Vitamin Supplements vs Whole Food: Navigating the Nutritional Landscape

Vitamins and minerals are extremely small however fundamental supplements that our bodies need to remain sound and fit. In any case, they can be unsafe whenever consumed in enormous amount.

The Issue with Our Food Today

The issue these days is that our food is turning out to be less nutritious because of different elements:

1. Abused Fields: Fields are being abused which is only leading to depletion of nutrients in the soil.
2. Pesticide Use: Pesticides utilized in cultivating kill accommodating organisms in the soil that are answerable for supplement retention by plants.
3. Imbalanced Fertilizers: Composts frequently contain just useless synthetics rather than the full scope of minerals and supplements that plants need.
4. Genetically Modified Foods: GM food sources have been brought into our food supply without us completely understanding their impacts on our wellbeing.

The Effect of Food Handling

On top of these issues, our food goes through weighty compound/Processing to increase its shelf life, improve taste, and even make it more habit-forming. Sadly, during this handling, numerous significant supplements are stripped away, leaving us with food that is a long way from the normal and nutritious food our ancestors were consuming.

The impact on Our Wellbeing

It's no big surprise that we are presently seeing autoimmune disorders, food allergies and obesity. Our bodies are searching out better supplements to flourish in this difficult climate where food quality and realness are compromised because of different natural issues.

Our bodies are continually looking for the Nutrients they need, and in light of the fact that our food is deficient with regards to, we wind up eating increasingly more to attempt to get where we're going wrong.

Function Of Nutrients and Minerals

It is crucial that we're getting a consistent amount of nutrients and minerals to assist our bodies working appropriately. They are useful in our daily lives:

• They are very important factors in different physical processes like Metabolism, immunity, and development.
• They are cofactors for proteins, which are useful for the vast majority biochemical functions in the body.
• They provide antioxidant protection against harmful free radicals.

Whole Food sources Vs Supplements

With regards to getting our Nutrients, there are two primary choices: Whole food sources or Supplements.

• Whole Food sources
• These are generally natural sources of food
• It includes Fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds.
• They are primary source of nutrients due to there natural nutrient synergy.

• Supplements
• These are synthetically formed. (e.g., nutrients, minerals)
• It is accessible in different structures like pills, containers, tablets, chewy candies, or powder form.
• They are secondary source of nutrition for filling deficiencies for people with health dietary gaps

The Main reason of taking Supplements is Bioavailability of Nutrients

How much of a material is absorbed and utilized by essential means in the body depends on its bioavailability.

For instance, when someone says "calcium from dairy has 30% bioavailability" they mean 30% of this non-organic material is absorbed and located in part of digestive tract. The surplus 70% is excreted as waste.

Basically, Bioavailability refers to the proportion of nutrients that is absorbed and becomes available for body use. When we consume food, the supply of nutrients to our body depends not only on the amount of the nutrient present but also on its availability. Here are some key factors for these:

Factors Influencing Bioavailability:

• Nutrient Form: The chemical form of a nutrient affects its absorption. For example, some forms of iron are better absorbed than others.
• Food Matrix: Nutrients interact with other components in the food matrix. These interactions can enhance or inhibit absorption. For eg Vitamin C and D in combination enhance max absorption .
• Individual Variation: Bioavailability varies among individuals due to genetic factors, health conditions, and gut health.It depends on person to person. For eg person with celiac diseases cant absorb vitamins like A,D, Iron and Folic acid.
• Cooking and Processing: Food preparation methods can impact nutrient bioavailability. Like Vitamin C is volatile when it is cooked .

Making informed decisions

Both Whole food varieties and supplements have their place in supporting our nourishing requirements. Here are a few elements to consider while simply deciding:

1. Dietary Sources: Focus on getting supplements from entire food sources as they give many over valuable mixtures.
2. Specific Needs: Supplements may be necessary in certain situations such as nutrient deficiencies or specific health conditions
3. Quality: Pick informed and good quality brands for supplements to guarantee wellbeing.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to nutrition. It's about finding a balance that works for you and supporting your health through informed choices.

Combining a nutrient-rich diet with the strategic use of supplements can help ensure comprehensive nutritional coverage and overall well-being.

Kindly refer to link for the dietary guidelines:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YuBdvn4iu4jWcXFlgx0hmY1XBpiGcTps/ view?usp=drive_web

 

Published By: Sakshi Sharma (Certified Nutritionist)