Supplements vs Food: Which is the Best Source of Nutrition?

Contents:

• Medical Video: Vitamins: do you need supplements?
  
• Plus minus supplements vs. food in meeting nutritional needs
  
• Food
  
• Supplement
  
• Eat food first, then consume supplements if needed
  
• What needs to be considered before taking supplements
  

Medical Video: Vitamins: do you need supplements?

Fulfillment of body nutrition can be done by consuming food and supplements. However, both of them meet the body's nutritional needs in different ways. Food meets nutritional needs along with various other components, while supplements provide specific nutrients depending on the type of supplement.

In terms of nutrition, the basic difference between food and supplements is the nutritional composition found in both. Which includes the composition of nutrients are vitamins, minerals, herbal ingredients, amino acids, and other components found in consumption in general such as enzymes. Supplements are products that are consumed by mouth that have one or more nutritional compositions. However, supplements are not to replace food or food ingredients. In packaged foods there is a label for nutritional value information, while supplements have labeled supplement composition information.

Plus minus supplements vs. food in meeting nutritional needs

Because both have different ways of meeting the body's nutritional needs, both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Food

Plus - The nutritional content of food has more combinations and functions better than supplements. This is because whole foods contain various mixtures of nutrients, accompanied by other substances that help maintain health, such as fiber, antioxidants, and plant chemicals (phytochemicals) Nutrients obtained from whole foods not only function in growth, repair damaged cells, provide energy, and immunity, but also function as a component that reduces the risk of disease. Moreover, some nutrients such as calcium in whole foods are more easily absorbed by the body than those sourced from supplements.

Minus - Balanced nutritional content from various sources in whole foods does not always meet the body's nutritional needs. In certain conditions, our body needs more specific nutrients than others. For example, when undergoing pregnancy or experiencing excessive bleeding during menstruation, the body needs more iron intake than the intake obtained only from food. Whole foods are also not necessarily able to meet the number of nutrients with a minimum adequacy limit such as in pregnant women who need 400 micrograms of folate and vitamin B to meet the developmental needs of the baby. Moreover, if someone is on a diet and avoids certain types of food, the food he consumes may have a lack of important nutrients in the body.

Supplement

Plus - The main advantages of supplements are related to fulfilling nutrient intake that cannot be fulfilled by whole foods. Supplements can also help in meeting the specific nutritional needs needed by someone with certain health conditions. For example, protein supplementation to increase body weight and help grow height in children with late growth.

Minus - Consumption of supplements can be dangerous if someone does not have the need for certain nutrients so that it can cause patterns of excessive nutrient intake which can cause toxic effects on health. For example, excess vitamin D can damage the kidneys or excessive consumption of fish oil can lead to stroke accompanied by bleeding.

Some supplements have side effects after use, especially if consumed in someone with certain health conditions or taken together with certain drugs. In addition, many of the side effects of nutritional intake from supplements for pregnant women and children are unknown. So if someone needs certain nutritional supplements with high doses, they should be consumed under the supervision of a professional health worker.

Eat food first, then consume supplements if needed

Although supplements can meet poor nutritional needs, supplements cannot replace the benefits of consuming whole foods. Nutritional needs will be better fulfilled by eating whole foods, because in whole foods there are lots of fiber and other plant chemicals that can synergize with food nutrition, so that it can improve the quality of one's health.

What needs to be considered before taking supplements

Before you decide to take supplements, you should consider the following:

1. If you want to meet nutritional needs, consider nutritious foods first. Follow balanced nutrition guidelines to meet your body's nutritional needs.
2. Pay attention to what nutrition groups you might miss and understand how to fulfill them.
3. Consumption of multivitamins is still better than consuming specific nutritional supplements. Choose a multivitamin that meets your daily nutritional needs.
4. If you feel that your eating habits are not healthy or sufficient for nutrition, taking supplements is not the answer. Nutrition must still be obtained from healthy food.
5. Obey the rules for consuming supplements, especially the maximum intake limit. Consumption of nutrients that exceed needs will cause symptoms of poisoning easily.

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