Very often we are lulled into a false sense of security about our diet – we are told that as long as we pop the right pills we will be doing all that is needed for good health, and the message of healthy eating is somehow undermined in all of this.
However Michael Krawinkel, German professor at Giessen University’s Institute for Nutritional Sciences tells us that a lot of these dietary supplements are actually unnecessary in a lot of cases; for the most part a healthy, balanced diet is sufficient and a better alternative to supplements.
Writing for a nutrition related magazine, the professor opined that even if we don’t have our quota of minerals and vitamins each and every day, that requirement is typically addressed over the week’s duration.
This is not to say that dietary supplements such as vitamin and mineral pills of different sorts have no place in anyone’s diet; for certain groups supplements are very important, clarifies Krawinkel – pregnant women should be having their folic acid particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy, and new born babies should be given vitamin K and D and fluorine particularly if they are purely breast fed.
Also senior citizens of 65 years and over are advised to take a vitamin D supplement on a regular basis.
