Tweet
- Photo: Food Thinkers / Flickr
Despite the advice of many nutritionists, you may still be wondering whether or not you need a multivitamin to supplement your diet. Growing concerns about the quality of the food we eat, combined with many people not having the best diet possible, point towards multivit – or even two – a day being a very good investment in your health. While severe vitamin deficiencies are quite rare in the developed world, here are five very good reasons for taking vitamin supplements.
Reason one: our food is low in minerals
The way we farm today is intensive, meaning we try to grow as much as possible, in as little time as possible. Soil is seldom left fallow to recover from the growing season, and this results in low soil quality. The soil in which our fruit and vegetables are grown has been found to be lacking in important minerals our bodies need to function at their prime.
Reason two: processed food
For the sake of convenience, much of the food we eat today is processed, and processing food removes essential vitamins and minerals. White bread, cereals and milk may be fortified (have vitamins added to them) to help with this problem, but nothing can replace the value of the vitamins and minerals provided by foods in their natural state. Eat wholegrain wheat, brown rice, and try rolled oats for breakfast instead of corn flakes. As well as taking a multivit, cook vegetables as little as possible, and to keep them healthy, try steaming rather than boiling or frying.
Reason three: the shipping of food
- Photo: DeathByBokeh
Many foods are imported from other countries, and are shipped a long distance to get to us, as well as being stored for a long time. The older food is when we eat it, the poorer its vitamin and mineral content. Fruit and vegetables are likely to be low in vitamin C when they reach shops’ shelves, and much of what we buy is also lacking in the important B-complex.
Reason four: unhealthy diets
Diets consisting of processed foods and take-aways, and erratic eating habits, deprive our bodies of essential nutrients. Eating on the run makes it difficult for our bodies to get all the goodness they need from our food.
Reason five: pollution
Because of pollution in our air, water, and soil, our bodies need more nutrients to stay healthy. We especially need the ‘ACE vitamins’ – vitamins A, C and E – in good quantity to help our bodies to fight free radical damage, which leads to premature ageing and even, in the long run, disease.
If this isn’t reason enough to take a multivit every day, take a look at this study and you may well be convinced.
Leave a Response