Will Vegetarianism make you miss out on Nutrition?

Vegetarians often find themselves culinarily challenged due to a limited range of vegetarian products. If you are one of the vegetarians, you would know how difficult it gets to transform bland vegetables into flavorsome dishes. Also, for a vegetarian, vitamins, minerals and even protein intake becomes a matter of concern. However it is not as complex as you think. A vegetarian diet can not only provide you with all the nutrients but some added phyto chemicals and compounds, to promote optimal health. Just some clever additions and your veg meal can turn into a complete nutritious diet.

Following are some vital nutrients you must incorporate in your diet:

Calcium

It is an important mineral that helps to maintain strong teeth and bones. It is found in ample amount in milk, its products and also in vegetables such as broccoli and turnip. There are several calcium fortified products including juices, soy yogurt, soy milk and tofu which are good sources of calcium.

Iodine:

You don’t have to be a non vegetarian to maintain your iodine levels as, just a quarter teaspoon of iodized salt provide a significant amount. Iodine is an important mineral and a component of thyroid hormones. These hormones help to regulate metabolism and growth of major organs. Apart from iodized salt, green veggies, sweet potatoes, soy bean are rich in iodine.

Iron:

Vegetarians are recommended to consume iron twice the iron intake of non vegetarians. It is a key component of red blood cells and diet deficient in iron can lead to anemia i.e. low hemoglobin levels in blood. So design your recipes with peas, whole-grain products, lentils, enriched cereals, leafy green vegetables and dried fruits to fill up your iron sinks. Also, along with iron rich diet, eat foods rich in vitamin C, citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, cabbage and broccoli to help your body absorb iron.

Omega-3 fatty acids

This group of fatty acids is the most discussed. These promise an array of health benefits along with protection from depression and dementia. Although it might be a little hard for the vegetarians to maintain sufficient levels of this essential fat through their diet some extra effort to swap their usual products with omega 3 rich sources will surely be beneficial. Walnuts, olive oil, canola oil, ground flaxseed and soybeans are good sources of omega 3 fatty acids. You may even consider fortified products or omega 3 enriched supplements.

Protein

You just can’t do without proteins! These are building blocks of our body and help maintain healthy bones, skin, muscles and organs. You can also get sufficient protein from dairy products and plant-based foods if you incorporate a variety of them in your daily diet. Plant sources of proteins are lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Vitamin B-12

Vitamin B 12 is involved in various functions and is found almost exclusively in animal products. However, you can make up for this Vitamin through milk, yoghurt, mushrooms, fortified soy products and cereals. The deficiency of these vitamins can go unnoticed especially in vegans.

Vitamin D:

An adequate sun exposure is sufficient for your body to produce this ‘sunshine vitamin’. However you can also obtain Vitamin D from cow’s milk cereals and fortified products. So, stop shunning the sun and get your vitamin levels right!

Zinc:

Zinc helps to propel more than hundred enzymes in our body and plays a vital role in cell division and proteins formation as well. You can go for cheese, whole grains, legumes, nuts, soy products, and wheat germ to bulk up your zinc levels.

Although non vegetarians may brag about the taste, nutritious value and variety of their meaty diet, veggies have a number of reasons to stick to a more humane diet. Some of the points that you can use for your defense are:

Vegetarian diet is heart friendly.
Plant derived foods lower the risk of cancer because of being high in anti oxidants.
Plants don’t spread flu, but Non Vegetarian diet can be diseased or toxic. Recent studies have even found traces of antibiotics in chicken.
Ease the symptoms of menopause by Phytoestrogens. These can alter estrogen and progesterone levels, and thus ensure a more comfortable passage through menopause.
It is full of fiber which not only helps in digestion and absorption but also helps to keep your body weight under check. Sad enough for non vegetarians, meat contains no fiber at all!
It is rich in health promoting carotenoids.

