Published Articles: Newsweek - January 16, 2006

The Gurus' Guide To Daily Nutrition

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Marion Nestle AUTHOR, 'WHAT TO EAT'
She takes: An occasional multivitamin
Tip: Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fatty fish

Ross Bird

I don't take vitamins regularly. Occasionally, if I'm having a bad day, I might pop a multivitamin. I don't think there's much evidence that Americans are vitamin-deficient, except for those who eat a peculiar diet or those who are sick. There's so much vitamin fortification of foods now that it is pretty hard to be missing major vitamins—especially now that folic acid has been put into wheat.

The real problem with vitamins is that there are too many. The irony is that, in fortifying so many foods so that people with anemia would have their problems alleviated, food makers increased the risk for people with iron-overload syndrome [a rare but potentially fatal condition]. There are also increased cases in which taking too much of certain supplements like beta carotene or vitamin B is not a good idea. My general conclusion is that an unbalanced intake of vitamins isn't a good idea, which is why taking a multivitamin isn't a bad idea.

A better way to get your nutrients is through food: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthier fats like omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish like salmon) and oils without trans fats. There's so much attention being paid to nutrition problems, and vitamins seem like an easy solution. But if you eat real food instead of processed food, you shouldn't have to worry about nutrients. If you eat a diet with a lot of junk food, though, it's probably a good idea to take a multivitamin. If you have deficiencies in your diet, it is a reasonable form of insurance.

Continued
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