Even on a nutritious diet, you may be deficient in these supplements

This year, Americans will spend more than $ 40 billion on supplements, meal replacements, and sports nutrition products, a number that will continue to grow. But do supplements really work? Studies are mixed, but supplements appear to be beneficial when there are deficiencies in the diet and the quality of the food is not optimal. Head to any grocery store and you’ll find that it’s harder than ever to navigate the available options and find the whole, healthy foods buried among processed, junk, and fake food.

Even if you strictly follow a nutritious diet, most Americans lack at least some nutrients because we don’t eat like our ancestors did (you know … whole animal) and our soil is depleted of the nutrients it once had, so the plants and animals we consume are less nutritious.

So take a look at the top 10 list below and decide if you should eat more of the nutrient-containing foods or if you can benefit from supplements. One thing to keep in mind … supplements by themselves are almost never as bioavailable as they are in combination with other whole food ingredients. In other words, when you can, eat the food instead of taking the supplement.

Extra charge

Best food source

Dose

Vitamin D3 *

safe sun exposure

1000 IU / for every 25

pounds of body weight

Magnesium

Pumpkin seeds

800 mg

K2 *

grass fed beef

2000 mcg

Vitamin C

broccoli

1000 mg

Krill oil

fatty fish

1000 mg

Complex B

cow liver

quality coenzyme

complex b supplement

Iodine

iodized salt

12.5 mg

Zinc

oysters

15 mg

Selenium

Brazil nuts

200 mcg

Of course, this is not a complete list of the nutrients you need in your diet. The best way to evaluate your diet is to keep a food log for a week or two and share it with your health advisor. Together, you can identify areas of deficiency and determine the best foods to add to your diet. This is particularly important if you follow a special diet such as vegan or vegetarian, gluten-free, ketogenic, or simply cutting calories.

A final note on supplements … Not all supplements are created equal! Always buy good quality products (you can read product ratings and reviews at http://www.consumerlab.com) and read the labels. Your health advisor can advise you on the proper amount of each supplement and how you should take each one to maximize bioavailability.