What's the difference between eating fruit+veg and taking vitimins/supplements?

JC 2K3

I've always heard that fruit and veg is the "best" way to get vitimins etc. but why exactly? I don't understand why I need to eat fruit and veg(I eat very little, never been mad about fruit and veg) when it seems like I can take a vitimin supplement that will give me the correct amount of vitimins without having to eat fruit or veg....

Patto

What age are you? 3 years old or something. Just eat the food and shut up:eek:

Gillo

The answer is in your question, they are merely supplements not actually food. They are designed to provide additional vitamins / minerals to what you get from food, and are useful if you have been sick or don't eat properly (being too lazy to eat proberly is not really an excuse). They also won't provide you wtih fibre or any reall energy and without wanting to state the obvious they are not as nice too eat.

Basically, take fruit & veg instead.

Julesie

Patto wrote:

What age are you? 3 years old or something. Just eat the food and shut up:eek:

Well thats a helpful answer :rolleyes:

It's an genuine question no need for that. To be honest it is something i have wondered myself. I just dont like vegetables, god knows ive tried but my taste palatte has other ideas. So i take multi vits because i realise that without them i would be lacking some vital nutrients.

What is the difference between a vitamin gained from a tablet and one gained from a vegetable? Is it more to do with the fact that a diet lacking in vegetables may consist of more unhealthy foods than someone who does take them?

Dragan

http://www.myfooddiary.com/resources/ask_the_expert/vitamin_supplements_vs_food.asp


here you go guys, this is a good right up on the subject.

g'em

The link that Dragan has put up is a good one to help you understand why supplements come nowhere near eating real food for nutritional benefits so give it a read.

But to put it simply think of it like this. Take a whole organge vs. orange juice vs. vit C tablets.

The Vit C supplement will give you you're daily recommended allowance of vitamin C- albeit from a chemically derived synthesised compound that may or may not be effcently absorbed in your body- and not a whole lot else.

The Orange Juice will also provide your Vitamin C along with giving you a refreshing tasty drink and will pack in some of the other fabulous healthy compounds found naturally in oranges like liminoids and flavanones (help to protect against cardiovascular diseas and lower high blood pressure respectively) BUT the OJ contains no fibre and has a relatively high GI so will cause a surge in insulin (ie pretty empty calories)

The whole unadulterated orange on the other hand will provide you with Vit C, fibre, folate, thiamin, potassium, vitamin A and calcium and all packed into one fabulous neat low-calorie, high-taste package, provides a great snack with minimal preparation, easy to eat on the go and cheap.

And for those of you worried about chemical sprays and treatments, buy organic and wash the fruit or veg and/ or buy from a farmers market.

Like gillo said, supplements are just that, intended to be added to an already healthy balanced diet, and should ideally only be used to help you meet your nutrient requirements when you physically can't ingest the foods you'd normally derive those vits/minerals from.

Patto

Well here is my two-pence worth for what its worth. This is meant as a general rant on diet, nutrition and our general mindset towards eating, its not meant as a personal attach on anyone.

I just don't buy the I don't like veg so I don't eat them line.

Its like saying I don't like water so I don't drink it. Its a fundamental requirement for survival same as certain foods so you just drink it or eat them (in the case of veg). And I'm all for adding flavours to water or spices to veg if it works for you.

Where do people learn this? IMO often its when we are kids and we are allowed to leave half a plate of veg behind and proceed straight to the sweet stuff. Often kids pick this up from equally picky parents who behave in the same way. What is this teaching our children? You don't have to eat food that is good for you, there are no rules or guidelines when it comes to diet and nutrition, eat what you like especially if it tastes sweet. Rising diabetes, obesity, fashionable belly tops with overhanging bellies and rapidly developing fast food nation are all symptoms of this.

I think kids should eat what is put in front of them until they reach the age of 18. If they want to give up veg then and spend all their money of multi vits then, that is fine. Somehow I don't think it would happen. IMO the importance of a sensible and balanced diet is one of the most important things we can teach our children.

Rant of a future father over!

g'em

It might be a rant but tbh I agree!!! too many people take the easy way out saying 'I just don't like teh taste of them..' blah blah blah.. But the truth is our senses have become accutely dumbed down thanks to the over-processed, high sugar, high salt, high fat diets we have on offer in our shops and supermarkets today. Well-grown, fresh fruit and vegetables are absolutely delicious. Even the more bland veg are easily livened up with a quick tomatoe based sauce, some herbs or spices, garlic or even a tiny bit of butter.

A couple of years ago I ate very, very few vegetables on a daily basis, and yes initially I had to 'force' myself to eat them more, but it was like reintroducing a whole new world of tastes into my eating habits. Nowadays I don't use much other than a teeny bit of mixed herbs and garlic with my veg. Literally within days and weeks of eating better you notice huge differences in your energy levels, you get sick much less, the quality of your skin/ hair/ nails improves... it really, really is worth gradually trying to introduce more and more fresh food into your diet- really!!!