Health Food SupplementsHealth food supplements seem to be the latest trend today and several varieties of these are becoming widely available. Many such supplements claim to alleviate, treat and even cure certain illnesses. But are these health food supplements truly effective? Firstly, to live up to their claims they must contribute to the nutritional requirements of an individual. They should be in the form of vitamins, minerals or essential fatty acids. They must also fulfill certain other functions such as correcting a nutritional deficiency, enhancing the nutritional value of a food and complementing the regular diet. The first function pertains to health food supplements that are ingested directly in capsule or pill form or through teas. These are meant to supply the body with nutrition that may not be otherwise available because of intolerance or allergies to certain healthy foods. These sometimes function like medication. The second function relates to health food supplements that are added to foods in order to fortify them. Baby formulas and special foods for pregnant women or the elderly often contain these supplements. Even everyday items such as common salt and toothpaste contain these elements such as iodine and fluoride. The third function is associated with the most popular type of health food supplements today. These supplements may be obtained from natural substances such as leaves, parts of trees, fruits or mushrooms. They supply substances such as trace minerals to the body and these influence metabolism or organ functioning.Natural Food SupplementsHealth supplements that are currently being advertised as “natural” may also contain ingredients that may not necessarily be good for health. These ingredients have the advantage of being cheaply available and hence are used in supplements which are being mass produced today. The best natural food supplements are those composed of whole grains and fruits and vegetables. These healthy diet supplements are known to work well in improving overall health and well-being. A popular natural health supplement is alfalfa which is rich in minerals. It contains enzymes which help in digestion, carbohydrates and amino acids. It also contains most of the known vitamins in addition to minerals such as magnesium, potassium and calcium. Barley grass is also known for its high content of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in beta carotene and folic acid, and also contains 18 amino acids. Green barley grass is said to be alkaline and thus helps to cleanse the system.
Dietary food supplement are designed to provide the body with nutrients that it may be lacking in. In order to supply our bodies with the necessary requirement of nutrients on a daily basis, we would have to eat a wide variety of foods. This is because different food groups provide different nutrients. Healthy food supplements must not take the place of eating regular meals. They are only meant to “supplement” regular food. These come in different forms such as powders, pills or liquid form. There are also many herbal food supplements available today. Studies have shown that the supplements which are known to be effective include niacin which is added to bread, vitamin D in margarine and iron and calcium in many beverages. Some food supplements, however, are known to do more harm than good. For example, flavonoids are substances contained in some plant foods which are sometimes used to fortify foods such as soy sauce. But here the salt intake is ten times more than that of flavonoids and as such the beneficial effects of the nutrients are negated. In addition, the risk of liver cirrhosis could increase. Therefore it is important to consult a doctor before taking any health supplement. |
