All About Vitamins - A Basic Guide
Posted on March 1, 2008
» Filed Under Supplements |
Even if we do make the effort and produce a meal rich in vegetables and full of “good” foods, the stark truth is we’re still unlikely to be getting all the nutrients that we should.
Aggressive factory farming has seen nutrient values of vegetables diminish measurably over the past few years - to the extent that the calcium content of broccoli is down by 50%, the iron you used to find in watercress is down by up to 90% and the vitamin C in cauliflower has dropped by 40%.
We live in a world where time seems to be shrinking and we never have enough hours in the day to live our lives anyway, without having to stop and think about what we are eating or trying to cook a nutritious, balanced meal at the end of a hectic day.
When you add to this our love affair with fast foods, processed foods and junk food, frankly, we haven’t got a hope of having a healthy, balanced diet rich in all the essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements that we need to keep us running around in our daily lives.
This is where food supplements (such as a multi-vitamin) come into their own. Millions of people, every day, happily take some form of vitamin supplement in the belief that it will compensate for some lack of nutrition from other sources, or will cure their ills. And it’s true - they will, but only if they are taken for the right reasons, in the right way, in the right combinations and only if they’re right for you.
These products are exactly what they say they are - supplements, not replacements - and so should only be taken after you have looked at your lifestyle and food intake and discovered a shortage. In fact, many of them can do more harm than good if you are already getting sufficient from your diet.
What are vitamins?
Vitamins are chemical compounds that occur in foods and have been shown to be essential for life. Many of them can also be produced, at least in limited amounts, in the body. However, the food we eat is our main source of vitamins and our bodies have adapted to obtain these from a range of whole, natural foods with maximum efficiency.
Vitamins are only needed in small amounts to be effective as they don’t, themselves, supply any energy or contribute to the tissues of the body, but enable the various biochemical processes of the body. This includes the release of energy stored in food, the formation and repair of tissue, reproduction, digestion, the production of urine and sweat, the secretion of hormones and the ability to resist disease and infection.
Evidence is growing that certain vitamins are antioxidants. These are substances that protect tissues from cell damage.
How much?
So far there has been no world agreement on what constitutes an adequate intake of vitamins.
In the EU there are Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) which are approximately the average quantities of key nutrients an “average adult” should obtain from their diet. However, these are based only on the requirements of men and so are only a rough guide for other groups of people.
Using Vitamins.
Responsible manufacturers print instructions about proper use on their supplement labels, so always check before you purchase.
Some nutrients may interact with one another , which can affect their absorption or utilization by the body. For example, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) require some dietary fat to facilitate absorption, so should be taken with food
Other nutrients, when taken together, enhance one another’s benefits. For example, vitamin C helps to regenerate vitamin E, so these are best taken together.
The “Hype”.
Supplement manufacturers have developed their own means of differentiating their products. These are usually terms suggesting a superior product, but don’t have a standard definition agreed upon by supplement regulations.
Always read the ingredients and directions on the label, rather than terms such as:
?Clinically proven ?Highly concentrated ?Pure ?Maximum absorption ?Quality extracts
Above all, remember that supplements are a part of complementary medicine (not alternative medicine) and should be taken - preferably - under the guidance of your doctor/pharmacist/health professional for you to get the best possible result.
Steve has been advising customers on vitamins, minerals and other supplements for 7 years. His wholefood shop in Wincanton has become known as “the” place to go for plain, uncomplicated and impartial advice. This philosophy has been carried through to his first book “The Plain English Guide To Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements”, where this information has been collected together in one place in easy to understand, everyday language.
Article Author :Steve_Stapleton
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