Does eating a healthy well balanced diet alone supply all the nutrients that the human body requires to work properly? There are several kinds and brands of supplements available to the buyer, but what are the benefits of using these products?
These are just some of the questions people might have about nutritional supplements and the purpose of this article is to answer many of these questions.
There are several kinds of nutritional products currently available and the health and wellness industry is among the fastest growing sectors at this time. This is due to lots of factors including the increase in weight problems and the increasing numbers of people being identified as having degenerative diseases.
It is sometimes believed (particularly amongst older generations) that eating a balanced diet and regular exercise is sufficient to maintain good health, but there's also the conflicting argument that without supplementation, a lot of people's consumption of vital nutrients falls far short of their body's requirements.
Before I discuss these problems, I would first like to give a brief overview of a few of the nutrients that the human body needs to function correctly:
Firstly there are the macronutrients. Macronutrients include Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats. At the most simplified level, carbs provide our bodies with energy, proteins are responsible for building and repairing muscle tissue and fats supply extra energy reserves and allow for the transportation of micronutrients around the body. Fats are also required for the production of some hormones.
Secondly there're micronutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins (also known as anti-oxidants) and minerals. Each vitamin (A, B12, C, D, E, K, etc.) and mineral (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, etc.) works a specific role in the body and they are all essential for good bodily function. Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals have been identified as one of the primary factors in the development of degenerative disease, as vitamins specifically are responsible for the removal of free radicals within the body.
Free radicals are harmful molecules, that are made by chemical reactions within the human body, and also by factors in our external environment. They attack healthy cells causing them to break down (degenerate), potentially resulting in the growth of degenerative disease in the long term.
As an example, it has been suggested that to promote perfect health, 400 IU (International Units) of vitamin E must be eaten daily. To put this into context, a person would have to take in 14.5 kg of spinach daily to accomplish this level. Alternatively, 1kg or almonds would supply the same oxidative defence for the human cells. This example should highlight that it's very difficult to eat 400 IU of vitamin E without incorporating nutritional supplementation. This value is considerably greater than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for many reasons:
First of all, RDAs were established in the 1940s and were guidelines to prevent diseases such as scurvy and rickets and are often regarded as somewhat outdated. Moreover, the external environment in which we live today contains higher amounts of contaminants, radiation and some other harmful toxins, which considerably increases our requirement for antioxidants.
It is known that the amounts of vitamins in fruit and vegetables depletes over time, therefore in order to get the best anti-oxidative defence from foods, we'd have to consume them instantly after they were harvested. This is really difficult today because of the nature of supermarket's distribution processes.
In conclusion, high quality multi-vitamin and multimineral supplements could be good for everybody, to make sure the consumption of adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals. This may support healthy body function, elevate energy levels and may also reduce toxin damage and cellular degeneration in the body.
Macronutrient dietary supplements (i.e. proteins, meal replacements and healthy snacking options), also serve a purpose to a lot of people:
An example would be for a vegetarian who may generally find it difficult to consume enough quantities of proteins. In this case, a Soy Protein supplement could be of use. Soy protein doesn't contain animal products and can provide all of the essential amino acids that the body needs for developing and repairing bodily tissues.
For individuals looking to manage their weight, meal subs
Secondly there're micronutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins (also known as anti-oxidants) and minerals. Each vitamin (A, B12, C, D, E, K, etc.) and mineral (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, etc.) works a specific role in the body and they are all essential for good bodily function. Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals have been identified as one of the primary factors in the development of degenerative disease, as vitamins specifically are responsible for the removal of free radicals within the body.
Free radicals are harmful molecules, that are made by chemical reactions within the human body, and also by factors in our external environment. They attack healthy cells causing them to break down (degenerate), potentially resulting in the growth of degenerative disease in the long term.
As an example, it has been suggested that to promote perfect health, 400 IU (International Units) of vitamin E must be eaten daily. To put this into context, a person would have to take in 14.5 kg of spinach daily to accomplish this level. Alternatively, 1kg or almonds would supply the same oxidative defence for the human cells. This example should highlight that it's very difficult to eat 400 IU of vitamin E without incorporating nutritional supplementation. This value is considerably greater than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for many reasons:
First of all, RDAs were established in the 1940s and were guidelines to prevent diseases such as scurvy and rickets and are often regarded as somewhat outdated. Moreover, the external environment in which we live today contains higher amounts of contaminants, radiation and some other harmful toxins, which considerably increases our requirement for antioxidants.
