Maia's Fave: Malunggay powder and Yakult

If you're thinking that your toddler is the pickiest eater there is on this side of the planet and is close to pulling your hair in frustration, well fret no more because I'm telling you I once thought the same and yes, it's highly possible that it will come to pass. My guess is most parents really go through that stressful phase of having to deal with picky eaters. Ours was a really long  period of a tug-of-war at the dinner table and we still would encounter it from time to time but I'd like to believe we are already over that phase. Graduate na kami (I REALLY, REALLY HOPE we won't get jinxed with me saying this in print)

One thing though that sort of gave me the assurance during our picky eating phase was this wonderful combo of Yakult and Malunggay capsule that Maia loved to drink. We get our malunggay capsule supply from Mercury Drug Store for about P7-P8 per capsule. Usually we buy prolacta or natalac whichever is available (yes I'm talking of the same capsule that you take to increase your breastmilk supply). Sometimes, when we go to trade fairs we'd also get a month or two's supply because the capsules are usually cheaper by P2-P3 here. I can't remember the brands that we've already tried from the trade fairs but generally they're all BFAD approved so they're safe. 

Maia has since been quite voracious during mealtimes (especially when there's fried chicken and brocolli) so she rarely drinks this concoction anymore. But I could say that the malunggay capsule was a better alternative than those commercialized vitamins. This combo was by the way also approved by our pediatrician so I was quite confident to give it to Maia.

p.s. Just to give you a rough idea of the nutrients that can be derived from a tbsp of dried malunggay (moringa) leaves, here's what I saw in Wikipedia:

One tablespoon of leaf powder provide 14% of the protein, 40% of the calcium, 23% of the iron and most of the vitamin A needs of a child aged one to three.

1 capsule = 1 bottle of yakult or a small tetra pack of juice. I just break off the cap and pour the entire powder contents into the bottle. Shake shake and voila! A healthy concoction for your little picky eater.