Many health supplements are available for both men and women who may be at risk for deficiencies or other health risks. The ingredients are found in food or plants but processed to provide a health benefit. A dietary supplement is a herbal product designed to augment one’s daily diet by taking a capsule, pill, powder or liquid daily. A supplement can provide vitamins, minerals or other nutrients both extracted from food sources and that are natural so as to increase the amount of the daily intake.
What Health Supplements Are Available?
Today there are a variety of health supplements in the market. They can be divided into vitamins, botanicals, enzymes, herbal extracts, probiotics, super foods, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. These health supplements come with detailed descriptions, data on their effectiveness and their manufacturing process. It is advisable to consult a health care professional before trying any health supplement.
Vitamins are major components of health supplements. Vitamin A, E, C and K are the most common types of vitamins used as health supplements. These vitamins promote the absorption of food and thus optimize the nutritional intake. A variety of vitamin supplements are available in the market including beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B-complex, folic acid, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Most health experts recommend a balanced diet and regular exercise for proper health.
Several enzymes are available as health supplement that can help improve the digestion and metabolism of food. This helps in reducing the risk of various health problems like obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and osteoporosis. Herbal extracts like aloe vera, ginger, green tea and turmeric contain curative properties that can help in detoxifying the body. Food supplements made up of plant extracts like sesame, soy, chlorella, beta sitosterol, peppermint, grape seed, liquorice and ginger can be very useful for promoting overall health.
Alternative Sources Of Vitamins And Mineral.
Since food has a limited amount of nutrient, it becomes important to take health supplements regularly to maintain health. Some food items are rich in antioxidants that help remove free radicals from the body. Fruits and vegetables are the best food sources of antioxidants. Milk and yogurt also contain significant amounts of antioxidant substances that prevent cell damage and thus prevents diseases like cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Some food sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, tomatoes, kiwi, strawberries, oranges and pineapple. Milk and cheese are good food sources of vitamin D. Some other health supplements include fish oils, beta carotene, flaxseed oil, walnuts, soybeans and nutritional yeast. Herbal remedies are also very effective health supplements. For example dandelion and nettle are effective in reducing inflammation and providing pain relief. Herbs are great natural alternatives to health supplements.
Summary
Overall to summarise what we have discussed, it is clear that nutritional supplements and vitamins have a role to play in peoples diets. Many of us fail to get the right food and nutrients that we need in order to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. And so therefore it is important that we take steps to improve our diet as well as increasing our overall vitamins intake.