Getting nutrients: Vitamins better than food?

On “Today’s Health,” we weigh the difference between food and vitamins. When it comes to getting enough of the USDA daily allowances of vitamins and minerals, supplements are faster, but is food better? Nutritionist Joy Bauer was invited on “Today” to give us some answers. Here’s her lowdown on supplements:

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients contained in food. Although they are found in small amounts, they’re a powerful group of substances that help our bodies grow, develop, and thrive. Each and every vitamin and mineral plays a distinct role in maintaining our good health. And while people should ideally get their daily dose through a well-balanced diet, in some cases supplementation should be considered. Here’s a list of some vital vitamins and supplements and the best way to get them in your diet:

Vitamin C

This vitamin promotes a healthy immune system, helps our wounds heal, maintains connective tissue, and helps our bodies’ absorption of iron. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, protecting our cells from free radical damage.

Daily Requirement:

• Men over 18 years: 90 mg
• Women over 18 years: 75 mg

Some of the best foods:

• Bell pepper, red or yellow (1 = 280mg)
• Bell pepper, green (1 = 120 mg)
• Grapefruit (1 = 90 mg)
• Orange (1 = 70 mg) 
• Strawberries (1 cup = 90 mg)
• Broccoli (1 cup = 80 mg)
• Brussels sprouts (1 cup = 74 mg)

Try and get your daily dose of vitamin C from food — we have so many great food sources available. By eating just one pepper, a grapefruit, or one cup strawberries, you’ve gotten your entire day’s worth. If you’d like extra backup, look for a multivitamin with 100 percent of the recommended dietary allowance.

Iron

This mineral is needed to transport oxygen to every cell in the body. An iron deficiency limits oxygen delivery to cells, resulting in fatigue, poor work performance, and decreased immunity. On the other hand, excess amounts of iron can result in toxicity and become dangerous. So only take iron supplements if your doctor has diagnosed you with anemia.

Recommended dietary allowances for iron:

Some of the best foods:

• Clams (75 cup = 3 mg)
• Beef, lean cuts (3 ounces = 3.2 mg)
• Turkey, dark/light (4 ounces =  2.6 mg dark/ 1.5 mg light)
• Pork loin, broiled (3 ounces = 0.8 mg)
• Eggs, specifically yolks (1 egg = .6 mg)
• Spinach (1 cup = 1.6 mg)
• Asparagus (1 cup = 1.4 mg)
• Fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals (1 cup = 4 mg)
• Tofu (½ cup = 2 mg)
• Lentils (1 cup = 6.6mg)
• Kidney beans (1 cup = 5.2 mg)
• Chickpeas (1 cup = 3.2 mg)

Calcium

This mineral is the most abundant mineral in the human body and has several important functions. More than 99 percent of the body’s total calcium is stored in our bones, where it functions to support their structure. The remaining 1 percent is found throughout the body in blood and muscle, and in the fluid between cells. Calcium is needed for muscle contraction and blood vessel contraction and expansion (helps manage normal blood pressure).

Recommended adequate intake

Some of the best foods:

• Yogurt (1 cup = 400 mg)
• Skim-plus milk (1 cup = 400 mg)
• Calcium-fortified fruit juice (1 cup = 300 mg)
• Cheese, low-fat and non-fat (1 ounce = 200 mg)
• Sardines, canned with bones (3 ounces = 350mg)
• Salmon, wild, fresh and canned with bones (3 ounces = 180mg)

Try to get your calcium through food, but if you’re a woman and don’t get enough on a daily basis, take a supplement. Men should not take calcium supplements unless their doctor has advised them to do so. Some research shows a link to excessive calcium and prostate cancer.

Vitamin D

This vitamin helps maintain strong bones by promoting calcium absorption. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen.

Research also suggests that vitamin D may help maintain a healthy immune system and help regulate cell growth and differentiation.



New research also suggests that vitamin D may decrease the risk of certain cancers and autoimmune diseases.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is found in food and can also be made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Vitamin D exists in several forms, each with a different level of activity. Calciferol is the most active form of vitamin D (called D3).

Adequate intake

Some of the best foods:

• Canned Alaskan wild salmon, with bones (3 ounces = 500 IU)
• Mackerel, with bones (3 ounces = 400 IU)
• Canned sardines, with bones, (2 ounces  = 250 IU)
• Skim milk (1 cup = 100 IU)
• Eggs (1 yolk = 20 IU)

Unless you’re a milk drinker, you should take a supplement. That’s because few foods contain Vitamin D. At the very least, take a multivitamin (they typically supply 400IU). And if you’re taking a calcium supplement, make sure it also contains vitamin D (in the form of D3). Many experts believe we should be getting 800 IUs each day.

Magnesium

This mineral helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.



Recommended dietary allowances

Some of the best foods:

• Spinach (1 cup cooked = 155mg)
• Swiss chard (1 cup cooked = 150mg)
• Sunflower seeds ( ¼ cup = 125mg)
• Amaranth (1/4 cup dry = 130mg)
• Nuts: peanuts, almonds, cashews (1 ounce = 100mg)
• Brown rice (1 cup cooked = 80 mg)
• Whole wheat bread (2 slices = 70 mg)
• Beans: black, white, navy, lima, pinto, kidney (1 cup = 40 to 60mg)

Try to get your magnesium from food; you have so many great choices. If you need extra backup, make sure your multivitamin provides at least 50 percent of the recommended dietary allowancefor magnesium. And if you’re already taking a calcium supplement with Vitamin D and you don’t eat enough of these magnesium-rich food, find a brand with additional magnesium as well.

For more information on healthy eating, visit Joy Bauer’s Web site at www.joybauernutrition.com