Multivitamins – essential or a waste of money?
Hi Musers, welcome back to part 3 of my nutrition series. In part 1 we talked about the macros of our diet – protein, carbs and fat. In part 2 we covered the deeply unsexy but necessary topic of fibre. Part 3 delved into the salty topic of sodium. Today we move onto the minerals our bodies need to stay healthy. We’re also going to discuss the best way to meet our daily needs and answer the question about multivitamins – essential or a waste of money?
For each part of my nutrition series, I’m going to start with my trigger warning. There will never be any discussion of diets, intentional weight loss strategies or calories here at CMooMuses. Ever. I think it is important to discuss how to look after and properly nourish your body though. It makes such a massive difference to your health and how you feel. If you think this would be triggering for you due to an eating disorder, orthorexia in particular, or just cos it all seems too close to diet talk for you to handle, feel free to skip these posts. I look forward to seeing you back here soon 🙂
Still here? Great 😃 Let’s begin…
Vitamins – What Do We Need Each Day?
VITAMIN A
GOOD FOR: Healthy eyes, cell regeneration, and general growth and development, including healthy teeth and skin. Insufficient vitamin A can lead to dry skin, night blindness and even fertility issues.
GET IT FROM: Carrots and other orange foods including sweet potato.
B VITAMINS
GOOD FOR: Giving us energy, boosting our immune system and allowing us to absorb iron. Not getting enough causes fatigue, pale skin, breathlessness and fainting.
GET IT FROM: This important group of nutrients can be found in many whole unprocessed foods including whole grains, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chilli peppers and beans.
VITAMIN C
GOOD FOR: Strengthening blood vessels and giving skin its elasticity, anti-oxidant properties and iron absorption. Not enough of this causes scurvy, a disease common in the past in pirates. It leaves you feeling tired, your gums bleed and you bruise easily.
GET IT FROM: Everyone knows this one – oranges and citrus fruits! But they’re not the only source – You can also find loads of it in red and green peppers, brussels sprouts, kiwi, strawberries, and melon.
VITAMIN D
GOOD FOR: Strong healthy bones. A lack of vitamin D will leave you with weaker bones and feeling very tired.
GET IT FROM: Getting out in the sunshine is the best source. If you live in the UK like me and are a bit lacking in sunlight you can also get it from mushrooms, eggs and fish. This is one of the few vitamins where a supplement may be necessary.
VITAMIN E
GOOD FOR: Healthy skin and hair, improved blood circulation, and protection from free radicals. Vitamin E deficiencies are very rare and generally only caused by health conditions.
GET IT FROM: All nuts but especially almonds which also supply good fats. Seeds also contain vitamin E as do tomatoes.
VITAMIN K
GOOD FOR: Vitamin K is one of the least talked about vitamins but it is essential in allowing your blood to clot. So it’s pretty important!
GET IT FROM: Leafy greens are the best way to get your Vitamin K – Stock up on spinach, kale, broccoli and sprouts. If you’re not mad about the taste of these vegetables you could add them to smoothies or blended soups.
Do I Need A Supplement?
As I hope I’ve shown above, mostly the answer is no. Almost all the important daily vitamins can be absorbed from foods as long as we eat a balanced diet. The only exception is Vitamin D which the majority of doctors and health providers agree you should take as a daily supplement. This is especially true in winter.
Medical studies such as this one from John Hopkins have found little to no health benefits from taking multivitamins. Other studies suggest your body can’t absorb such a high dose and you’ll simply pee out most of it. So it seems that as with many things related to health and our diets getting a balanced diet will keep your body stocked with everything it needs. Multivitamins – essential or a waste of money. The evidence seems to suggest it’s a waste of money.
However…
I am not saying you must stop taking them immediately. It’s your life and your body. If you feel like you’re getting a benefit from taking them then please carry on. Just a warning though…these are called supplements! They are meant to add to a balanced diet not replace the need for it.
I also acknowledge that healthy eating ain’t cheap. It’s a sad fact in the Western world in particular that it’s significantly cheaper to eat processed food with higher slat and sugar content than it is to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. I am absolutely not judging you whatever your diet is like. There is no morality attached to food and we aren’t superior if we live on organic, corn fed chicken and vegetables as opposed to fish fingers and chips. We all make the best choices that life, money, location and preference allows.
That’s all for today my Musers, I’ll be back soon with the final part of this series where we’ll discuss minerals. Til then keep yourself safe, obey social distancing and get lots of rest.
Love CMoo
