Vitamins

Vitamins are manufactured by plants, including fruits, vegetables and other foods from the carbohydrate group. The word ‘vitamin’ means ‘vital’ and vitamins are indeed essential for life. They play an important role in the formation of red blood cells, bone building and many other functions of the body.

There are two different types of vitamin: fat soluble and water soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins – A,D,E and K – are absorbed along with fat. The body usually has a plentiful store of these vitamins, and an excess can lead to the body becoming poisoned by them. Water-soluble vitamins B complex and C – are more easily excreted by the body via urine. Taking extreme quantities when not needed however, may lead to potentially dangerous and unpleasant side effects.

Vitamin supplementation is big business these days. Powerful marketing strategies are used to sell us various combinations of pills and capsules, and many people have become convinced that in order to stay healthy they must supplement their food intake. In some cases supplements are used instead of meals. I recently asked a friend of mine, who regularly complains of lack of energy, what he’d had for breakfast.”I’ve had a multi-vitamin tablet and I’m full up” he replied! There is a great danger here. Vitamin supplements can be very beneficial in cases of deficiency, and to support a healthy diet, or as prescribed by a dietician or nutritionist. When sold over the counter however, they can be misused and can cause more problems than they solve.

In an ideal world there would be a plentiful supply of vitamins in the foods we eat. If you eat a wide variety of foods you shouldautomatically get all the nutrients you require. Much of our food is over processed, however and so has lost a lot of its nutritional value before it reaches our saucepan. It then loses even more value during the cooking process, which means that there is very little left by the time we actually eat it. To minimize this loss, it’s well worth buying organically grown produce wherever possible. Although it is more expensive, you do get a lot more real food for your money. Recommendations that over 51% of our dietary intake should come from raw foods are rarely achieved in the Western world.

If you decide that you do need to supplement, I recommend that you buy from a health shop where the staff are trained and generally only sell good quality products, or take advice from a qualified nutritionist or dietician. The way in which the body absorbs vitamins is very finely tuned; it requires a certain amount of each one. If one particular vitamin is taken in excess, the whole balance may be disrupted and the body’s ability to absorb other vitamins is impaired. Vegetarians are one group who do need to supplement, as they do not get the valuable B12 vitamin which has many vital functions in the body. A deficiency of B12 can lead to anaemia, so all vegetarians should take a multivitamin that includes B12 (the recommended amount per day is a minimum of 1.5mcg).

At the end of the day, if there is a deficiency in your diet that should be the first place you look to correct it, rather than a pill bottle; it is likely that you are not eating something you should be. With the correct advice this can be easily rectified. If you are sure that you are getting a well-balanced diet and still have symptoms of deficiency – take advice. Vitamins supplements are exactly that SUPPLEMENTS not replacements.

Minerals are present in all living cells. They perform many important functions in the human body. Bones and teeth for example are made from living tissue combined with various minerals. Minerals are also essential for nerve transmission and many other metabolic functions. Some minerals such as calcium and phosphorous, are required in large amounts, others such as iron and zinc are needed in much smaller quantities. Eating a varied diet should ensure you get all the minerals you need; this will depend however on the quality of the foods you eat.

One way of ensuring you extract all the nutrients from your food is to avoid tea and coffee, particularly around meal times. Substances in these drinks can drastically reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, some by as much as 50%, so try to avoid them for at least 60 minutes either side of your meal, or better still don’t have them at all. I have recently changed from “normal” tea to white leaf tea or green tea and don’t miss it one bit.

Category: Weight Loss Tips