Should you try nutritional supplements?
Much has been written on the pros and cons of nutritional supplementation, whether in the form of pills or powders. While nothing can ultimately replace a whole foods–based diet, there remain a number of serious arguments in favor of routine supplementation worth considering. Here are five:
ONE /
Declining soil quality and modern agricultural practices have led to a decline in the nutrient density of the foods we eat. Mechanized farming has led to an explosion in crop yield. However the massive increase in quantity has come with a gradual decline in quality. Ongoing studies have estimated that the vitamin and mineral content of fresh vegetables has dropped up to 37 percent since 1950.
A daily multivitamin or supplement suite can make up for the nutrient deficit in otherwise whole food and organic diets.
TWO /
Busy schedules drive us toward processed foods. We have been long familiar with the food pyramids and plates, telling of which and how much of each food group to consume. Processed foods, unsurprisingly, do not make the cut for most nutritional guidelines.
However, we should be more specific when we talk about processed foods — hamburgers, smoothies, and even white rice are “processed”.
According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, “Depending on the degree of processing, many nutrients can be destroyed or removed. Heating or drying foods can destroy certain vitamins and minerals. Although food manufacturers can add back some of the nutrients lost, it is impossible to recreate the food in its original form.” Meanwhile, minimally processed foods, such as rolled oats or frozen fruits and vegetables, maintain the nutrient content of fresh produce.
As a general rule of thumb, it is hard to go wrong with fresh produce. However, it is nigh impossible to avoid processed food. A realistic diet includes supplements to fill in nutrient gaps.
THREE /
Stress. The pandemic has impacted us all profoundly: nearly 70 percent of workers feel the most stressed they have ever been. To name a few consequences of elevated stress levels: increased hypertension, deterioration of mental health, disrupted sleep, indigestion, and insulin resistance (a risk factor for obesity and type 2 diabetes). Not exactly a walk in the park — stress is no joke.
Obviously, a daily pill will not, of itself, reduce stress levels. (We are talking about nutritional supplementation!) However, a poor diet only makes matters worse. Stress-induced eating habits (binge eating, loss of appetite, and nausea) are themselves stress-inducing! A positive feedback loop–knuckle sandwich (delicious!).
Control what you can: a daily supplement to keep your diet on track means one less thing to worry about. And we all have plenty to worry about.
FOUR /
Sleep. Short and sweet. What we eat affects how we sleep. Some science: Nutrients, the American Society for Nutrition, and Advances in Nutrition.
Sleep matters. Your diet matters. A daily supplement rounds off a whole foods diet with essential micronutrients — the nuts and bolts of a (hopefully not) short and sweet sleep.
FIVE /
Toxins and pollutants. Anthropogenic environmental pollutants and toxins (the trash, chemicals, and unnamable compounds we produce) have devastated the planet. They also, unsurprisingly, are bad for our health!
Emerging research has shown, however, that a well-rounded diet can help offset the effects of environmental pollutants. From a New York Academy of Sciences paper: “Consuming healthy diets rich in plant-derived bioactive nutrients may reduce the vulnerability to diseases linked to environmental toxic insults.” What this means is that a healthy diet can shield us from the worst of our self-inflicted wounds. The smog may not be going anywhere, but you can actually beef up your defenses against the nastiness in the air, water, and soil — put on your nutritional hazmat suit, custom made.
Where your diet is nutritionally insufficient, a daily supplement can shore up your nutrient profile — while we hopefully do something as a species to save the planet.
Give Your Body an Extra Nutritional Boost /
Supplement! Going outside is perilous; from the moment you wake up, today’s world is a buffet of threats and risks. Daily nutritional supplementation is an easy way to cover your bases and ensure that you are giving your body everything it needs to function properly — give yourself a fair chance out there! A healthier, more certain life could start with just one pill a day.