Eating truly healthy foods in proper balance is a challenging task. Our fast-paced and hectic lifestyle compels us to sacrifice nutritional value of foods on a daily basis. Rather than eating those foods for their nutritional value we eat foods for reasons other than nutrition.
Taste: We usually choose foods for their taste, rather than their nutritional value.
Eating –Out: Our fast-paced modern lifestyle does not allow us to prepare nourishing meals all the time. We conveniently tend to eat-out, resulting in less control on the nutritional value of our meals.
Skipping Meals: Many of us do not stick to regular meal times and often skip breakfast or lunch. We try to make amends by snacking up or over-eating later. These are poor eating habits.
Processing: Much of the food we buy today has been processed. Frozen vegetables often contain 50% less vitamin C than fresh ones; polished rice can lose upto 90% of its original B-vitamin content.
Effect of lifestyle choices: Dieting, medication, birth-control pills, smoking, alcohol consumption, excessive coffee and tea intake are all lifestyle factors which rob our body of essential vitamins & minerals.
Taste: We usually choose foods for their taste, rather than their nutritional value.
Eating –Out: Our fast-paced modern lifestyle does not allow us to prepare nourishing meals all the time. We conveniently tend to eat-out, resulting in less control on the nutritional value of our meals.
Skipping Meals: Many of us do not stick to regular meal times and often skip breakfast or lunch. We try to make amends by snacking up or over-eating later. These are poor eating habits.
Processing: Much of the food we buy today has been processed. Frozen vegetables often contain 50% less vitamin C than fresh ones; polished rice can lose upto 90% of its original B-vitamin content.
Effect of lifestyle choices: Dieting, medication, birth-control pills, smoking, alcohol consumption, excessive coffee and tea intake are all lifestyle factors which rob our body of essential vitamins & minerals.
Different Nutritional Needs For Different Life-stages
Childhood: Nutrient needs increase throughout childhood for optimal physical and mental growth.
Adolescence: This is a phase of rapid growth, both physical and mental. During this lifestage, the need for protein, calcium, iron and Vitamin A, C, E and B is the greatest. Supplementation is especially beneficial during this stage, due to poor nutrition. Pregnant and lactating women: To maintain the health of the expecting mother as well as the newborn baby, adequate quantities of vital nutrients like calcium, iron and folic acid are needed.
Nutrient needs for the elders: Ageing impairs absorption of foods into the system; our dental health detoriate, while the intake of medicines increases. All this necessitates the increasing need for certain nutrients while decreasing the need for calories.
Childhood: Nutrient needs increase throughout childhood for optimal physical and mental growth.
Adolescence: This is a phase of rapid growth, both physical and mental. During this lifestage, the need for protein, calcium, iron and Vitamin A, C, E and B is the greatest. Supplementation is especially beneficial during this stage, due to poor nutrition. Pregnant and lactating women: To maintain the health of the expecting mother as well as the newborn baby, adequate quantities of vital nutrients like calcium, iron and folic acid are needed.
Nutrient needs for the elders: Ageing impairs absorption of foods into the system; our dental health detoriate, while the intake of medicines increases. All this necessitates the increasing need for certain nutrients while decreasing the need for calories.
Who needs supplementation?
Anyone not eating a balanced diet consisting of at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, as well as whole grain, low fat dairy products and small servings of lean meat, poultry, fish or pulses may not be getting enough protein, vitamins and minerals. As we age, the inability to chew and ageing itself may make the absorption and utilization of certain nutrients more difficult. Problem nutrients for older people are vitaminC, D, B6, B12 and folic acid, as well as some minerals, including zinc. Women of childbearing age needs iron, folic acid and calcium daily. Supplementation is the best way to get enough iron and folic acid due to better absorption by the body than when found naturally in foods.
Teenagers, especially teenage girls, do not consume enough iron. Iron supplementation during adolescence can prevent a decline in their body’s iron stores. Children need extra nutrition for their growing bodies. Children can be given special chewables and tasty multivitamin and mineral supplements along with protein and vitamin drinks and shakes.
Vegetarians, who do not consume animal products, may not get enough protein, iron, vitaminB12, zinc and calcium. People on low calorie diets, and persons who are heavy drinkers or smokers, are likely to be deficient in their requirement of vitamins and minerals.
Anyone not eating a balanced diet consisting of at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, as well as whole grain, low fat dairy products and small servings of lean meat, poultry, fish or pulses may not be getting enough protein, vitamins and minerals. As we age, the inability to chew and ageing itself may make the absorption and utilization of certain nutrients more difficult. Problem nutrients for older people are vitaminC, D, B6, B12 and folic acid, as well as some minerals, including zinc. Women of childbearing age needs iron, folic acid and calcium daily. Supplementation is the best way to get enough iron and folic acid due to better absorption by the body than when found naturally in foods.
Teenagers, especially teenage girls, do not consume enough iron. Iron supplementation during adolescence can prevent a decline in their body’s iron stores. Children need extra nutrition for their growing bodies. Children can be given special chewables and tasty multivitamin and mineral supplements along with protein and vitamin drinks and shakes.
Vegetarians, who do not consume animal products, may not get enough protein, iron, vitaminB12, zinc and calcium. People on low calorie diets, and persons who are heavy drinkers or smokers, are likely to be deficient in their requirement of vitamins and minerals.
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