By Erica F Perusse, BS
Walking down the vitamin and supplements aisle can be a dizzying experience. The shelves are packed with countless bottles, each promising to enhance your health. With so many brands and labels, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The sheer variety can make it hard to know where to start or which supplements benefit you.
Each product highlights a unique benefit, but figuring out what’s best for your needs can be confusing. For example, should you choose a multivitamin or focus on individual nutrients like vitamin D or omega-3s? And what about the differences between brands—are more expensive options really better? With so many choices and conflicting information, it’s no wonder people feel unsure about which supplements to pick.
In a perfect world, we would get all the nutrients we need from a balanced diet. But let’s be real—dietary (food) restrictions, health issues, or just life’s demands can make it challenging to hit all those nutritional targets with food alone. That’s where supplements can step in to support your health journey.
However, it’s crucial to understand supplements’ role to ensure they help rather than hinder you. Like anything, knowing how to use them correctly ensures they’re a positive addition to your health routine.
In this blog, we will cover:
What are Supplements?
Supplements: Support, Not Substitution
The Role of Supplements
Considerations When Using Supplements
What Are Supplements?
Supplements are designed to aid your diet by providing essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes that may be missing or lacking in your daily food intake. A survey by the Council for Responsible Nutrition found that 77% of U.S. adults use dietary supplements to fill in nutritional gaps or support their overall health (Council for Responsible Nutrition, 2022). Despite their widespread use, finding the right supplement requires careful consideration and often a bit of guidance to ensure you’re making choices that truly benefit your health.
Supplements: Support, Not Substitution
Imagine supplements as your health sidekicks rather than heroes in a story. They’re here to support your diet, not replace it. While they can help fill nutritional gaps and boost your well-being, they shouldn’t be seen as a magic fix for an imbalanced diet. The real magic happens when supplements work hand-in-hand with a wholesome, varied diet, ensuring you get the full spectrum of nutrients your body needs to thrive.
Why a Perfect Diet Isn’t Always Feasible
Getting all the nutrients you need from food can be tricky for several reasons. For example, if you’re lactose intolerant or vegan, you might find it hard to get enough calcium or vitamin B12. Health problems like celiac disease or chronic illnesses can make it hard for your body to absorb nutrients or increase your needs. Busy lives often mean skipping meals or choosing quick but less nutritious foods, which can leave gaps in your diet. As we age, our bodies need more nutrients like vitamin D and calcium, but changes in appetite or taste can make it tough to get enough from food alone. Nearly half of older adults don’t get enough vitamin D, showing just how common these gaps can be (National Institutes of Health, 2023). That’s where supplements can come in handy, helping fill those gaps when a perfect diet isn’t always possible.
The Role of Supplements
Supplements play a key role in supporting your health in several ways. First, they help fill nutritional gaps in your diet. For instance, someone who’s avoiding dairy might use calcium supplements to ensure they’re getting enough for bone health. They can also support specific health needs; for example, athletes might take extra protein to help with muscle recovery and performance. Additionally, some supplements, like vitamin C or probiotics, are taken to boost overall well-being, such as strengthening the immune system or aiding digestion. By filling these gaps, supplements can help you maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Considerations When Using Supplements
Given these challenges, supplements can provide valuable support by helping to fill in nutritional gaps. They’re meant to complement your diet, not replace the essential nutrients found in foods. For example, taking a daily multivitamin can act as nutrient insurance, covering any shortfalls in your diet.
Supplements also offer targeted support for specific needs. If you’re not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids from your diet, a fish oil supplement can help provide these important fats. Similarly, a vitamin D supplement can help maintain adequate levels when sunlight is scarce during the winter months. In our busy lives, supplements offer a convenient way to meet nutritional needs, especially for those with limited access to fresh foods or irregular meal patterns. However, they should be used alongside a balanced diet, not as a substitute for nutritious foods. Always choose high-quality supplements and consult a healthcare professional before starting any new regimen.
Now that we’ve covered some basics about supplements, it’s crucial to remember that we’re not medical professionals. Here at Nourished with Emily, we strongly recommend consulting your doctor before starting any new supplement. As dietitians and nutrition experts, we understand that supplements can interact with medications or impact your health conditions, so managing your vitamin and mineral intake carefully is essential. This blog is here to inform and educate you, not to push you toward buying the first supplement you see on sale. We aim to support you and answer your questions about supplements, helping you make informed decisions.
Conclusion
The Nourished Membership and Coaching Clients have access to live and recorded mini-trainings on the role of supplements in a balanced diet. We offer easy-to-understand educational documents and resources to help navigate their supplement choices. During our training sessions, we take the time to answer each client’s questions and provide clarity on their concerns. We recognize that everyone’s needs are different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer regarding supplements.
Supplements can be a valuable tool for maintaining a balanced diet, especially when your dietary intake falls short. However, they should be used thoughtfully and alongside a healthy diet rich in whole foods to achieve the best health and wellness outcomes. Remember, supplements are meant to support, not replace, a balanced diet.
If you're looking for help to determine if your diet is lacking the essential vitamins and minerals, Nourished with Emily is here to help! Consider joining our $29/month Nourished Membership where you get recipes, resources, and food tracking with our feedback, but you also get access to our monthly Q and A calls and masterclasses to get your burning nutrition questions answered. Click here for more information.
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