Essay for Vitamins
Should we take vitamin supplements ?
I do not think we should take vitamin supplements as studies have shown that vitamins from supplements do not act on the body as the same way as vitamins from food, we can get what we need from a balanced diet. Fruit and veg which are high in vitamins also supply fibre which is necessary for health and often lacking in diets relying on supplements . Vitamins can have toxic effects, some may need vitamins but more vitamins is not necessarly better for example, vitamin A stores itself in your liver and can eventually reach toxic levels and cause liver damage, vitamin C if taking too much can cause diarrhoea and flactulence and again if taking to much of the selenium supplement it can lead to loss of skin, hair and nails. Studies have now proven that most people who take vitamin supplements probably dont need them, we just think we do to give us a quick fix that will allow us to eat and/or drink anything we want relying on the vitamins to do the rest. The fact is we are much better off getting our vitamins through the food we eat, this way we assured we get the entire nutrient value whereas a vitamin limits you to one component of a food, for instance an orange contains the important nutrients of carotene, calcium, fibre and simple sugars along with vitamin c, if you just take a vitamin c supplement you miss out on these, the same example can be applied to milk and calcium, if you skip the milk and take a calcium supplement you loose vitamin d, phosphorus, magnesium and protein. Here is another example that shows you dont need vitamin supplements:
Vitamin A
Helps keep skin healthy, enhances immunity and helps you see in dim light, you can get all you need from foods such as cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk and yogurt.
Vitamin B
Helps make energy and set it free when you need it and makes red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout your whole body.
Vitamin C
Protects cells, helpsyour body resist infection and helps the body
I do not think we should take vitamin supplements as studies have shown that vitamins from supplements do not act on the body as the same way as vitamins from food, we can get what we need from a balanced diet. Fruit and veg which are high in vitamins also supply fibre which is necessary for health and often lacking in diets relying on supplements . Vitamins can have toxic effects, some may need vitamins but more vitamins is not necessarly better for example, vitamin A stores itself in your liver and can eventually reach toxic levels and cause liver damage, vitamin C if taking too much can cause diarrhoea and flactulence and again if taking to much of the selenium supplement it can lead to loss of skin, hair and nails. Studies have now proven that most people who take vitamin supplements probably dont need them, we just think we do to give us a quick fix that will allow us to eat and/or drink anything we want relying on the vitamins to do the rest. The fact is we are much better off getting our vitamins through the food we eat, this way we assured we get the entire nutrient value whereas a vitamin limits you to one component of a food, for instance an orange contains the important nutrients of carotene, calcium, fibre and simple sugars along with vitamin c, if you just take a vitamin c supplement you miss out on these, the same example can be applied to milk and calcium, if you skip the milk and take a calcium supplement you loose vitamin d, phosphorus, magnesium and protein. Here is another example that shows you dont need vitamin supplements:
Vitamin A
Helps keep skin healthy, enhances immunity and helps you see in dim light, you can get all you need from foods such as cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk and yogurt.
Vitamin B
Helps make energy and set it free when you need it and makes red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout your whole body.
Vitamin C
Protects cells, helpsyour body resist infection and helps the body