Are Food Supplements for Me?
Author : Submitted by Member - Subject : Cooking
Food or dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and metabolites. They come in many forms, such as tablets, capsules, powders, softgels, gelcaps, and liquids. Some foods also are fortified, or supplemented, with one or more nutrients.
What You Should Know
Health experts agree that it's better to get nutrients from food than from dietary supplements. Pills and powders can't contain all of the vital nutrients and compounds found in food derived from plant and animal products.
If you're taking prescription or over-the-counter medicines, talk to your doctor before taking food or dietary supplements.
Sometimes, it can be hard to know whether you're eating a balanced diet. For example, women might not realize they're not getting enough calcium. Women should eat three calcium-rich foods a day, such as yogurt, cheeses, sardines with bones, and green leafy vegetables. Also a wise choice for women are foods with added calcium, such as calcium-fortified, low-fat (1%) or nonfat milk; orange juice; low-fat breakfast bars, and even some waffles.
Vitamin D also is important because it helps your body use the calcium you give it. The skin makes vitamin D in direct sunlight, but the body's ability to make vitamin D diminishes with age, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Good food sources of vitamin D are fortified dairy products, egg yolks, and liver.
Return to articles