Vitamins: The Right Choice

Do you doubt: whether you should take extra vitamins from the pharmacy, or natural vitamin dose you receive every day with food is enough to solve such a difficult problem as the maintenance of good health. Anyway, how big is the real benefit from the vitamins, aren't the producers of multi-colored pills cunning by telling about the absolute their necessity? Let's see!

From food or from vitamin products?

To get the required daily dose of vitamin only from food, you must be sure your diet is >perfectly balanced, and eat every day for 5 portions of fresh fruits and vegetables (based on recent studies,experts propose to increase this number to 8 or even 10.

Also, consider the following facts:

• In nature there are products which are present at once all the vital vitamins the human body.
• Vitamins absorbed from food is not more than 20%.
• These compounds are easily destroyed by gentle in the process of cooking and food storage. Losses are ranging from 40 to 90%.

Now judge for yourself whether you can satisfy the "hidden hunger" (so called lack of vitamins), even eating correctly?
However, remind the nutritionists, even a regular intake of vitamins does not alter proper nutrition, which provides us with other important substances: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber.

Natural or synthetic

There is practically no difference - thanks to modern high-tech production of vitamins. Moreover, synthetic vitamins are absorbed better than natural, often found in food in bound form. But do not forget that in fruits, vegetables and other foods in addition is contained the so-called secondary plant substances (enzymes, flavonoids) that enhance the beneficial effect of vitamins with about 50 times. There is still no laboratory in the world which can "pack" any of these substances in the capsule or tablet.

Before eating or after?

If in the instructions are no special guidelines, the vitamin and vitamin-mineral supplements should be taken after meals, and better at the end of the most nourishing meal in the morning. The drug is better assimilated. And for example, vitamin C taken in the evening(even in the cough drugs) can cause formation of stones.

From time to time or permanently?

In order to get a real effect, taking vitamins must be regularly. Carefully read the label on which should definitely be mentioned the specific content of each vitamin (easier when the figures are given as a percentage of daily requirement). If it's written 100%, the drug can be taken every other day. Since, according to the Institute of Nutrition, a general lack of vitamins we have is approximately 50%.

Vitamins or minerals?

Both. These beneficial substances in combination are called micro-nutrients. Many vitamins and minerals interact perfectly, complementing each others actions.