Foods You Should Eat Instead of Taking Vitamins
If you're eating a healthy diet, you shouldn't need all
those bottles of vitamins
The supplement chain
GNC announced that it plans to
overhaul its quality control systems with new high-tech testing. The move comes
after an investigation by the New York Attorney General that revealed the
quality of supplements is highly variable, and many pills do not contain the
ingredients they say they do or contain other ingredients that may not be on
the label.
Most experts say that if you’re eating a healthy diet and
don’t have an underlying health conditions that interferes with your body’s
ability to absorb nutrients from your food, you generally shouldn’t need to
take supplements. The same vitamins and minerals are often available in food.
We’ve listed several popular supplements, and suggested a food that you should
eat instead.
Vitamin C
Citrus fruits are some of
the best sources of vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant in the body and
helps with the absorption of iron. Oranges in particular are high in vitamin
C—one large orange boasts 97.9 mg. It’s recommended that adult men get 90mg of vitamin C a
day and women get 75 mg. Other high sources are red and green peppers, kiwi and
tomatoes.
Calcium
Kale may be a less obvious
choice, but it’s a high source of calcium that’s needed for strong bones and
teeth as well as muscle movement and nerve function. Just one serving of kale
has 150 mg of calcium which is slightly over 10% of the recommended daily
amount. Other sources of calcium are dairy products like yogurt, as well as
other foods like broccoli and chia seeds.
B Vitamins
Vitamin B12 is commonly
taken in supplement form since it’s important for red blood cell formation and
neurological function. Eggs are a good source, and nutritional experts recently
confirmed that eggs shouldn’t be chastised for being high in cholesterol. One
large hard boiled egg has 0.6 micrograms of B12, which is about
10% of the recommended daily value. Just 3 oz of trout or salmon give you
almost your entire daily needs.
In addition, vitamin B6 which is involved in
metabolism and brain development during pregnancy is found in foods like nuts,
tuna and chickpeas.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is important for
vision, immune system function, reproduction and support for the heart, lungs
and kidneys. Sweet potatoes are a particularly potent source of vitamin A. Just
one sweet potato baked in the skin has 28,058 international units (IU) of
vitamin A per serving, which is 561% of the daily recommended value. According to National Institutes of
Health(NIH),
around 28%–37% of the general population take supplements with vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E acts as an
antioxidant in the body and supports the immune system in fighting off bacteria
and viruses. Almonds, as well as other nuts like peanuts and hazelnuts are high
sources of vitamin E. One ounce of dry roasted almondscontains 6.8 mg of vitamin A,
which is 34% of the daily recommended value.
Magnesium
Cashews are a high source
of magnesium, which is important for regulating blood sugar and blood pressure
levels as well as maintaining nerve function. The NIH says Americans
consistently do not consume the recommended amount of magnesium. Not only are
cashews tasty, but one ounce of dry roasted cashews host 74 mg of magnesium—19%
of the daily recommended amount.
Iron
Around 14% to 18% of
Americans use a supplement that contains iron, many of which are designed for
women who are at a greater risk for not having enough. It’s recommended that
men age 19 to 50 get 8 mg of iron a day and women in the same age group get 18
mg (and 27 mg if they are pregnant). Half of cup of boiled and drained spinach has 3 mg of iron which comes out to around 17% of the
daily recommended amount.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a tricky
nutrient. It’s available in very few foods, though fatty fish like salmon and
tuna contain it. Lots of foods are fortified with Vitamin D, which is needed
for calcium absorption and cell growth. Three ounces of cooked salmonconatins 447 IUs
(international units) of vitamin D which is 112% of the daily recommended
value. People can also get vitamin D from sun exposure.
Multivitamin
The NIH says more than
one-third of Americans take multivitamins, even though they agencysays they “cannot take the place of eating a variety of
foods that are important to a healthy diet.” One of the problems with
multivitamins is that there is no regulatory definition for what a multivitamin
is, so a supplement from one company can be completely different from another
company’s version. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can ensure that you
are getting the nutrients you need.
Danny Kim for TIME
http://time.com/3763271/gnc-supplements-nutrients-food/?xid=emailshare
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