Does eating a healthy well balanced diet alone supply all of the nutrients that the human body needs to work properly? There are many different kinds and brands of supplements available to the buyer, but what are the benefits of using these products?
These are just a few of the questions people might have regarding nutritional supplementation and the aim of this article is to answer a few of these questions.
There are many different kinds of nutritional products currently available and the health and fitness sector is among the fastest growing sectors presently. This is because of many factors including the rise in weight problems and the increasing numbers of people being identified as having degenerative diseases.
It is sometimes believed (especially amongst older generations) that eating a well-balanced diet and regular exercise is sufficient to maintain a healthy body, but there is also the conflicting argument that without supplementation, a lot of people's consumption of important nutrients falls far short of their body's needs.
Before I discuss these issues, I'd first like to give a brief overview of a few of the nutrients that the human body needs to function properly:
Firstly there're the macronutrients. Macronutrients include Carbs, Proteins and Fats. At the most simplified level, carbohydrates provide our bodies with energy, proteins are responsible for constructing and repairing muscle tissue and fats supply additional energy reserves and allow for the transportation of micronutrients around the body. Fats are also required for the production of some hormones.
Secondly there are micronutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins (also known as antioxidants) and minerals. Each vitamin (A, B12, C, D, E, K, etc.) and mineral (Zinc,Magnesium, Iron, Calcium etc.) works a certain role in the body and they're all essential for good bodily function. Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals have been identified as among the primary factors in the growth and development of degenerative disease, as vitamins specifically are responsible for the removal of toxins within the body.
Free radicals are harmful molecules, that are made by chemical reactions within the human body, as well as by factors in our external environment. They attack healthy cells causing them to break down (degenerate), potentially leading to the development of degenerative disease in the long run.
For instance, it has been suggested that in order to promote perfect health, 400 IU (International Units) of vitamin E should be consumed on a daily basis. To put this into context, an individual would need to consume 14.5 kg of spinach every day to accomplish this level. Alternatively, 1kg or almonds would provide the same oxidative defence for the human cells. This example should highlight that it's very difficult to consume 400 IU of vitamin E without integrating nutritional supplements. This value is significantly greater than the Suggested Daily Allowance (RDA) for many reasons:
First of all, RDAs were established in the 1940s and were recommendations to prevent diseases such as scurvy and rickets and are sometimes considered to be somewhat out of date. In addition, the external environment in which we live today contains higher levels of pollutants, radiation and some other toxic compounds, which significantly increases our need for anti-oxidants.
It's known that the amounts of vitamins in fresh fruit and veggies depletes over time, therefore in order to get the greatest antioxidative defence from our foods, we would need to eat them immediately after they were harvested. This is very difficult today because of the nature of supermarket's distribution processes.
In summary, high quality multivitamin and multimineral dietary supplements could be good for everybody, to make sure the consumption of sufficient quantities of vitamins and minerals. This can support healthy body function, increase energy levels and may also decrease toxin damage and cellular degeneration in the body.
Macronutrient health supplements (i.e. proteins, meal replacements and wholesome snacking options), also serve a purpose to many individuals:
An example would be for a vegan who might generally find it hard to consume adequate quantities of proteins. In this instance, a Soy Protein health supplement could be of use. Soy protein doesn't contain animal products and can provide all the essential amino acids that the body requires for building and repairing bodily tissues.
For people looking to manage their weight, meal substitutions can supply the proper balance of nutrients in a low-calorie supplement. Meal replacements could be a handy method for people with hectic lives to manage calorie intake.
Healthy snacking options might also provide an excellent means for getting a good balance of nutrients with little or no preparation. It would usually be more beneficial to an individual's health to consume a top quality healthy snack bar than to buy a snack from a convenience store.
Thus, the use of macronutrient snacks generally depends on an individual's health goals and individual nutritional requirements.
About the Author:
Andrew Smith is an Independent Affiliate for Usana Health Sciences, who produce world leading supplements. To read a thorough Usana products review kindly visit this site: usana products uk
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