Therefore you have not one or two but plenty of reasons to endorse a vegetarian diet. So, add more twist to your plate with colorful vegetables, gritty whole grains, crunchy nuts, fresh yoghurt or cheese and stop digging for more excuses to turn vegetarian. And after all this, if you still can’t suffice your nutrient demand, dietary supplements is your cherry on the cake.

Supplement your Knowledge about Supplements!

Stuck in a stinking busy life? But, your body needs all the nutrients in right amount to keep going. So why not pop a pill and make up for all the missing nutrients that cannot be taken care of through diet! This is why most of us reach out for vitamin and mineral supplements. However, there is some vital information that you must gulp before a vitamin pill. After all, you have to choose a supplement from a myriad of products. So what is to be kept in mind before selecting a supplement?

Powder, Capsule or Syrup?

However, certain supplements are made as capsule or tablet to protect them from the corrosive stomach environment. Also, not all formulations of a specific vitamin are the same. For example, you need to decide whether to pick Vitamin D2 or D3 supplement for maximum health benefits. These days’ manufacturers have come up with pure supplements which offer high quality-hypoallergenic supplements for safe consumption. It is best to seek your doctor’s advice about the correct dosage form and formulations.

How safe is your Supplement?

Efforts are being made to bring supplement manufacturers follow certain standards called GMP or Good Manufacturing Practices like pharmaceutical manufacturers. The contact information of the maker is also mentioned on the bottle so that he may be contacted in case the consumer seeks any information.

Also, if you think the more the better is true for vitamins too, you are badly mistaken! Vitamins, especially fat soluble, must be avoided in high doses as they can be detrimental. Thankfully, extra amount of water soluble vitamins are expelled in urine.

People who must avoid the supplements

Supplements can interact with certain medications. Always consult your doctor before adding vitamins or supplements to your diet. The following people should avoid certain supplements:
Children younger than 18 years must not indulge in dietary supplements.
Those taking heart medications, diuretics, blood thinners, aspirin, immune-suppressing medications or steroid medications must avoid supplements as these drugs dangerously interact with dietary supplements which can result in grave complications.
A prenatal vitamin supplement is beneficial for pregnant and lactating women. But, some kinds of supplements can be dangerous for the baby.
Supplements must be avoided pre-surgery as they may cause bleeding and other dangerous complications.

Be a smart buyer:

Keep these tips in mind before buying a supplement:

Browse the net and look for scientific evidence about the supplement, its effectiveness and safety in published scientific studies. PUBMED database might be quite helpful in this.
No product is a magic potion! Don’t get carried away by compelling descriptions which promise to ‘cure’ you from a chronic disease within a ‘stipulated time’. It is a combination of everything – exercise, balanced diet, proper treatment and medication apart from the supplements you take that gives you relief.
Also don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer to enquire about a specific product or data that the company has collected to validate the product’s claim.
Keep a check on the lists of supplements that have been reported to have adverse effects. These lists are maintained by FDA or NCCAM and updated online from time to time.

Quick tips for using dietary supplements:

Now that you have bought your supplement after all the rigorous investigation, following points must be taken care of:

Refrain from exceeding recommended dosages or take the supplement for longer than recommended.
Store the vitamins and supplements in a cool, dry, dark place to maintain their efficacy.
Always keep the all supplements out of the reach of the children, either on a high shelf or locked in a cabinet.

Always remember, that vitamins are always better on the plate than in pills and nothing can replace the goodness of food. Supplements can help you bridge the nutrition gaps in your diet but if you are regularly skipping your meals or following an unhealthy diet plan, you supplement in take will be rendered useless.