It is known that the amounts of vitamins in fruit and vegetables depletes over time, therefore in order to get the best anti-oxidative defence from foods, we'd have to consume them instantly after they were harvested. This is really difficult today because of the nature of supermarket's distribution processes.
In conclusion, high quality multi-vitamin and multimineral supplements could be good for everybody, to make sure the consumption of adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals. This may support healthy body function, elevate energy levels and may also reduce toxin damage and cellular degeneration in the body.
Macronutrient dietary supplements (i.e. proteins, meal replacements and healthy snacking options), also serve a purpose to a lot of people:
An example would be for a vegetarian who may generally find it difficult to consume enough quantities of proteins. In this case, a Soy Protein supplement could be of use. Soy protein doesn't contain animal products and can provide all of the essential amino acids that the body needs for developing and repairing bodily tissues.
For individuals looking to manage their weight, meal subs
As an example, it has been suggested that to promote perfect health, 400 IU (International Units) of vitamin E must be eaten daily. To put this into context, a person would have to take in 14.5 kg of spinach daily to accomplish this level. Alternatively, 1kg or almonds would supply the same oxidative defence for the human cells. This example should highlight that it's very difficult to eat 400 IU of vitamin E without incorporating nutritional supplementation. This value is considerably greater than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for many reasons:
First of all, RDAs were established in the 1940s and were guidelines to prevent diseases such as scurvy and rickets and are often regarded as somewhat outdated. Moreover, the external environment in which we live today contains higher amounts of contaminants, radiation and some other harmful toxins, which considerably increases our requirement for antioxidants.
It is known that the amounts of vitamins in fruit and vegetables depletes over time, therefore in order to get the best anti-oxidative defence from foods, we'd have to consume them instantly after they were harvested. This is really difficult today because of the nature of supermarket's distribution processes.
In conclusion, high quality multi-vitamin and multimineral supplements could be good for everybody, to make sure the consumption of adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals. This may support healthy body function, elevate energy levels and may also reduce toxin damage and cellular degeneration in the body.
Macronutrient dietary supplements (i.e. proteins, meal replacements and healthy snacking options), also serve a purpose to a lot of people:
An example would be for a vegetarian who may generally find it difficult to consume enough quantities of proteins. In this case, a Soy Protein supplement could be of use. Soy protein doesn't contain animal products and can provide all of the essential amino acids that the body needs for developing and repairing bodily tissues.
For individuals looking to manage their weight, meal substitutions can provide the correct balance of nutrients in a low-calorie supplement. Meal replacements could be a convenient method for people with hectic lives to manage calorie intake.
Healthy snacking options may also provide a great method for receiving a good balance of nutrients with little or no preparation. It'd generally be more helpful to an individual's health to eat a high quality healthy snack bar than to purchase a snack from a convenience store.
Thus, the use of macronutrient snacks generally depends on an individual's health goals and individual nutritional requirements.
About the Author:
First of all, RDAs were established in the 1940s and were guidelines to prevent diseases such as scurvy and rickets and are often regarded as somewhat outdated. Moreover, the external environment in which we live today contains higher amounts of contaminants, radiation and some other harmful toxins, which considerably increases our requirement for antioxidants.
It is known that the amounts of vitamins in fruit and vegetables depletes over time, therefore in order to get the best anti-oxidative defence from foods, we'd have to consume them instantly after they were harvested. This is really difficult today because of the nature of supermarket's distribution processes.
In conclusion, high quality multi-vitamin and multimineral supplements could be good for everybody, to make sure the consumption of adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals. This may support healthy body function, elevate energy levels and may also reduce toxin damage and cellular degeneration in the body.
Macronutrient dietary supplements (i.e. proteins, meal replacements and healthy snacking options), also serve a purpose to a lot of people:
An example would be for a vegetarian who may generally find it difficult to consume enough quantities of proteins. In this case, a Soy Protein supplement could be of use. Soy protein doesn't contain animal products and can provide all of the essential amino acids that the body needs for developing and repairing bodily tissues.
For individuals looking to manage their weight, meal substitutions can provide the correct balance of nutrients in a low-calorie supplement. Meal replacements could be a convenient method for people with hectic lives to manage calorie intake.
Healthy snacking options may also provide a great method for receiving a good balance of nutrients with little or no preparation. It'd generally be more helpful to an individual's health to eat a high quality healthy snack bar than to purchase a snack from a convenience store.
Thus, the use of macronutrient snacks generally depends on an individual's health goals and individual nutritional requirements.
About the Author:
Andrew Smith is an Independent Affiliate for Usana, who produce world-leading nutritional supplements. To read a comprehensive Usana products review check out this site: usana products uk