Do you ever think, what’s the buzz about dietary supplements these days? Isn’t our food enough? The thing is, in a perfect world, we’d get all the nutrients we need from the food on our plate. But in reality, even a balanced diet might not promise to give our body enough nutrients. Especially today with highly processed foods and ingredients. That’s where vitamins and supplements come into play, helping to fill nutritional gaps and support our overall well-being. In this blog, we’ll answer your questions by exploring why are vitamins necessary in the diet, how a nutritional food supplement can act as an alternative, and how to find the right mix between diet and supplements.
What A Balanced Diet Should Look Like
Did you know that the Indian diet in general is considered unhealthy? It’s been found that we consume too much cereal, and not nearly enough fruits, vegetables, and proteins. That’s already two major food groups that are lacking in our diet. We’re also big on snacking, and our snacks are incredibly high-fat and high-salt foods. (1)
It’s difficult to draft an average diet for Indians, simply because of the vast diversity in our population. But we should at least determine what kinds of foods should be on our plate for our health. And we need to know the difference between diet and nutrition for that. Diet basically just refers to the kind of food that we eat regularly, and nutrition is the science behind how our body uses that food for its growth and functions.
So what does a healthy balanced diet actually include?
1. Carbohydrates: Carbs are our energy suppliers. Rice, wheat, jawar, potato, dals and beans, and fruits like apple and banana are good sources of carbs. Thankfully, these are already present in most Indian diets.
2. Protein: This is the building block for our body, developing our muscles, skin, and hair. Proteins are also abundant in Indian foods, like dals, choler, paneer, and some nuts and seeds. Eggs, fish, and chicken are non-vegetarian protein-rich options.
3. Fats: Healthy fats, including avocado, nuts, and seeds help maintain our body temperature. Indians also consume a lot of ghee, vegetable oils, and dairy products like full-fat milk and yogurt.
4. Vitamins: Because there are so many vitamins, there are many answers for why are vitamins necessary in the diet. Vitamins A, C, B, and D are the most vital to include, and they have various tasks – supporting immune system, healthy skin and bones, and energy production. Leafy greens, carrots, and papaya are good for vitamin A; citrus fruits mostly provide vitamin C. And for vitamin D, turn to dairy.
5. Minerals: These are needed to promote the growth of our organs; like iron, calcium, potassium, etc. And the food sources for these are cereal crops, beans, fish, and meat.
6. Fiber: We need fibers to control our cholesterol and sugar levels. Oats, beans, whole grains are good fibers that Indians consume already.
Why Your Diet Alone Might Not Be Enough
Of course, following a stringent diet plan and constantly making sure you’re picking the correct foods is not easy. We can’t tune ourselves to choose our foods specifically to meet a nutrition requirement. Especially in India, where our diets are largely determined by our social and religious identity. And people might have food allergies or sensitivities, like dairy or gluten. But that doesn’t mean we let our health face the consequences. This is where a nutritional food supplement becomes essential. If food is not sufficient to maintain our health, we can enjoy the benefits of food supplements – which work to fulfil the nutritional gaps we can’t meet with food alone.
What Supplements Can Do
The Indian population largely lacks vitamin A and iron. This widespread deficiency of these nutrients raises important questions: why are vitamins necessary in the diet, what happens if we’re lacking in some nutrients, and what role can supplements play in addressing these gaps? Let’s discuss the benefits of food supplements, apart from providing us many essential vitamins and minerals that we’re otherwise deficient in: (2)
1. Vitamin A: Most children in India have vitamin A deficiency. It causes problems with visions and higher chance of infections and illness. Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to improve child survival and prevent blindness. (3)
2. Vitamin B: Studies have shown that a majority of Indians are deficient in this vitamin, specifically B12. We have a large vegetarian population, and plant-based foods aren’t the best source for vitamin B, leading to fatigue, possibility of anemia, and muscle weakness. So supplementation is the way to go to boost vitamin B12 levels without having to switch up your dietary choices. (4)
3. Vitamin D: The main source of vitamin D is the sun – but our Indian sun is too harsh for us to make it our primary source. And with sunscreens, even if we’re out in the sun, vitamin D absorption is less. So for this, supplements are more beneficial than natural sources.
4. Iron: Not having enough iron levels in your body causes anemia, and Indian women are most affected by this. So the major benefit of iron supplements is to lower the risk of or prevent anemia. They can show faster results than making dietary changes.
5. Calcium: There are a lot of food sources of calcium apart from dairy. Chia seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, and even anger (dried figs) are rich in calcium. But in India, we don’t know much about these other sources or how to include them in our diet, so we don’t try to consume calcium-rich foods apart from dairy, leading to a deficiency. Supplements can help make up for this gap. (5)
6. Protein: Lacking the building blocks of any structure is undoubtedly going to affect its stability. You’ll see it in brittle nails, weaker hair, fatigue, frequent infections. Protein supplements not only make up for its less intake but also enhance muscle recovery and performance, as a more immediate alternative than food.
7. Zinc: Meats and shellfish are major sources of zinc. But because India has a predominantly vegetarian and grain-based diet, we fall short of zinc from natural food sources. So restoring it with supplements is one of the best solutions. (6)
So, What Should You Count On – Diet or Supplements?
What if we tell you – count on both! It’s not about choosing one or the other; we can combine balanced diet and supplementation and enjoy the rewards of both. Some people may worry about the question: are supplements good for health? But we obviously need to ensure the safety of products we choose and stick to the recommended intakes so we don’t threaten our health. And depending only on supplements but not including any healthy foods in your regular diet will just counteract all its benefits. At the same time, we shouldn’t discard supplements and place all our confidence in diet. It’s natural for us to sometimes sway from our everyday choices, or not even follow strict eating habits only based on nutrition.
So, the best-case scenario is to create a balance between a healthy diet and supplements. Try to maintain a healthier diet – start small. Start with foods that you should be eating more often but don’t. Slowly try to increase regular intake of them. At the same time, you can take supplements for these nutrients too. Think of your diet and food supplements as teammates, not rivals.
Final Thoughts
We all know a balanced diet is key to staying healthy, it doesn’t need to be said anymore. But with today’s busier-than-ever schedules and changes in food quality, getting every essential nutrient from meals alone can be tough. That’s where vitamins and supplements come in as a backup. But that’s all they are – a backup. We shouldn’t neglect a healthy natural diet just because we have alternatives available today. Balancing your diet with required supplements is the way to go to give your body everything it needs.
FAQs
Q1. Is it better to take supplements or eat food?
It’s better to obtain required nutrients from natural foods, but in places where you’re deficient for some restrictive reasons (dietary choice, allergies, etc.), supplements are a good alternative to still get those nutrients into your body.
Q2. What is the best combination of supplements?
The combination of supplements depends on your needs. If you’re lacking in certain vitamins or other nutrients (like essential minerals), those are the supplements you should take. Avoid taking extra supplements if you’re already getting your nutrients’ due from the food you eat.
Q3. Can supplements replace a balanced diet?
No, supplements cannot replace your diet. A healthy diet is the primary means for your body to nourish itself with nutrients, micronutrients, enzymes, and other important elements that supplements don’t offer as wholesomely as food does. So supplements can complement your diet, but cannot replace it.
Q4. Are supplements better than diet?
Supplements are not better than diet, because they’re made to only fill in some nutritional gaps in specific situations. A comprehensive balanced diet is important to sustain your health.
Q5. Is it a good idea to take supplements everyday?
If you already have a good healthy diet, it’s not necessary to take supplements everyday. Check the required daily intake of nutrients from your dietician or doctor and take supplements accordingly.