Herbal Dietary Supplements in a Nutshell

Before discussing anything about herbal dietary products, let us take you back in time somewhere in late 1800s.This is when the medicinal use of drugs first began. Aspirin was introduced into medical practice in 1898 followed by morphine and barbiturates in 1900 and 1903 respectively. Seeing the incredible response for these drugs, acquisitive manufacturers invested whole heartedly in this sector and year after year came up with new synthetic drugs for various diseases and disorders. So, the market flooded with generic drugs of numerous brands. But with the advent of modern medicines, issues such as drug resistance, grave side effects and adverse drug reactions became more and more prevalent. This made people turn towards natural products and thus the renaissance of naturopathy took place. Many health conscious people go for herbal dietary supplements these days for promoting health in a safer way.

What are dietary supplements?

Dietary supplements are compounds added to the diet such as vitamins, minerals, essential fats and herbs etc. that improve heath. These supplements are not intended to replace food but may help to make up for the nutrients that your diet falls short off. These may be natural dietary supplements which derived from plants or simple dietary products such as vitamin pills. Herbal supplements are touted for many health benefits with least side effects. These are enriched with various types of herbs which have been traditionally used for their medicinal value. However some of the benefits promised by the manufacturers are not scientifically proven. So, as a vigilant consumer, you need to assess the dietary products carefully and choose the suitable product only after weighing its possible risks.

Following is a list of common herbs used in most of the natural dietary supplements that would help you distinguish the real benefits from false claims:

NAME OF THE HERB	HEALTH CLAIMS AND WHETHER THEY ARE REALLY EFFECTIVE?	POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis)	• Treat eczema: Yes • Treat rheumatoid arthritis: Inconclusive • Reduce breast pain: Yes • Treat osteoporosis: No	• Tolerated by most people; stomach upset and headache may occur.
Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia	• Reduce duration of colds:No • Boost immune system:No • Heal wounds:No	• GI symptoms including nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting • Allergic reactions (especially those allergic to the daisy/aster family).
*Garlic (Allium sativum)*	• Reduce the risk of heart disease:Yes •Lower high blood cholesterol:No •Lower high blood pressure:Yes • Prevent cancer: Inconclusive • Treat athlete’s foot: Yes	• Safe for most individuals. • Increase in bleeding. • Breath or skin odor. • Possible nausea, heartburn, or diarrhea at high doses. • Topical garlic can cause skin irritation, blistering and burns. • Asthma and other allergic, reactions are possible.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)	• Prevent motion sickness: Inconclusive • Reduce morning sickness: Yes • Reduce nausea and vomiting : inconclusive • Used as digestive aid: Inconclusive • Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, join, and muscle pain: Inconclusive	• Well tolerated when used in small doses. High doses may cause abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea (most often may cause abdominal associated with powdered ginger.
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)	• Treat depression: Inconclusive • Improve premenstrual syndrome: Inconclusive • Treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): Inconclusive • Treat seasonal affective disorder(SAD):Inconclusive Topically: • Used for wounds (inflammation), muscle aches, first-degree burns: Inconclusive	• Insomnia, anxiety, irritability, gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort, diarrhea, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness, and headache. • Photosensitivity. • Hypomania in depressed patients.
Ginseng (Panax ginseng)	• Improve cognitive function: Yes • Enhance athletic performance: Yes • Improve mood: No • Lower blood glucose: Yes	• Side effects rare, especially when used short term in recommended doses. • Headaches, gastrointestinal distress. • Menstrual abnormalities, breast tenderness. • Insomnia.
Ginkgo biloba(Ginkgo biloba)	•Improve age-related impairment of memory and dementia: Inconclusive • Improve visual field in glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy: Inconclusive • Lowering blood pressure and hypertension: No	• Mild gastrointestinal (GI) upset, headache, dizziness, palpitations, constipation, and allergic skin reactions. • Spontaneous bleeding.
*Turmeric ( Curcuma longa)*	Anti inflammatory: Yes Anti cancerous: Inconclusive Cures cough and cold: No	Excessive consumption of turmeric may cause stomach pains May be irritant to the skin
Green tea extract(Camellia sinensis)	• Reduces risk for cancer: Inconclusive • Reduces risk for heart disease: Inconclusive • Controls blood pressure: Inconclusive.	• Moderate intake of green tea extract is safe for most individuals. • Nausea if consumed on an empty stomach.

