As a nutritionist, you know that eating a balanced diet is crucial to staying healthy. But what you eat can be challenging in today’s busy world. Supplements are the answer if you don’t have time to cook wholesome meals or find it challenging to get the nutrients your body needs from food alone. Supplements are a great way to fill in any nutritional gaps and boost your intake of essential vitamins and minerals.
Here is a Detailed Guide on Everything you Need to know about them:
What is a Supplement?
A supplement is a product (typically in pill or liquid form) that provides nutrients your body might not be able to get from food alone. Supplements are not intended to replace a healthy diet but to help you meet your nutritional needs.
Generally, there are three supplements: First, your body needs vitamins and minerals in small quantities to function properly. Next are the amino acids, the building blocks of proteins that help your body grow, rebuild, and heal naturally. Finally, herbs and botanicals can provide benefits not found in vitamins and minerals, such as managing stress, reducing inflammation, and improving sleep.
Understanding the Basics of Supplements
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is a key nutrient for optimal health. It helps maintain strong bones and muscles, aids immune function, and even affects mood and brain health. While most people get enough vitamin D through sun exposure, it’s very important to take a supplement year-round if you don’t get enough sun exposure or live in a climate where the sun isn’t available or safe.
Calcium: You can find calcium naturally in foods like dairy, spinach, collard greens, and broccoli, but you’ll need to take a supplement if you don’t get enough calcium from your diet.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3s are essential, so your body can’t produce them naturally. While foods like fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Finding the Right Supplement for You
When you’re ready to choose a supplement, consider what you’d like to achieve. For example, taking a supplement that includes vitamin D and calcium makes sense if you want stronger bones.
Look for the key ingredients listed on the nutritional label. – Amount per serving: The first thing to look for on the label is the amount per serving. This ensures the correct dosage. The wrong dose can lead to a sub-par result or even cause you harm. – Recommended daily allowance: The next thing to look for is the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for this particular nutrient.
The Importance of Vitamins and Minerals
A recent study found that around 40% of Americans don’t get enough nutrients in their diet. That’s why so many people turn to supplements—to meet their nutritional needs. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will likely get the vitamins and minerals you need. But many people don’t eat a balanced diet every day.
When you’re ready to choose a supplement, check this website and decide what you’d like to achieve. Once you’ve decided, it’s important to ensure the dosage is correct and the recommended daily amount is listed on the label. Taking vitamins and minerals as supplements gives you all the benefits of healthy eating with no effort.