Supplements do we really need them?

If I am eating healthy foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.) why do I need supplements? Shouldn’t I be able to get all of the nutrition that my body needs through my food?” This is how I felt 3 years ago about supplements, but after some research my attitude has changed. Now being on a good vitamin I can feel the difference the way my body responds to exercise, recovery and life in general.  Most of us walk around without getting what our bodies need and crave, which is proper nutrition.

We live in an interesting time. Fruits and vegetables are mass-farmed and many of our foods are fortified because they are naturally lacking in nutrients. 100 years ago, soils were richer in nutrients, pesticides weren’t being sprayed over our crops and our food wasn’t being genetically modified. Animals weren’t being raised for slaughter on mud farms and eating slop. Chickens weren’t cranking out eggs in cages and dairy cows weren’t being pumped full of hormones. So YES, 100 years ago you should have been able to get all of the nutrition that your body needs through diet alone.

HOWEVER, the world that we live in today is very different, 99% of the population has no idea where their food comes from and many of those foods are severely lacking in nutrients. That’s where supplements come in. When most people hear the word “supplement”- they think of something that someone at the gym takes for bulging biceps, or bench pressing 500lbs. Not so much. Supplements help fill in the nutritional gaps of what we might not be getting through our food. Calcium, omega 3’s, probiotics, daily multivitamins, and  protein supplements… these are the kinds of things that our bodies NEED every day to function properly. As a mom, I am really good at making sure that my children eat well and take their daily multivitamins. They take one each day to round out the nutritional gaps and make sure that their growing bodies are getting everything that they need. Why then, are we as adults so hesitant to do the same?  Remember this is my personal opinion whether you agree with me or not, take a good look at what you are eating, how many ingredients does it contain.  Rule of thumb the less ingredients the better for you!