Vitamins are also known as supplements. They are nutrients our body needs to function and fight off disease. There are basically two types of vitamins: natural and synthetic. Our body cannot produce vitamins itself, so we must get them through the food we eat or in some cases supplements. Supplements have become very popular in the last few decades both in the East and the West.
Although most physicians and specialists recommend the intake of vitamins only if the person is suffering from a certain deficiency in his or her diet, it has become almost a trend for most people to consume vitamins on a regular basis. While vitamins do not directly serve as a source of energy, they do help the enzymes that generate energy from nutrients such as carbohydrates and fats. There is a widespread belief that vitamins promote good health, aids in weight loss and improve complexion among others. There are others who believe that certain vitamins help prevent cancer and other dangerous diseases. Our body is one powerful machine, capable of doing all sorts of things by itself.
The multibillionaire dollar vitamin industry is a rapidly expanding one as an increasing number of people including children and teenagers consume vitamins to enhance their health and general well being. There are 13 essential vitamins, including vitamins A, C, D, E, and K and B vitamins such as riboflavin and folate. This mainly springs from the fact that most of our food (except foods such as lettuce, fruits, and juices) are cooked using heat and hence loses its properties. Not many of us eat salads and raw vegetables such as carrots, cauliflowers, broccoli, and leafy vegetables. If you can’t meet your needs through food alone, you may require dietary supplements. Hence, overcooking or even steaming these vegetables which employ extreme heat results in us eating food which has lost its nutritional content.
In addition, most of us also tend to eat more refined than complex carbohydrates. The former is more popular such as polished rice, pasta, white bread and others which have almost no nutritional benefits. polishing is a process that strips carbohydrates of fiber and other essential vitamins. Hence, vitamins provide these important elements that are missing in our diet. Unlike in the west, Asians generally do not consume much fresh vegetable or fruit juices and most of our drinks here are spiked with sugar. Many of us also tend to drink copious amounts of soft drinks which can cause diabetes and other health complications. young people tend to avoid or reduce vegetables and fruits in their diet, preferring junk food or fast food.
Hence, vitamins play a role in ensuring we maintain a balanced diet. They are essential for metabolism, growth, and physical well-being. Supplements provide the essential vitamins lacking in our meals due to our unhealthy eating habits.
