Nature has given us all we need to get vitamins and minerals from our diet, so why should we bother taking supplements? It’s not always possible to live as healthy as we’d like, especially when our lives go through busy periods that could result in sleep deprivation, eating infrequently and choosing high sugar foods so we can get a quick energy fix. This is when supplements can come to our aid, although it’s useful to know if our diets are already giving us the nutrients we need.
A
It’s easy to feel run down when we don’t have much time to relax, with some of us suffering near-constant fatigue, colds and other viruses. Our immune systems could suffer, making it important to include vitamin A in our diets. This will strengthen our immunity and protect our vision too. We can get it from milk, oily fish, eggs, cheese and yoghurt. It is available as a supplement for when we don’t get to include these foods in our meals. The NHS recommends taking 0.6mg a day for women and 0.7mg for men
B
B vitamins have so many uses in our body and there are lots of different types including folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamins B6 and B12. They help to release energy from food, protect our nervous system and assist the movement of oxygen throughout our bodies. Folic acid is also recommended during pregnancy as it can prevent neural tube disorders. Vegetables are a good source of B vitamins, especially green leafy varieties. Eggs are another potent source for the nutrient, as are breads and cereals that have been fortified. There are lots of supplements available featuring B vitamins if we want to add them to our diets, with our GPs able to offer advice on recommended doses for each vitamin.
C
Nearly every process in our bodies begins in our cells, which is why it’s important to protect cells from damage. This is one of the main roles for Vitamin C, explaining why it can give us such a health boost. The nutrient is also linked to the health of our internal tissues and studies show it can shorten the duration of common colds. It’s important to try to include this vitamin in our daily meals because we can’t store it. If we eat plenty of citrus fruits, such as strawberries, blackcurrants and oranges, as well as potatoes, broccoli and brussel sprouts then we are likely to get enough dietary Vitamin C.
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