by Lance Kennedy (Posted Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:36 pm)
To sweber
In medical research, you do not compare individuals. You compare groups of people, with the groups being as large as possible, so average outcomes are meaningful.
There have been many studies comparing vitamin fed groups to other groups that simply consume normal diets. The end result of all those studies is the finding that for normal healthy people, supplements are not needed.
If a person eats a good balanced diet, as I do, there is exactly zero need for supplements. I agree with you that there is a lot of crap food in the diet of westerners these days. But the solution is to eat good food, not to take supplements.
I would probably disagree with you as to what makes food crap, though. It does not depend on whether there are food additives, or GMO additives, or meat from cows fed with antibiotics or hormones. These things are of such little consequence that we can ignore them. What matters is not food ingredients found in tiny traces, but the less than healthy stuff found in vast amounts. By that, I am referring to such things as saturated fat, trans fat, purified starch, sugars, excess salt etc. Plus the lack of vital things like dietary fibre.
I make my own bread in a modern breadmaker, and it is based on wholemeal flour, soya flour, other protein additions, plus five different seeds. My bread cannot be squeezed into atwo inch slice. And when you eat a couple thick slices you end up sated. Your visits to the toilet will be rewarded by substantial weight loss!
But most importantly, in making my own bread, I have eliminated bad fats, purified starch, and sugars, excess salt etc., and have added lots of fibre, protein, and vitamins, good fats, etc.
Even in a big city in this modern world, it is totally unnecessary to eat crap food. You can organise yourself to eat the best of foods, and never, ever, have to take a vitamin supplement.
One last point.
You have mentioned the many carotenes etc. Absolutely, there are numerous nutrients that we should consume for maximal health. But what of all those minor nutrients that have not yet been discovered? They are most definitely not present in your vitamin supplements. But they are present in a good balanced diet.
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To sweber
In medical research, you do not compare individuals. You compare groups of people, with the groups being as large as possible, so average outcomes are meaningful.
There have been many studies comparing vitamin fed groups to other groups that simply consume normal diets. The end result of all those studies is the finding that for normal healthy people, supplements are not needed.
If a person eats a good balanced diet, as I do, there is exactly zero need for supplements. I agree with you that there is a lot of crap food in the diet of westerners these days. But the solution is to eat good food, not to take supplements.
I would probably disagree with you as to what makes food crap, though. It does not depend on whether there are food additives, or GMO additives, or meat from cows fed with antibiotics or hormones. These things are of such little consequence that we can ignore them. What matters is not food ingredients found in tiny traces, but the less than healthy stuff found in vast amounts. By that, I am referring to such things as saturated fat, trans fat, purified starch, sugars, excess salt etc. Plus the lack of vital things like dietary fibre.
I make my own bread in a modern breadmaker, and it is based on wholemeal flour, soya flour, other protein additions, plus five different seeds. My bread cannot be squeezed into atwo inch slice. And when you eat a couple thick slices you end up sated. Your visits to the toilet will be rewarded by substantial weight loss!
But most importantly, in making my own bread, I have eliminated bad fats, purified starch, and sugars, excess salt etc., and have added lots of fibre, protein, and vitamins, good fats, etc.
Even in a big city in this modern world, it is totally unnecessary to eat crap food. You can organise yourself to eat the best of foods, and never, ever, have to take a vitamin supplement.
One last point.
You have mentioned the many carotenes etc. Absolutely, there are numerous nutrients that we should consume for maximal health. But what of all those minor nutrients that have not yet been discovered? They are most definitely not present in your vitamin supplements. But they are present in a good balanced diet.
Read Main Topic