Are Herbal Supplements safe?

Like all other synthetic medicines, herbal supplement products also have active ingredients which provide them the medicinal properties. So, it should not be very surprising to know that these dietary supplements may cause allergic reactions, side effects or harmful drug interactions. Also, the manufacture of these supplements is not standardized or supervised by regulatory authorities like pharmaceutical companies which follow stringent regulations to bring their products in the market. So consumer must use his discretion and even seek medical advice before starting any supplement.

Our ancient medicinal system has mentioned many benefits of herbal products. But there is often a conflict between the scientific evidence and traditional knowledge. Striking a healthy balance between conventional medicines and herbal supplements can help us to achieve ‘Ayurveda’ or complete knowledge for long life.

Copper Supplements and Allied Health Benefits

The amount of copper that we have in our body is around 50 and 120 mg-point that could even fit on the head of a pin. And, if we add the fact that this is an effective antidote to combat anaemia, especially severe in children, then we definitely follow this quest to boost its absorption and enjoy its benefits to the fullest. Copper is available in a wide variety of fresh or lightly processed foods, but mostly in animal foods such as meat, poultry and fish, especially, in organ meats such as liver (beef and chicken) and also in plant foods such as legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc.), peanuts and chocolate. It is also present in small amounts in egg yolk and dried fruits such as plum and peach.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the daily copper intake for a normal adult (weighing 50 to 70 kg) should be 1.0 to 1.4 mg. The body cannot produce copper on its own, so that one must get it from foods or dietary supplements. The possible role of copper in the treatment of diseases is based on the fact that many enzymes cannot do proper functioning without the mineral. However, there is very little evidence that taking extra copper can actually treat any disease or not.

Role of copper

Certainly, copper is a multifaceted mineral that prevents anemia, being necessary for the processing of iron, it is also useful to thwart bone disease. It stops cell damage and promote proper fetal development. Copper consumption in humans is necessary for the proper functioning of some enzymes involved in processes such as growth of children, transportation of iron in the blood flow, strengthening bones, glucose and cholesterol metabolism; It is micro-constituent very beneficial for elastic hair and skin tissue. Copper supplements health benefits – helps in brain development and function of the heart, liver, nervous and immune systems.

Although, as we already said that the small amount of copper stored in the human body (50-120 milligrams) does not prevent this mineral powerful to perform impressive feats to promote optimal health. Although copper is in the furthest corners of the body, it tends to concentrate in the organs with high metabolic activity, including liver, brain, kidneys and heart. However, copper supplements, can also cause side effects and interact with medications, so you should consume under the supervision of a physician.

Requirements / Sources

There is a saying “Not all five fingers are equal”; similarly when it comes to the question of a person’s nutritional intake, you can come back with this, every time. Following are the official US recommendations for daily intake of copper, and you can clearly see the difference:

Infants
- 0-6 months 200 mg
- 7-12 months 220 mcg
Children
- 1-3 years 340 mcg
- 4-8 years 440 mcg
Men and women
- 9-13 years 700 mcg
- 14-18 years 890 mcg
- 19 years and older, 900 mcg
Pregnant Women 1,000 mcg
Nursing women, 1,300 mcg

It should be noted that high intake of zinc reduces copper stores in the body; for this reason, if you are taking zinc supplements in doses above nutritional levels (for example, in the treatment of macular degeneration), you will definitely need extra copper. In short, if you are taking iron or large doses of vitamin C, you will need extra copper. Ideally, take copper supplements in such a way that you can maintain a gap of 2 hours with these the doses of iron and vitamin C. It is advised so, because it may cause interference with the absorption of these above mentioned nutrients.

