Hearing about a case of malnourishment within the family or anywhere in the country is very disheartening. The condition is connected to undernourishment, although they are not synonymous since even an overweight person can experience the former. Many seemingly healthy individuals go through it as well due to the nutrients lacking in their foods. The symptoms include anemia, dry skin, and weak muscles – disorders we associate to some illnesses yet rarely to vitamin deficiency.
If these examples hit a personal spot, that’s okay. You’re not the only adult who’s having second thoughts about their nourishment. In light of hoping you’ll start looking after your health better this time, let’s discuss everything about food-based multivitamins now.
What Are Food-Based Multivitamins?
The term refers to vitamin products that contain both synthetic and natural compounds. They are slightly dissimilar to those that can be found in drugstores as the latter typically have synthesized ingredients alone.
You may notice that there is a small number of manufacturers in the industry that provide plant-based merchandise. In truth, gathering and extracting nutrients from the raw resources are two tedious tasks that many would not do. For this reason, more consumers only receive chemically laden goods.
Are food-based multivitamins organic? For the most part, they are, especially when you look into the non-synthetic ingredients they cover. These materials still come from living matter, which is the basis of the word.
Why Do You Need Food-Based Multivitamins?
There’s only a fine line that separate synthetic vitamins from food-based ones. The primary edge of the latter over the other is that they have real extracts from plants or animals. Not every ingredient has been synthesized in the laboratory, so you can claim that you’re not taking “powder” by itself. This form, after all, is how chemicals usually come to be.
You should also favor plant-based multivitamins rather than the synthetic products because they are not harsh to your stomach. Furthermore, it allows your body to obtain minerals from natural ingredients.
“Some people do need supplements of certain vitamins and minerals either because of poor diets, disease states, advanced age, gender or the availability of sunshine, to name just of few of the major reasons,” Gary L. Wenk Ph.D. says.
What Differentiates Whole-Based Multivitamins From Food-Based Multivitamins?
Another type of supplement that is comparable to food-based multivitamins are the ones made from whole foods. An easy distinction between the two is that while the previous product is half-and-half, the other purely contains plant extracts.
The answer to the question “Which vitamin source is better?” does not immediately lean towards the whole-based multivitamins. Although they are supposedly easier to absorb, these can be low in nutrient concentration. The people suffering from yeast allergies may also want to stay away from them as fungus serves as their growth medium.
What Factors Can Point You To Real Food-Based Multivitamins?
The problem that you may encounter is that some products have misleading labels. I have personally seen ones that claim to have 100% natural ingredients. Once I read the nutritional facts at the back, though, it became apparent that it only had 10% plant-based components.
The best way to avoid such a disappointing situation is by ensuring that the product has the following ingredients:
1. Vitamin C Content
The first indicator that you are taking an artificial multivitamin is the kind of vitamin C that it contains. If you read “ascorbic acid” there, it entails that the vitamin is in chemical form.
Whereas this nutrient poses no threat to the individuals who consume it, it’s only a part of the compound. There are further complex minerals that go with the substance, and they can offer greater nutrition to you. “Vitamin C has received a great deal of attention, and with good reason. Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health,” says study researcher Mark Moyad, MD.
In the plant-based goods, you will instantly tell where the brand derived the vitamin C. This ingredient dominates the citrus fruits, yet it can originate from flowers and berries as well.
2. Vitamin D Source
Vitamin D is another aspect that can assist you in identifying food-based multivitamins. You need it to make calcium absorption stress-free, which can then help strengthen your bones. The system can generate this compound from sunlight, but many who work indoors feed the need to take this supplement.
The authentic substance is known as vitamin D3. It means that it has been extracted from brewer’s yeast, lichen, meat or fish liver. The vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is its artificial counterpart. “Activated vitamin D is one of the most potent inhibitors of cancer cell growth,” says Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD. “It also stimulates your pancreas to make insulin. It regulates your immune system.”
3. Superfood Combinations
What’s fantastic about plant-based multivitamins is that there is no restriction to the number of foodstuffs you can add to it. It may be 15 or 35, and no one will say no to it. The more active ingredients there are, the better it will be for you.
These products can undergo dehydration or an extraction procedure. Despite that, either method will not decrease the vitamin content of the superfoods.
4. Higher Rates
Manufacturers of food-based multivitamins obtain some of the components from actual plants instead of the lab. They also need to examine the harvests before processing them into supplements, which tends to increase the manufacturing costs. While it doesn’t always go with your budget, the decrease in ailments may make the extra bucks worth it.
The Verdict
Food-based multivitamins are becoming more readily available in online and offline markets by the day. Some synthetic-based merchandise may pose as such, but they can’t fool you once you know the former’s proper composition. Thus, remember the things mentioned above all the time.
Cheers!