Food is the best source of most nutrients, but a multivitamin can help provide what your diet doesn’t.
Our bodies need many different vitamins and minerals to function properly. The typical American diet is heavy in processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars and these are all linked to inflammation and chronic disease. The good news is that we can get most of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need daily by choosing the right foods and eating a wide variety of them. Vitamins and minerals also offer us protection against a host of ailments. If you’re unable to make dietary changes, or if you have a genuine deficiency in a particular nutrient, such as vitamin D, a supplement will be helpful.
Even if you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, you may still fall short of needed nutrients. Taking a multivitamin daily is a good backup plan and an easy way to fill in any gaps in your diet. Many people take a multivitamin daily as an insurance policy — just to be sure they are getting all the vitamins and minerals that their bodies require. According to reports, 8 out of 10 adults eat way below the recommended daily fruits and vegetable requirements. Vitamin supplements can also be particularly important during certain stages of our lives, e.g. during pregnancy. Vegetarians also can benefit from taking extra calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D.
What to look for when choosing a supplement:
- Read the label: check the expiration date and look for a whole food-based multivitamin that is derived from organic fruits and vegetables. If the label says the fruits and veggies are also raw, that’s even better.
- Trace elements: a multivitamin is a good idea for the trace elements. Trace elements include chromium, folic acid, potassium, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc.
- Natural vs synthetic: synthetic ingredients are manufactured in laboratories while natural ingredients come from real/whole foods. This is an important distinction because it directly affects their ability to be absorbed and used in the body.
Supplements should be used to fill gaps, not replace a healthy diet.
Clearly, eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats and poultry, and low-fat dairy products is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamins and nutrients to keep your body functioning properly and to ward off illnesses. But taking a multivitamin daily is a good backup plan, and an easy way to fill in any gaps in your diet.
You should fill gaps if:
- Your diet doesn’t have 5–9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
- You get 5–9 servings, but don’t eat a wide variety to ensure full health benefits.
- You often don’t have time to make nutritionally complete meals.
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To Your Success,
Althea
Althea A. McLeish Wilson, RN, MSN
Educate . Empower . Encourage
Promoting inner health & outer beauty!
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