Nutritious foods give us energy and help our bodies function more efficiently, including vitamins, minerals, herbs and amino acids.
The Food and Drug Administration regulates dietary supplements as “dietary substances”, meaning there are no stricter requirements than for prescription medication.
Dietary supplements
Dietary supplements are products consumed orally that contain one or more dietary ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs or amino acids. Although they do not produce pharmacological effects like drugs do, dietary supplements must still be labeled to warn consumers they do not present a threat or potential harm to human health and cannot make claims such as treating or curing diseases.
Supplements can be bought over-the-counter and come in various forms such as pills, capsules, soft gels, powders, bars, gummies and liquids. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees supplements they do not undergo rigorous clinical testing like medications do. Cahoon recommends consumers keep track of all medicines taken including supplements as this may help identify interactions. He suggests following a heart-healthy diet consisting of low fat or non-fat dairy, fruits & veggies with whole grains plus lean sources of protein such as beans nuts & seeds can help reduce the need for supplements altogether.
Food supplements
Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients (minerals and vitamins) or substances with nutritional or physiological benefits that are marketed in “dose” form, such as pills, capsules or liquids in measured doses. Food supplements may contain various elements including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and fibre; or include ingredients sourced from various plants or herbal extracts.
Diets consisting of whole food can provide all of the nutrition an individual requires; however, in certain instances individuals require food supplements in order to meet specific nutrient deficiencies, such as iron deficiency or lack of B and C vitamins.
Registered dietitians typically recommend getting nutrients through food first, since food provides numerous bioactive compounds and dietary factors not found in vitamins or mineral supplements. If food isn’t an option, a doctor or registered dietitian can advise you about their safety and efficacy.
Food additives
Food additives can enhance the appearance, taste, texture and freshness of food products. Furthermore, food additives extend shelf life by protecting from spoilage and disease-causing microorganism growth; this allows consumers to buy and store more varieties while keeping prices lower.
Additives such as acidity regulators that control food pH to maintain stability, antifoaming agents that reduce foaming, bulking agents such as starch that increase volume without altering taste, coloring agents that replace or enhance color in food and color retention agents that preserve existing hues are all examples of additives used as food processing aids. (For more details). (Please see reference 2). (*)
Though their safety remains uncertain, these ingredients play an essential part of global food supplies. Reducing intake by choosing minimally processed foods, shopping at farmers markets or joining a CSA and cooking meals from scratch when feasible can all help minimize added food additives. Although research into this area remains limited, some additives may have adverse impacts on intestinal health such as increased oxidant production or disruptions to protective mechanisms like intestinal barriers and antioxidant defense mechanisms.
Food-based supplements
Food-based supplements are concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients in pill, capsule, tablet or liquid form. Made from either natural or synthetic ingredients and may include plant or herbal extracts, amino acids, essential fatty acids or fibre.
Dietary supplements in Europe are regulated as food products, and any company selling them bears responsibility for ensuring their safety. EFSA plays an active role in this regard by setting acceptable upper intake levels for specific micronutrients, and offering scientific opinions regarding their inclusion as ingredients in food supplements or fortified foods.
Dietitians prefer whole foods over supplements as the source of vitamins and minerals due to the wide array of compounds they provide that work synergistically together. Individual nutrients found in supplements may act independently from each other; their bioavailability may differ significantly compared to that found naturally in whole foods.
