Food Vs. Supplements: What's the Difference?

If you've been wondering what the difference is between supplements and food, this blog post will provide you with some helpful information. You'll learn about what each is, how they can benefit your diet, which one to choose for different needs, and more!

What Are Supplements?

Supplements are substances that you take in addition to your regular diet, which provides extra nutrients. They can be vitamins, minerals (like calcium), herbs or extracts from plants, and other items. 

There are around 30,000 supplements on the market. You can buy them at pharmacies, grocery stores, and online. You need to be careful when buying because some are considered "supplements" but don't have any extra nutrients in them (like energy drinks), or could even cause health problems if you take too much of them! 

For example, antacids should not be taken with other supplements because they can make them less effective.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a government agency that makes sure the ingredients in your food are safe but don't have any control over supplements, so you need to research before buying! You also don't know what's in every supplement as there aren't always labels on them.

There are also some supplements that you can only get by seeing a doctor, such as hormones and steroids. These should ONLY be taken under the supervision of someone with training in medicine!

Food vs. Supplements

So now that you know what supplements are, how do they compare to foods?

Foods contain three primary nutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. If not all your meals have these in them (like desserts), then you should find some other way of getting them into your diet. For example, if you eat ice cream before bed every night, you should have a protein and fat-rich snack before bed instead.

You also eat foods that contain vitamins, minerals, fiber (a type of carbohydrate), and water. These are all important for your health too! If not every meal includes them, then it's good to find other ways to get these nutrients into your diet as well. For example, if you often eat only one piece of fruit a day, then try having more servings and drinking some juice.

The best way to get the nutrients from food is by eating fresh foods that haven't been processed too much. This means they're closer to what nature made them! Eating whole grains instead of white bread is a good example.

On the other hand, supplements are usually in pill or powder form and contain only one nutrient. Sometimes they're also combined into a multivitamin, which contains more than just one vitamin, but not all of them!

Supplements are useful if you don't get enough nutrients from your food. For example: If you eat lots of junk food throughout the day (like chips) and don't eat vegetables, then you might need to take a multivitamin.

However, supplements can also be harmful. Getting too many nutrients from them could cause health problems like kidney stones or high cholesterol. That's why they should only supplement your diet and not replace it!

So Which One Is Better: Food Or Supplements?

Foods are better than supplements because they contain more nutrients. However, if you don't get all the nutrients from your food, then it's okay to take a supplement as long as you follow dosage limits and only choose ones that have been FDA-approved.

On the other hand, supplements can't replace foods. They only give you one or two missing nutrients from your diet, while food gives you many! If you eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits every day, then it's not necessary to take a supplement at all unless recommended by a doctor.

Good Source Of Vitamins In Fruits And Vegetables?

Here are some of the most nutritional fresh fruits and vegetables that you should eat every day. There are the essential nutrients you need!

• Broccoli  (rich in Vitamin A, C, and K)
• Sweet potato (contains potassium and other nutrients)
• Kale (contains Calcium, Vitamin A, and vitamin C)
• Spinach  (rich in Iron and Calcium)
• Grapefruit  (helps with digestion and vitamins like Vitamin C)
• Strawberries  (contains Vitamin C and antioxidants)
• Oranges (helps with digestion and contains Vitamin A, B, E, K)
• Bananas (contains potassium and Vitamin B)
• Pears  (helps with digestion and contains antioxidants like Vitamins A and vitamin C)
• Red peppers  (rich in vitamins such as Vitamins A, K, C)
• Legumes (rich in protein and iron)
• Lentils  (contain protein, fiber, vitamins like folic acid, Vitamin B)
• Chickpeas (help with digestion and contains high amounts of potassium)
• Black beans  (contains a lot of antioxidants that help your cells function properly)
• Apples  (helps with teeth health and contains Vitamin C)
• Grains (rich in carbohydrates that help give you energy!)
• Tomatoes (high amounts of lycopene which is an antioxidant that helps fight cancer)
• Carrots (contains Vitamin A, C, and K)
• Blueberries  (packed with antioxidants that fight cell damage)

There are many other fruits and vegetables that contain these nutrients as well. You should try to eat a variety of them every day! This will make your body healthier in the long run.

Who Needs To Take Supplements?

People who don't get enough nutrients from their daily diet might need to take supplements. For example, if you eat only junk food, it would be good for your health to take a multivitamin. 

However, remember that too many vitamins can cause problems like kidney stones or high cholesterol, so make sure you follow dosage recommendations and the instructions on the label.

Some groups of people should take supplements more often than others, like pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers, athletes or bodybuilders (to help workout), and seniors. These groups have higher nutrient needs than other age groups because their bodies need extra nutrients to work properly!

However, even if you don't fall into one of these groups, it's still a good idea to ask your doctor if you should be taking supplements at all. 

Sometimes certain medical conditions might require vitamins or other nutrients, so make sure you check with them before buying any supplement!

Conclusion

To sum everything up: supplements are good to take as long as you follow dosage limits and only choose ones that have been FDA-approved. However, they can never replace a healthy diet, so eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day!

Also, a regular exercise routine is also very helpful in getting the nutrients you need! It also reduces the risks of diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.