Vitamins Guide

Vitamin supplements are essential to our diet

Vitamins are amongst the most essential ingredients that our body needs to function properly. Without vitamins, our bodies cannot successfully fight infections and are more prone to disease and free radicals damage.

Most of our vitamin needs are fulfilled through proper nutrition. Fruits and vegetables are well known sources of good vitamins, but so are eggs, milk and meat.

Modern foods depleted of vitamins and minerals

Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins

Unfortunately, the foods we eat today are not what they used to be. Modern agriculture and farming practices have slowly depleted our foods from valuable nutrients, leaving us with foods increasingly void of essential vitamins and minerals.

An article in British Guardian reported this year that mineral levels in milk and meat have plummeted over the last 60 years. The average rump steak has lost 55% of iron, while magnesium levels dropped by 7%. After analyzing 15 different meat items, it was found that iron levels have dropped down by 47% on average. That's nearly half of what they used to be.

Dairy products have also suffered. Milk has lost over 60% of iron content, while cream and eight different cheeses all have 50% less iron than before. Milk has also lost 2% of its calcium, while its magnesium levels are lower by 21%.

Dr Tim Lobstein, of a UK consumer watchdog agency summarized it well: "[T]oday's agriculture does not allow the soil to enrich itself, but depends on chemical fertilizers that don't replace the wide variety of nutrients plants and humans need". And the most essential of those are vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins supplementation

So, what's the solution to this lack of vitamins and minerals in our food?

Eat whole and organically grown foods, which are usually rich in vitamins and minerals. While these foods are becoming more readily available, they're often out of reach for "ordinary person", be it higher costs or not always available at foods and groceries stores.

But even such foods often do not provide enough vitamins and minerals for our daily needs.

The best solution is to supplement your diet with extra vitamins and minerals. Add extra vitamins to your balanced diet and you will find that your body fights disease and infection much easier. Not to mention reduced cells damage, owing to vitamins and antioxidants action against free radicals.

VITAMINS articles
	• Food Sources  • Multivitamin  • Vitamin A  • B Vitamins  • Vitamin B1  • Vitamin B2  • Vitamin B3  • Vitamin C  • Vitamin D