Description
This article is from the Diet
FAQ, by Claudia McCreary cookignnewsletter@chef.net with
numerous contributions by others.
47 Do I need to take a supplement (vitamin/mineral pill) while dieting?
A balanced diet (see "Food Pyramid") which is low in fats, sugars, and
alcohol and is adequate in calories (no fewer than 1,200 cal/day for women,
1,400 cal/day for adolescent girls, 1,600 cal/day for men) may contain
sufficient vitamins and minerals to meet the FDA's recommended Daily Value.
However, not many of us meet those requirements every day, and some
physicians and researchers feel that the FDA's recommendations regarding
many vitamins and minerals are too low to promote optimal health. (The
recommended Daily Values are intended to prevent deficiency-related diseases
such as scurvy and pellagra; they do not necessarily reflect the amount of a
vitamin or mineral
needed to sustain an adequate reserve against illness or injury.) If you do
decide to take a vitamin/mineral supplement as insurance against an
inadequate diet, you should look for a brand which contains a variety of
vitamins and minerals, and keep in mind that excesses (amounts greater than
100% of the FDA's recommended Daily Value) of certain vitamins and minerals,
in particular Vitamin A and iron, can be toxic.
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health, diet, overweight, body, fat, cellulite, food, sweet, sugar, food pyramid, lose weight