Oysters, nuts, legumes, whole grains, sweet potatoes, and dark greens are good sources of copper. Drinking water that passes through copper plumbing is a good source of this mineral, and sometimes only this source is enough to fulfil the recommended amount of copper intake.

Dosages

For the various therapeutic uses described in the next section, copper is often recommended at a high (but still safe) dose of 1 to 3 mg (1,000 to 3,000 mcg) daily.

Therapeutic Uses

Copper has been proposed as a mineral for the treatment osteoporosis, based primarily on the studies that have found the benefit using combinations of various trace minerals including copper. However, one study found that copper supplements taken alone may not be useful for the treatment.

Researchers have stated in their published journals that the copper deficiencies increase the risk of increased cholesterol and heart disease, but have failed to supply any real evidence that this idea is true. A small, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of copper supplements to reduce risk factors for heart disease such as cholesterol profile found no benefit. For a long time, copper has been mentioned as a possible treatment for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but as yet no real evidence that it works.

Supplement your Knowledge about Supplements!

Powder, Capsule or Syrup?

After you have figured out what vitamin or mineral you are deprived of, you can browse through a range of supplements available online. These are being offered in various dosage forms such as powders, tablets, capsules, tonics etc. What makes them different from one another is the rate at which your body absorbs the supplement. If you judge a supplement by its taste-tablet or capsule may be the best for you. However, certain supplements are made as capsule or tablet to protect them from the corrosive stomach environment. Also, not all formulations of a specific vitamin are the same. For example, you need to decide whether to pick Vitamin D2 or D3 supplement for maximum health benefits. These days’ manufacturers have come up with pure supplements which offer high quality-hypoallergenic supplements for safe consumption. It is best to seek your doctor’s advice about the correct dosage form and formulations.

How safe is your Supplement?

When you buy a pack of biscuits, do you ever look for its safety warning or animal testing details? Certainly not! Similarly, even dietary supplements are treated as foods rather than medications by regulatory authorities. This means that supplements manufacturers don’t have to show their products safety before launching them in the market. However, the product can be recalled from the market only if it is found to be unsafe. Efforts are being made to bring supplement manufacturers follow certain standards called GMP or Good Manufacturing Practices like pharmaceutical manufacturers. The contact information of the maker is also mentioned on the bottle so that he may be contacted in case the consumer seeks any information.

People who must avoid the supplements

Supplements can interact with certain medications. Always consult your doctor before adding vitamins or supplements to your diet. The following people should avoid certain supplements:

Children younger than 18 years must not indulge in dietary supplements.

Those taking heart medications, diuretics, blood thinners, aspirin, immune-suppressing medications or steroid medications must avoid supplements as these drugs dangerously interact with dietary supplements which can result in grave complications.
A prenatal vitamin supplement is beneficial for pregnant and lactating women. But, some kinds of supplements can be dangerous for the baby.

Supplements must be avoided pre-surgery as they may cause bleeding and other dangerous complications.

Be a smart buyer:

Keep these tips in mind before buying a supplement:

Browse the net and look for scientific evidence about the supplement, its effectiveness and safety in published scientific studies. PUBMED database might be quite helpful in this.
No product is a magic potion! Don’t get carried away by compelling descriptions which promise to ‘cure’ you from a chronic disease within a ‘stipulated time’. It is a combination of everything – exercise, balanced diet, proper treatment and medication apart from the supplements you take that gives you relief.
Also don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer to enquire about a specific product or data that the company has collected to validate the product’s claim.
Keep a check on the lists of supplements that have been reported to have adverse effects. These lists are maintained by FDA or NCCAM and updated online from time to time.

Quick tips for using dietary supplements:

Now that you have bought your supplement after all the rigorous investigation, following points must be taken care of:

Refrain from exceeding recommended dosages or take the supplement for longer than recommended.
Store the vitamins and supplements in a cool, dry, dark place to maintain their efficacy.
Always keep the all supplements out of the reach of the children, either on a high shelf or locked in a cabinet.