Vitamins, supplements, and minerals are the words we constantly hear from medical professionals, wellness influencers, news outlets, and even our friends and family. Sometimes they sound like the solution to your health problems, other times they sound like just another product of consumerism. So, do you need them? Will they actually help?
The first thing to understand is the difference between these three categories. Vitamins are defined as essential organic compounds (compounds containing the element carbon) that the body needs for overall health, according to the Oxford language definition. These would include some of the commonly known vitamin A, B, and D. The word “supplement” mainly refers to an actual product that is consumed by a person to add to their intake of nutrition. Supplements can come in many types. Most groceries and drugstores carry supplements in the form of pills, powders, soft gels, and even drinks. Minerals are natural inorganic solids with crystal structures. The human body needs minerals such as calcium and iron to maintain itself. So, supplements refer to the overall category of products for human consumption while vitamins and minerals are the specific kinds of compounds you are consuming.
These are essentials for the body. Any deficiency of vitamins or minerals in the body could lead to all sorts of issues, and overall wellness can be diminished. Most consumption of these essentials, however, comes from the food we eat. Eating fruits and vegetables is the best way to give your body the nutrients it needs. Red meats, nuts, seeds, and dairy products are also bound to supply you with many vitamins and minerals as well. But what do you need specifically? Which vitamins are needed? What foods have minerals?
The most common vitamins are C, D, A, and the cluster of B. Vitamin C is well known as the “immunity vitamin” helping your immune system function. Oranges and kiwis are great choices for consuming vitamin C. Vitamin D helps keep bones healthy and can be found in fish or dairy products like milk. The multifunction vitamin A helps the immune system, vision, hair, and skin. Yellow/orange fruits and vegetables like mango, carrots, cantaloupe and peaches contain vitamin A, so make sure to pick up some of those when grocery shopping. The cluster of B vitamins includes the commonly known B6 and B12 which help nerve function. Many of the B vitamins help the body convert food into energy and can be found in legumes, eggs, dairy, and spinach, just to name a few.
Minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc are also important to ingest. Calcium is known as the healthy bone mineral, often found in milk, cheese, and many other dairy products; it’s essential even after you stop growing in height. Many women face deficiency in iron, another critical mineral of the body. According to UCLA Health, one-third of women at reproductive age don’t have the right amount of iron in their systems. A critical component of hemoglobin, which is used by red blood cells for oxygen transport, a lack of iron can make you feel fatigued. To prevent this, some options include eating lean meats, spinach, kale, legumes, or pumpkin seeds. Zinc, a little less known, contributes to growth in general, as well as helping wound-healing and even to the taste and smell senses. If you’re consuming any of the previously mentioned foods for calcium and iron, then you’ll also be receiving zinc in your meals.
Now, do you need supplements? If you eat balanced meals, fruits, and vegetables, then you should be all set. You can take multivitamins if you’d like to ensure your vitamin intake. These supplements generally also include many minerals as well. As college students, there’s a good chance not every meal will be super balanced or sometimes there isn’t enough time to prepare nutritious meals every day. Having a bottle of multivitamins may be a great option for you to secure your essential nutrients. However, it is important to remember that supplements aren’t a solution for nutritional health. Larry Appel, M.D. assures people, “If you follow a healthy diet, you can get all of the vitamins and minerals you need from food.” If you have specific concerns about certain vitamins, minerals, diet or other wellness concerns, consult a doctor or specialist for more personalized and professional guidance. Eating a proper balanced meal and maybe a supplement will help take care of your wellness, all while enjoying your favorite healthy foods.