Supplements vs. Eating Well
Brodystar
Posts: 8 Member
I am wondering if supplementing is necessary if you eat well. I have never been good at remembering to take vitamins. I eat salads and meat with little dairy, I am staying away from bad carbs and excess sugar.
Any words of wisdom??
Any words of wisdom??
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Replies
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No...supplements are necessary to supplement things for which you are deficient in...if you're getting everything from your food then you wouldn't need to supplement.
What are bad carbs?3 -
The only I'd say are necessary is folic acid if you plan to become pregnant, and vitamin D if you live in a northern climate.2
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@cwolfman13 I was referring to White rice, white bread, and white pasta etc. of course referring to them in excess and not being used for workout purposes.
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Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.1
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I take VitD/calcium and probiotics and that's about it.
I used to take a multivitamin but was always skeptical about the quality/amounts of the nutrients etc that they contained, so i stopped taking them and feel no different than when i was taking them everyday. I guess i'm just paranoid about popping pills for this and that and if we truly know exactly what it is we're putting into our bodies...
ETA: If you're concerned get a blood test at your doctors which will show if you have any deficiencies.0 -
If you think your diet might be lacking something, or you have a diagnosed deficiency, you might want to look at a supplement, other than that I think you're just making really expensive pee.
MFP tracks the major nutrients like Vit C and A ect. If you check your diary and you are chronically low on something, that might be an indicator that you need a supplement. Or, you know you could just eat foods that contain that nutrient.
For example, I'm always low on calcium according to MFP. I have small bones and osteoporosis runs in my family; as a result I try and get a dose of yogurt into me once a day.
When adding supplements, be aware that your body might not absorb the nutrients as well as in real life. Some vitamins are harder to absorb when in pill form or need fat or another nutrient to absorb properly or some like Calcium make it harder for other nutrients to be absorbed. Your best bet is to try and eat nutrient dense foods, vegetables from every color and to eat a varied diet.
In the history of humans we have never had access to such a varied diet. But yet we all need to take vitamins? Something seems off with that I think.1 -
Nah, just eat real food from the outside isles of the grocery store most of the time Veg, meat, dairy, (bakery's ok too). Dial in your macros and you're good to go. Depending on your hemisphere and habits you might need some extra Vitamin D or something, but this is the exception rather than the rule.1
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Thank you everyone!0
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If you are consistently eating the same thing everyday even if it's clean supplementation would be required, but if you eat healthy and keep a variety of vegetables lean meats and healthy fats, no supplement is required at all! As long as you consume 5 servings of fruits & vegetables or more that will be more than enough to reach your daily value. 1/2 cup of Broccoli alone contains most of the vitamins your body needs
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TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.0 -
I get regular iron infusions since I'm chronically deficient and don't deal well with oral iron supplements.
I take a daily vitamin D since I'm chronically deficient.
I take a daily magnesium supplement since I'm chronically deficient.
All of those show up on my regular blood tests and my doctor can always tell when I've been slipping with taking the D and the Mag.
The rest I can supplement by eating a varied diet.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.
Oysters have a lot of zinc but are they that common in everyone's diets? I see the cheap ones in the stores but they are farmed and use cottonseed oil. I do occasionally buy olive oil ones from the health food store or online but it's easier to take a pill for zinc every day.
I try to eat a lot of greens but 2 cups of cooked spinach (314 mg magnesium or 78% RDA) or any greens a day gets old. I take 600 mg magnesium a day usually so getting most of my magnesium from greens would be really hard every day.
Almonds have a lot of alpha tocopherol but not a lot of gamma tocopherol so I'd have to eat walnuts and/or sesame seeds in addition to almonds. Still day in, day out it's easier to take a pill on the days I don't eat these foods. https://ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/articles/aicr06_nutseed.pdf
You didn't mention Vitamin K2 which is rare in foods. You can get in natto (fermented soybeans) which is popular in Japan but I'd rather take a pill.
RDAs were really set to wipe out deficiency diseases and not set for optimum health, so I'm willing to take higher amounts of certain nutrients.0 -
TheDevastator wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.
Oysters have a lot of zinc but are they that common in everyone's diets? I see the cheap ones in the stores but they are farmed and use cottonseed oil. I do occasionally buy olive oil ones from the health food store or online but it's easier to take a pill for zinc every day.
I try to eat a lot of greens but 2 cups of cooked spinach (314 mg magnesium or 78% RDA) or any greens a day gets old. I take 600 mg magnesium a day usually so getting most of my magnesium from greens would be really hard every day.
Almonds have a lot of alpha tocopherol but not a lot of gamma tocopherol so I'd have to eat walnuts and/or sesame seeds in addition to almonds. Still day in, day out it's easier to take a pill on the days I don't eat these foods. https://ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/articles/aicr06_nutseed.pdf
You didn't mention Vitamin K2 which is rare in foods. You can get in natto (fermented soybeans) which is popular in Japan but I'd rather take a pill.
