Do Supplements Have the Same Benefits as Actual Fruits and Vegetables?

When it comes to eating healthy, the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind is colourful fruits and vegetables. However, in this fast-paced world, most individuals are unable to procure the right type and quantity of fruits and vegetables each day which is why they opt for multivitamin supplements to bridge the nutrient gap.

But opting for supplements often triggers one question in mind: do supplements offer the same benefits as actual fruits and vegetables? Do they provide the same quality and quantity of nutrients? Well, if you have this question on your mind, too, read along. This blog talks about what supplements are, their importance, and if they hold equal significance just to fruits and vegetables.

What are Supplements?

A Dietary, herbal, or natural supplement is a product that is meant to supplement your regular diet with added nutrients such as:

• Vitamins

• Minerals

• Prebiotics

• Amino acids

• Essential herbs

Supplements are available in the form of capsules, powder, patches, liquids, and bars and are taken to bridge the nutrient gaps, achieve health & wellness goals, prevent certain diseases and ensure overall well-being.

Who Needs Supplements?

Almost everyone! Consuming the right foods items can provide our bodies with the required nutrients through their diet. But, if your diet lacks variety then it might not be sufficient enough to provide all the nutrients.

Also a lots of things can influence the absorption of vitamins and minerals, such as the other foods you eat at the same meal, how they are prepared, drugs or supplements you may be taking, even your age and the time of day. An extra boost of nutrition through supplements or opt for supplements is required to fill in the nutrient gaps in the diet for whatever reasons.

Supplements are vital for you if you: -

• Are older than 50 years

• Have a poor appetite, eating habits, and lifestyle

• Are unable to get nutritious food items due to busy schedule or lack of availability

• Can’t consume a variety of nutritional food items due to a dietary restriction

• Suffer from medical conditions like food allergies, diarrhea, food diseases, or liver diseases.

• Are you pregnant or trying to conceive

What are the Benefits of Taking Supplements?

1. Supplements Help in Improving Cognitive Abilities in Older Adults

As you start to age, your cognitive abilities begin to fade gradually. Your memory isn’t as sharp as it was and focussing and concentrating on things can be a challenge as well. And it is completely fine.

However, with the help of multivitamin supplements, things can get a grip on your health and slow down the age induced damage. Some supplements can reverse the trend so that your cognitive ability is not drastically affected with age.

2. Supplements Reduce the Risk of Heart Diseases

Heart diseases are a common reason behind fatalities in several countries, including India. However, supplementation (omega-3 fatty acids) along with enough sleep, exercise, and a balanced, nutrient-rich diet can help reduce the risk of heart issues to a minimum.

3. Supplements Will Help You If Are a Vegan

Millions of people have started to follow a vegan lifestyle and diet that is completely plant-based. While veganism comes with plenty of benefits for people, animals as well as the environment, but can lead to nutrient deficiencies. It’s because the quantity of several nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, etc., is pretty scarce in plant sources.

However, supplements is an ideal solution. By consuming the right supplement that provides all the nutrients, you can ensure your body stays healthy and maintaining optimum nutritional status even if you’re vegan.

4. Supplements Boost Your Immune System

A weak immune system is common among adults and kids alike. And one of the major reasons behind a weak immune system is a poor lifestyle and faulty dietary practices devoid of essential micronutrients leading to multiple nutritional deficiencies.

But if you are wondering about ways to strengthen your immune system, supplements are your answer. Supplements that include active ingredients like orange peel, ginger, curcumin, vitamin C etc., will help in help in making your immune system powerful. You will find yourself getting less sick with improved energy levels and immunity.

Will Supplements cause side-effects?

Supplements cannot be a replacement for food. The term supplement itself speaks for that it is to supplement the existing nutritional gap what the diet is unable to fulfil.

Your body needs food to absorb the vitamins and minerals and also it is not advisable to take supplements only and not consuming nutritious foods. For optimum absorption of nutrients, a healthy diet is a mandate.

Excessive supplementation or higher dosage of supplements is not advisable. Your body can get rid of most nutrients and minerals that are excess in amount. But sometimes, these can stay in your body and cause more damage than good.

Supplements comprising of fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E and K needs to be taken as per recommendation, exceeding the recommended dose may cause toxicity. Opt for supplements that are 100% plant based, non-gmo, sugarfree and preservative free.

So, Are Supplements as Beneficial as Fruits and Vegetables?

