching lives avoiding carbs, they are important in providing our bodies with energy. Eating the right carbs as part of a good diet, is nothing to fear! And of course, children should never be put on a 'diet' or be given 'diet' foods, just a healthy balance of fresh and well-prepared meals.

Vitamin B2, riboflavin
Riboflavin is great for keeping a child's skin and nervous system functioning well. It is again useful for energy release because it helps to process protein and fat in the food we take in.
A lack of B2 can cause ill health in a child's eyes, or make a child more prone to mouth infections.

How much B1 and B2 should a child have daily?
Happily, these vitamins are not dangerous in large amounts because the body just gets rid of any excess that it doesn't need. Additionally, the amounts needed to make a difference to a child's health are quite small: less than 1mg a day even by the age of six.

Good sources of B1 and B2
You probably recognise the words thiamin and riboflavin if, like me, you have ever spent breakfasts idly reading the side of cereal packets.
Many breakfast cereals are fortified with various vitamins and minerals, including these two. Be careful however, not to give prepared breakfast cereals to babies under one, because many contain salt and sugar - neither of which are healthy (in even small amounts) for babies.
Additionally, if you are buying 'kids cereals' for older toddlers and children, take a minute to look at how much sugar they contain; you'd be surprised how much some have, and that just isn't a good start to the day!
Oats are a great source of both B1 and B2, so if your child likes oatcakes (they may seem dry to you but many small children love to nibble on them) or porridge then all the better.
B1 can also be found in fish, sunflower seeds, brown rice (too much white rice can damage your diet), chicken and turkey.
B2 can also be found in offal (though this is usually too strong a taste for most small children), yoghurt, egg, fish, lamb and the other meats above.
When cooking food which is rich in B vitamins, take care not to overcook, as the goodness tends to get depleted with long cooking processes.