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For many years, medical authorities have tended to downplay the value of nutritional supplements and recommended instead that individuals eat a healthy diet. Experts on natural medicine, on the other hand, have insisted that vitamins and supplements are necessary. Which position is correct?

There is some truth to both sides. Eating a great diet is better than taking a handful of pills. However, for a number of reasons, many people might do well by taking certain nutrient supplements as well.

The evidence for this lies in studies that have found widespread deficiencies in various nutrients. Folate, calcium, vitamin B6, magnesium, and zinc are some of the best examples, and we might be deficient in many other nutrients as well.

Food Choices

In many cases, these deficiencies are caused by poor food choices. If we habitually choose fries over dark-green vegetables, sooner or later we’ll start to go short on many essential nutrients.

Unless you hate vegetables, you can easily remedy this cause of deficiency without turning to supplements. Other causes might be harder to fix. For example, with our modern, sedentary lifestyles, we simply can’t eat as much food as did our ancestors. If you eat 4,000 to 6,000 calories a day (probably about typical for a caveman) instead of the typical 2,000 to 3,000 calories consumed today, you will likely take in more vitamins and minerals because of the volume of food you are eating.

Furthermore, people today seldom forage for wild fruits and vegetables, many of which contain far more vitamins and minerals than most cultivated vegetables. Modern fruits and vegetables might be somewhat depleted in vitamins and minerals because of the habits of contemporary agriculture, although this is far less well established than many writers on natural medicine would have you believe.

There are many other issues as well. For example, the process of refining grains to produce white flour and white rice eliminates a great many nutrients, not all of which are added back in the “enriched” form. Additionally, common lifestyle issues such as constant stress might increase the need for certain nutrients.

The Bottom Line

For these reasons, you might need to take some vitamins and supplements. The list of vitamins and minerals definitely worth considering includes calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B12.

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