Proper nutrition is fundamental to everyone’s body. Supporting your body’s nutrition needs not only maintains health, it wards against chronic illnesses ranging from osteoporosis to obesity, from heart disease to diabetes.
Even if you eat a healthy diet most of the time, you still may want to be assured you’re consuming all the vitamins and minerals you require for optimal health. Adding a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement with 100% of the Daily Value of many micronutrients can be a type of nutritional insurance policy to support your body’s requirements everyday.
Healthy Eating
Researches agree that the best way to fulfill you body’s nutrition requirements is to eat a healthy and varied diet of whole foods that incorporate all the elements described in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Food supports nutritional requirements more efficiently than depending on vitamin and mineral supplements in several ways:
Fiber -
A healthy diet delivers fiber. Our bodies require fiber for digestive health, protects us from diabetes and heart disease.Better nutrition -
Foods offer numerous micronutrients in one bite. While a container of yogurt can supply part of your daily requirement of vitamin D, you can count on getting a healthy does of calcium too. A vitamin D supplement usually offers only that - Vtamin D.Other healthy properties - Antioxidants and phytochemicals are dietary substances vital for good health. Many researches recognize phytochemicals as having properties that likely protect against common diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Antioxidants retard oxidation, a normal body process known to cause cell and tissue damage. Relying on multi-vitamin and mineral supplements leaves your body without the help of these healthful elements.
However, results of dietary research of Americans indicate that most of us do not consume the proper foods to support our nutritional needs. To fill in the nutrient gap, many of us turn to multi-vitamins and nutritional supplements.
Who can benefit from a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement?
First, determine if your diet supports your nutritional needs. Review the suggested foods groups and number of servings per day advised in the US Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid.
Second, decide of you fit into one of several groups of women whose nutritional needs exceed normal nutrition guidelines. If you are:
- of child bearing age
- pregnant or lactating
- using tobacco
- consume alcohol excessively
- postmenopausal
- a vegetarian
- a woman with heavy menstrual bleeding
your needs likely exceed basic nutrition needs. Talk to your physician or healthcare provider to determine if you require additional vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Vitamins are nutrients your body needs for basic operation;
bodily functions such as cell growth, digestion and metabolic function.Minerals are the basic elements the body uses to build teeth and bones and a variety of other cellular functions.
Experts often refer to vitamins and minerals as micronutrients. Since the human body cannot manufacture micronutrients, we’re left to supply them from food and perhaps a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement.
Selecting a Vitamin & Mineral Supplement
Store shelves are stocked with a wide variety of dietary supplement products. Which is best for you depends on your nutritional needs and diet.
Read the label - Just as with food, check the ingredient label on supplement packages. Nutrients are listed along with serving size. You may need to take more than one tablet or spoonful of the supplement to supply the Daily Value of all nutrients.
100 Daily Value - Too much of a good thing is generally just too much. Supplements that contain mega doses of any micronutrient likely provide too much of one and too little of another. Look for a product that supplies 100% of the Daily Value of a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
But keep in mind, calcium is different. Our bodies cannot absorb 100% of our daily calcium needs at one time. Most women require 1,200 mg calcium every day so for maximum effect, take no more than 500 mg of calcium at once.
Time is a factor - Just like food, supplements provide maximum effectiveness for a specific amount of time. Observe expiration dates.
Effectiveness - Does the label include a reference to USP? Make sure your supplement meets the requirements of the US Pharmacopeia
to ensure effectiveness and product safety.As always, consult your physician or other healthcare provider before deciding on a vitamin and mineral supplement.
