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July 27, 2007
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Nutrition Columnist
Does it take you as long in the morning to take your vitamins as it does to get dressed? Do you have a whole medicine cabinet or kitchen cupboard devoted to those vitamins? Do you know exactly what you’re taking, or why you’re taking it?
The confusing language of vitamins leaves many people lost, with a cabinet full of pills that they don’t know what to do with.
In a society where more is always better, our vitamin cabinets have quickly followed suit. Every day, we are inundated with messages about the latest findings on the benefits of a particular vitamin.
Many people believe that if a little bit of Vitamin C can help them to not get sick, then a lot of it will ensure that they never get sick.
What many people forget is that we get most of the vitamins and minerals that our body needs from our diet. Vitamin supplements are only there to fill in the few missing pieces. There are a few vitamin supplements that the population as a whole should take, and a few that are only recommended for specific populations.
Unless you have a perfect diet, it is recommended that every healthy person supplement the following vitamins:
• Multi-vitamin. Every person should take a daily multi-vitamin. This will fill in those missing pieces that I talked about earlier. Very few people have a perfect diet, so a multi will help meet almost all of your body’s vitamin and mineral needs.
• Vitamin C. Most dietitians recommend one 500 mg Vitamin C supplement daily. Vitamin C helps to strengthen your immune system, but too much of Vitamin C can result in intestinal problems. One 500 mg supplement will provide you with enough of the nutrient to help without harming your body.
There are three vitamins that are recommended for these specific populations only:
• Folate. Folate, or folic acid, supplementation is suggested for any menstruating woman. Recent research suggests that menstruating women cannot use folic acid from their diets as well as other populations.
• Calcium. Supplementation of a daily 500 mg of calcium is recommended for any person over the age of 55, any woman, and/or those with a family history of osteoporosis. This prevents bone deterioration and can actually rebuild weakened bones.
• Vitamin B12. A Vitamin B12 supplement should be taken by anyone over the age of 55. As you get older, your body will become less efficient at absorbing this vitamin from your diet. By supplementing, you ensure that your body meets its B12 needs.
There are a few vitamins that, if over-supplemented, can do more harm than good. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are called fat-soluble vitamins. Most vitamins and minerals are categorized as water-soluble and all excess amounts of these vitamins are usually excreted in the urine.
However, fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body’s fatty tissues and liver until they are used. Due to this storage, toxic levels of these vitamins can be reached more quickly. Therefore, supplementation of vitamins A, D, E and K should be avoided in all healthy individuals. If supplementation of these vitamins is necessary, one vitamin per week should provide you with the necessary amounts.
Choosing the brand of vitamins that you purchase is just as important as deciding which vitamins to supplement. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, which means that companies can put whatever they want in their vitamins. Many studies have tested various vitamin brands and found little or no traces of the vitamin that it was advertising.
Look for the “USP” stamp on the bottle to be sure it has what the company is advertising. This stamp means that the vitamin company paid for its product to be tested to ensure the consumer that it contains what it claims.
Most Nature Made Vitamins and the Costco brand Kirkland vitamins are USP certified. There are a few other brands that are certified as well. As long as it has the USP stamp, it is a good choice.
Hopefully, I have been able to take the Greek out of the language of vitamins and put them in English. They are not as vital to our health as we sometimes make them out to be, but they can be a great addition to a healthy diet. As long as the rest of your diet is solid, vitamin supplements can push it ever closer to perfect.
For any questions, comments, or article ideas contact me at caitlin@praxischurch.com.
Salmon, Cucumber, Dill Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes. Serves four. Contains vitamin D, selenium, vitamin B12, niacin, vitamin C, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin A.
1½ lbs salmon filet, cut into 4 pieces, skin and bones removed
1 Tb Dijon mustard
½ Tb honey
3 cups (1 large) cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, diced in ½ inch cubes
1 large ripe fresh tomato diced
1 medium avocado diced in ½ inch cubes
2 Tb chopped chives
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1½ Tb chopped fresh dill
2 + 1 Tb fresh lemon juice
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Mix together cucumber, tomato, avocado, chives, garlic and dill in a bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Toss with cucumber mix when ready to serve.
3. Preheat a stainless steel skillet over medium high heat for two minutes. Rub salmon with 1 Tb lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place in hot pan bottom side up. Cook for two minutes. This is the stovetop searing cooking method.
4. While cooking, mix together honey and mustard. Turn salmon and spread honey mustard on top of fish. Continue to cook for another two minutes, depending on how thick salmon is. You want it pink on the inside. Season with pepper.
5. Divide cucumber mixture between 4 plates and serve with salmon.
Vitamin C Smoothie
Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes. Contains large amounts of vitamin C, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, folate, calcium, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6.
Ingredients:
2 TBS tahini
1 medium size ripe banana
1 cup low fat plain yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1 medium papaya
Directions:
Scoop out meat from papaya with spoon and place in blender with rest of ingredients. Blend until smooth.
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