Supplements cannot replace your major meals. And they’re not crafted to replace fruits and vegetables either. The supplements are like an addon to your existing diet just so that your body gets the missing nutrients, improves the absorption and stays healthy. Consume natural supplements like the ones listed below along with a healthy diet to ensure well-being.

What Are Some Reliable Supplements for Maintaining Optimum Health?

There are several multivitamins and supplements on the market that help build your immune system and take care of the overall health of your body. But here are some of the best supplements you can completely rely on: -

• Melts multivitamin provides a potent blend of essential nutrients like Vitamins A, B-Complex, C, and D3 & K2 in a strip. Each melts multivitamin contains 100% RDA for men and women to fill any nutritional gaps, support your wellbeing, and encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.

• Wellbeing Nutrition’s Melts Natural Vitamin D3 + K2 help increase calcium absorption, improve cell function, enhance the immune system, boost skeletal muscle development, and is even linked to lowering the levels of depression. Just put one Melts strip on your tongue before bedtime, and you are done.

• Melts Vegan Vitamin B12, also from Wellbeing Nutrition, comes with Natural Folate Methyl tetrahydrofolate, BacoMind, and 99% pure turmeric is known for improving energy levels, brain health, and overall well-being in general. Similar to the above supplement, all you need to do is place the deliciously flavored Misty Orange Mist Melts on your tongue after your meal.

• Melts Restful Sleep is a clinically proven supplement formula formulated with Himalayan Tagara, GABA, Pasion flower, Chamomile, Vitamin B6, and 5-HTP. It is known to improve the quality of your sleep, promote relaxation and make you feel fresh when you wake up in the morning. It is simple to take. Just place a melt on your tongue before your bedtime.

All our melts are plant-based and formed with German Nano Technology. Also, they’re vigorously tested, free from allergies, effective, and safe for consumption.

If you are looking for more nutrients per serving then capsules from Slow multi for her and him are the best. Multivitamin or Multi for Her or Multivitamin for Him or Multi For Him is a scientifically-developed delayed-release multivitamin for women and men belonging to the age group of 18 and 49 to help plug in the nutrient gaps in one’s diet.

While these are a few products that the youth can benefit from, there are other dietary supplements like Healthy Hair Melts Hairfall Control Melts, Daily Greens, Organic Vitamin C+ Zinc, Skin Fuel, and Probiotics + Prebiotics effervescent tablets, among other things that they can consume

Takeaway

Think of supplements as an addon to your diet and not a replacement for it. While supplements can offer benefits to your body, they can’t contain flavonoids, phytonutrients that exists in fruits and vegetables.

Therefore, to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs, a combination of fruits and veggies along with supplements is what you should opt for. And the ones mentioned above are very reliable. So, order them now and get your health on track.

References

• Brown B, Wright C. Safety and efficacy of supplements in pregnancy. Nutr Rev. 2020 Oct 1;78(10):813-826. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz101. Erratum in: Nutr Rev. 2020 Sep 1;78(9):782. PMID: 31925443; PMCID: PMC7558284. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7558284/

• Oh C, Keats EC, Bhutta ZA. Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation During Pregnancy on Maternal, Birth, Child Health and Development Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2020 Feb 14;12(2):491. doi: 10.3390/nu12020491. PMID: 32075071; PMCID: PMC7071347. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071347/

• Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Diet and Health; Woteki CE, Thomas PR, editors. Eat for Life: The Food and Nutrition Board's Guide to Reducing Your Risk of Chronic Disease. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. Chapter 8, Vitamins, Minerals, And Chronic Diseases. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235010/

• Pomeroy DE, Tooley KL, Probert B, Wilson A, Kemps E. A Systematic Review of the Effect of Dietary Supplements on Cognitive Performance in Healthy Young Adults and Military Personnel. Nutrients. 2020 Feb 20;12(2):545. doi: 10.3390/nu12020545. PMID: 32093203; PMCID: PMC7071459.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071459/

• Shah AK, Dhalla NS. Effectiveness of Some Vitamins in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Narrative Review. Front Physiol. 2021 Oct 8;12:729255. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.729255. PMID: 34690803; PMCID: PMC8531219. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8531219/.

• Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Diet and Health; Woteki CE, Thomas PR, editors. Eat for Life: The Food and Nutrition Board's Guide to Reducing Your Risk of Chronic Disease. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. Chapter 8, Vitamins, Minerals, And Chronic Diseases. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235010/