RDAs were really set to wipe out deficiency diseases and not set for optimum health, so I'm willing to take higher amounts of certain nutrients.
Yeah, K2 falls in with D3, so far as I am concerned. They are both very difficult to hit proper amounts of from food. I have honestly never seen natto anywhere, ever.0 -
If you are consistently eating the same thing everyday even if it's clean supplementation would be required, but if you eat healthy and keep a variety of vegetables lean meats and healthy fats, no supplement is required at all! As long as you consume 5 servings of fruits & vegetables or more that will be more than enough to reach your daily value. 1/2 cup of Broccoli alone contains most of the vitamins your body needs
A 1/2 cup of broccoli has a few percent RDA of most of your vitamins and minerals.
nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2356/20 -
Someone who is hypothyroid would respond well to supplements because this condition compromises digestive function/transit which depletes the body's ability to absorb natural/food micros. Lacking minerals reduces the ability to convert t4 to t3 the most active thyroid hormone needed by every cell. Unfortunately a diagnosis will probably be of little use because t4 treatment (standard) does not help everyone because of probable conversion issues and there are more undiagnosed persons in the population than there are diagnosed.0
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.
Oysters have a lot of zinc but are they that common in everyone's diets? I see the cheap ones in the stores but they are farmed and use cottonseed oil. I do occasionally buy olive oil ones from the health food store or online but it's easier to take a pill for zinc every day.
I try to eat a lot of greens but 2 cups of cooked spinach (314 mg magnesium or 78% RDA) or any greens a day gets old. I take 600 mg magnesium a day usually so getting most of my magnesium from greens would be really hard every day.
Almonds have a lot of alpha tocopherol but not a lot of gamma tocopherol so I'd have to eat walnuts and/or sesame seeds in addition to almonds. Still day in, day out it's easier to take a pill on the days I don't eat these foods. https://ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/articles/aicr06_nutseed.pdf
You didn't mention Vitamin K2 which is rare in foods. You can get in natto (fermented soybeans) which is popular in Japan but I'd rather take a pill.
RDAs were really set to wipe out deficiency diseases and not set for optimum health, so I'm willing to take higher amounts of certain nutrients.
Yeah, K2 falls in with D3, so far as I am concerned. They are both very difficult to hit proper amounts of from food. I have honestly never seen natto anywhere, ever.
That might have to do with the fact that it's positively vile. The smell alone will do you in and if you manage to get past that, the texture is... well vile is the best definition I'll come up with.
It's just not in our western culture to eat things like that (olfactory offensive). Once spent two weeks as a guest in a lovely Japanese family in Kanazawa, the grandmother had natto every day for breakfast. Even she admitted that 'today's youth' couldn't deal with the classics anymore...
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.
Oysters have a lot of zinc but are they that common in everyone's diets? I see the cheap ones in the stores but they are farmed and use cottonseed oil. I do occasionally buy olive oil ones from the health food store or online but it's easier to take a pill for zinc every day.
I try to eat a lot of greens but 2 cups of cooked spinach (314 mg magnesium or 78% RDA) or any greens a day gets old. I take 600 mg magnesium a day usually so getting most of my magnesium from greens would be really hard every day.
Almonds have a lot of alpha tocopherol but not a lot of gamma tocopherol so I'd have to eat walnuts and/or sesame seeds in addition to almonds. Still day in, day out it's easier to take a pill on the days I don't eat these foods. https://ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/articles/aicr06_nutseed.pdf
You didn't mention Vitamin K2 which is rare in foods. You can get in natto (fermented soybeans) which is popular in Japan but I'd rather take a pill.
RDAs were really set to wipe out deficiency diseases and not set for optimum health, so I'm willing to take higher amounts of certain nutrients.
Yeah, K2 falls in with D3, so far as I am concerned. They are both very difficult to hit proper amounts of from food. I have honestly never seen natto anywhere, ever.
I've also never seen natto. I guess K2 can be in other foods but in uncertain quantities like brie and gouda, some livers, and grassfed animal products.0 -
ladyreva78 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.
Oysters have a lot of zinc but are they that common in everyone's diets? I see the cheap ones in the stores but they are farmed and use cottonseed oil. I do occasionally buy olive oil ones from the health food store or online but it's easier to take a pill for zinc every day.
I try to eat a lot of greens but 2 cups of cooked spinach (314 mg magnesium or 78% RDA) or any greens a day gets old. I take 600 mg magnesium a day usually so getting most of my magnesium from greens would be really hard every day.
Almonds have a lot of alpha tocopherol but not a lot of gamma tocopherol so I'd have to eat walnuts and/or sesame seeds in addition to almonds. Still day in, day out it's easier to take a pill on the days I don't eat these foods. https://ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/articles/aicr06_nutseed.pdf
You didn't mention Vitamin K2 which is rare in foods. You can get in natto (fermented soybeans) which is popular in Japan but I'd rather take a pill.
