Whole Food Vitamin Mineral Liquid Supplements Articles & Resources

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR DIET

Food provides more than the 20-plus vitamins and minerals found in most supplements. It also contains all of the nutrients necessary for our well-being--for example, phytochemicals--in minute (and easy-to-absorb) amounts. The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid can help in planning a diet complete with all the nutrients needed by an average adult. For example, eating the recommended minimum of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables gives you an edge, providing all of your nutrients from the kitchen instead of the medicine cabinet. This is the season when fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available; at other times, frozen or canned products can contribute to your five-a-day requirement.

But fruits and vegetables are not your sole source of vitamins. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, grains, nuts, seeds, and dairy products are all important sources of vitamins and minerals in the diet.

In fact, in the American diet, meat and dairy products are the main sources of vitamin [.12] and minerals (such as iron, zinc, and calcium).

Food is an important source of vitamins and minerals, but it also must be handled properly to preserve its precious nutrients. The purchase and storage, preparation, and cooking of foods, especially produce, rank as high in importance as variety when it comes to nutrients from food. Overprocessing and overhandling destroy vitamin. For example, beets are rich in vitamin A and C. But they are often peeled, sliced, and boiled for a long time, then pickled and stored, all processes that decrease their vitamin value. Yet beets can be brushed clean, shredded raw, and used in salads to show off their crisp sweetness, while preserving their maximum vitamin content. Here are some tips for getting the most vitamin benefit from foods:

Purchasing and Storing Air and light break down some vitamins. Buy the freshest produce you can and use it as soon as possible. Store fresh fruits and vegetables in paper or plastic or in moisture-proof containers in the crisper section of your refrigerator. Grains and nuts should be kept in opaque, airtight containers and frozen or used within a couple of months.

Preparing. Prepare fresh produce as close to serving time as possible. Most vitamins in fresh produce are found near the surface, so it makes sense to brush and rinse produce instead of peeling away too much of the peel or skin. Cut, larger pieces to expose less surface area to air and light. Also, water draws out and washes away water-soluble vitamin, such as the B vitamins and vitamin C. For that reason, use as little water as possible in washing, preparing, and cooking fresh foods.

Cooking. Heat destroys some nutrients. Cook fruits and vegetables as lightly as possible in order to retain more of their vitamins. Luckily, the vitamins and minerals in protein foods such as meat, poultry, and eggs are more stable and can withstand thorough cooking. However, frying foods in oil destroys fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K Opt to braise, broil, grill, stir-fry, or saute instead of deep-frying.

Some raw vegetables, such as spinach and other leafy greens, are better lightly cooked. When eaten raw, they pass through the body quickly, leaving less time for the vitamins to be absorbed. Cook them using methods that expose them to as little water as possible, such as steaming. If you must cook in water, save the cooking liquid and use it in soups or sauces to recapture some of the watersoluble vitamin and minerals lost in the boiling.

WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM SUPPLEMENTS?

Kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that "healthy children receiving a normal, well-balanced diet should not need vitamin supplements over and above the recommended dietary allowances." The academy cautions that "megadoses (of vitamins) can produce toxic symptoms." Its advice to parents? "As much as possible, maximize the vitamins your child gets in regular meals."

The academy also warns parents not to "leave a bottle of vitamins on the table as though they were a condiment like salt and pepper." Children are more susceptible to supplement overdoses. According to the Food and Drug Administration, iron overdoses are the most common cause of poisoning deaths among children in the United States. Just six high-potency iron tablets at one time can be fatal to a young toddler.

Women of child-bearing age. Supplements with extra folate help prevent neural-tube birth defects. Extra iron and calcium are also recommended for most women who are of child-bearing age, pregnant, and/or nursing. Older adults. Seniors could benefit from more B vitamins as well as A, C, and E. Research suggests the current RDAs for older Americans might be insufficient due to decreased food intake or absorption problems. Postmenopausal women often need more calcium to help defend against the bone loss associated with osteoporosis.

Dieters. The best diet is one that includes exercise and supervised, gradual weight loss. Unfortunately, many dieters opt for a faster weight loss and deny themselves the balance of nutrients they need. A balanced supplement can make up for any short-term deficit.

Vegetarians. Folks who avoid meat can have increased needs for minerals as well as vitamin [.12]. Although the body's ability to absorb these vitamins from plant sources is increased in vegetarians, a supplement can be a plus.

Tobacco smokers and alcohol drinkers. Both groups could benefit from a daily supplement, according to mounting evidence. Studies have shown persons in these groups have lower levels of B vitamins, folate, and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E in their blood.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING

If you have a headache, you don't take a handful of aspirin, you take the recommended dosage. Yet this commonsense approach to pill-popping sails out the window when it comes to supplements. There is no proven benefit to taking huge (not to mention costly) amounts of supplements. In fact, overdosing reduces their effectiveness, sometimes by up to 90 percent. Overdosing on one vitamin or mineral inhibits absorption of other vitamins and minerals, while severely depressing its ability to be absorbed. And at its worst, overdosing on some vitamins, such as vitamin A, can even be fatal.

INSTEAD OF "MEGAVITAMINS," TRY THESE "MEGAFOODS."

* Carrots, squash, yams,
leafy green vegetables Vitamin A
* Meat, eggs, dairy, grains Vitamin B1,2,3
* Oatmeal and bananas Vitamin B6
* Meat, liver, shellfish, yogurt, eggs Vitamin B12
* Meat, grains eggs Biotin
* Citrus fruits, broccoli, peppers Vitamin C
* Dairy products Vitamin D
* Grains and oils Vitamin E
* Beans, broccoli, oil leafy green
vegetables Folate
* Leafy greens Vitamin K
* Leafy greens, meats Iron
* Meat, eggs, whole grains Zinc
* Leafy greens, legumes,
dairy products Calcium