RDAs were really set to wipe out deficiency diseases and not set for optimum health, so I'm willing to take higher amounts of certain nutrients.
Yeah, K2 falls in with D3, so far as I am concerned. They are both very difficult to hit proper amounts of from food. I have honestly never seen natto anywhere, ever.
That might have to do with the fact that it's positively vile. The smell alone will do you in and if you manage to get past that, the texture is... well vile is the best definition I'll come up with.
It's just not in our western culture to eat things like that (olfactory offensive). Once spent two weeks as a guest in a lovely Japanese family in Kanazawa, the grandmother had natto every day for breakfast. Even she admitted that 'today's youth' couldn't deal with the classics anymore...
That's interesting. It must be an acquired taste.0 -
ladyreva78 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.
Oysters have a lot of zinc but are they that common in everyone's diets? I see the cheap ones in the stores but they are farmed and use cottonseed oil. I do occasionally buy olive oil ones from the health food store or online but it's easier to take a pill for zinc every day.
I try to eat a lot of greens but 2 cups of cooked spinach (314 mg magnesium or 78% RDA) or any greens a day gets old. I take 600 mg magnesium a day usually so getting most of my magnesium from greens would be really hard every day.
Almonds have a lot of alpha tocopherol but not a lot of gamma tocopherol so I'd have to eat walnuts and/or sesame seeds in addition to almonds. Still day in, day out it's easier to take a pill on the days I don't eat these foods. https://ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/articles/aicr06_nutseed.pdf
You didn't mention Vitamin K2 which is rare in foods. You can get in natto (fermented soybeans) which is popular in Japan but I'd rather take a pill.
RDAs were really set to wipe out deficiency diseases and not set for optimum health, so I'm willing to take higher amounts of certain nutrients.
Yeah, K2 falls in with D3, so far as I am concerned. They are both very difficult to hit proper amounts of from food. I have honestly never seen natto anywhere, ever.
That might have to do with the fact that it's positively vile. The smell alone will do you in and if you manage to get past that, the texture is... well vile is the best definition I'll come up with.
It's just not in our western culture to eat things like that (olfactory offensive). Once spent two weeks as a guest in a lovely Japanese family in Kanazawa, the grandmother had natto every day for breakfast. Even she admitted that 'today's youth' couldn't deal with the classics anymore...
I am a huge "function eater", so I could definitely get with it, assuming the benefit was there. I'm also the guy who like kimchi and eggs, so I am probably not representative of the Western dietary preference.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »ladyreva78 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »TheDevastator wrote: »Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2 are scarce in common foods so I supplement all of those. Vitamin D is very important if you don't get enough sun.
Oysters to fix the zinc issue (bonus points for copper content), spinach and most greens for the mag, almonds for vitamin E. D is admittedly a problem that usually requires supplemental intake, depending upon region of residence.
Oysters have a lot of zinc but are they that common in everyone's diets? I see the cheap ones in the stores but they are farmed and use cottonseed oil. I do occasionally buy olive oil ones from the health food store or online but it's easier to take a pill for zinc every day.
I try to eat a lot of greens but 2 cups of cooked spinach (314 mg magnesium or 78% RDA) or any greens a day gets old. I take 600 mg magnesium a day usually so getting most of my magnesium from greens would be really hard every day.
Almonds have a lot of alpha tocopherol but not a lot of gamma tocopherol so I'd have to eat walnuts and/or sesame seeds in addition to almonds. Still day in, day out it's easier to take a pill on the days I don't eat these foods. https://ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/articles/aicr06_nutseed.pdf
You didn't mention Vitamin K2 which is rare in foods. You can get in natto (fermented soybeans) which is popular in Japan but I'd rather take a pill.
RDAs were really set to wipe out deficiency diseases and not set for optimum health, so I'm willing to take higher amounts of certain nutrients.
Yeah, K2 falls in with D3, so far as I am concerned. They are both very difficult to hit proper amounts of from food. I have honestly never seen natto anywhere, ever.
That might have to do with the fact that it's positively vile. The smell alone will do you in and if you manage to get past that, the texture is... well vile is the best definition I'll come up with.
It's just not in our western culture to eat things like that (olfactory offensive). Once spent two weeks as a guest in a lovely Japanese family in Kanazawa, the grandmother had natto every day for breakfast. Even she admitted that 'today's youth' couldn't deal with the classics anymore...
I am a huge "function eater", so I could definitely get with it, assuming the benefit was there. I'm also the guy who like kimchi and eggs, so I am probably not representative of the Western dietary preference.
Oh I like kimchi well enough. It's not nearly as bad as natto was and depending on the sides, kimchi can be down right mouth watering.
Na. Natto is it's own brand of vile.
The good macro/micro profile isn't going to change that.
If you're interested in trying, maybe there's an asian supermarket close to where you live that might stock it? I've never checked around here since I'm not interested in ever tasting that... slime... again.0
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