Doctors and fitness experts recommend that everyone should get their nutrients through the food they eat. However, regular diets usually miss the recommended numbers.
And that is why we all need the best healthy nutrition to help us get all that our bodies need. A lot of times people don’t know if they are hitting their nutritional requirements or not.
That is where registered dieticians can help. They will check everything from your eating habits to your current health condition. They will even help you choose the right dietary supplements.
Health Nutritionals and Supplements Buyer’s Guide
Our dietary needs will be different from one person to the next. Several factors come into play. In this guide, we’ll help you figure out how to choose the best health Nutritionals that fit your needs.
We will also recommend some of the best products that we have found in a later section of this guide. Let’s begin with the factors that will affect your choice.
- Health problems that you are likely to get
- Medical conditions that you already have
- The different types of food that you eat
- Your age
Your Fitness Goals
A good example is that your doctor or a dietician may require a blood test. This is done to check the levels of vitamin D in your blood. Your doctor can also order this test if you are at risk for osteoporosis or a related medical condition.
Your dietician may then recommend or prescribe that you add vitamin D as well as calcium to your current diet. The dose will depend on the results of the medical tests.
Another example is that a doctor may recommend a pregnant woman to take folic acid supplements. This will help to reduce the chances of birth defects.
Doctors may also work with you to help you achieve your fitness and health goals. For instance, your doctor may recommend that you increase your omega-3 intake for better heart health.
Do Some Smart Shopping
There are a few things that you can do to ensure that you are getting the best health Nutritionals suited for your needs. Here are some tips that will be helpful.
Do Some Background Research
This is a long process but it will be for your good in the long run. Get more information on what supplements can do for you. Check out the benefits as well as potential risks.
Never get into the habit of grabbing stuff off the shelf because of an item as shown on TV. This is especially true if you are already taking certain medications. Remember that anything you take in may interact with other meds.
Inspect the Label
Make it a habit to read the label. There will be warnings and other pertinent information on the packaging. You should also pay special attention to seals of approval on the label. These seals indicate that the product contains ingredients that passed the quality standards of that respective organization.
Check the label for:
- Benefits
- Possible health risks
- Dosage information
- How long should you be taking it
If you have questions that aren’t answered by the info on the label or if you have further questions call the manufacturer. They should have their contact information printed on the label.
Beware of Fillers
Fillers in health Nutritionals are like extenders in regular food. They add bulk to the product and manufacturers use them to extend the shelf life of the healthy nutritional product.
Avoid Iron + Calcium Formulas
Some vitamins and mineral formulations should not be taken together. This is the case for calcium and iron supplement formulas. Note that taking calcium will interfere with iron absorption.
Best practice indicates that you should take them separately and at different times. You can take a supplement formula that has iron. And then at a later time, you can take a separate calcium supplement.
Watch Out for Synthetic Folic Acid
Some people are born with a genetic deficiency that prevents their bodies from processing folic acid into its activated form known as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate or folacin.
If you have this type of condition your best option is to take folic acid in its natural form. You can do that by eating more citrus fruits, lentils, romaine lettuce, spinach, and other leafy greens.
Get Nutrients Already in Activated Forms
Nutrients in their activated forms have a distinct advantage over their inactive forms. In their activated forms, you are already bypassing a phase that your body undertakes to process these nutrients.
For example, if you take vitamin B6 you are taking in pyridoxine. Your body can’t absorb pyridoxine. It needs to convert to pyridoxine 5-phosphate first before it can be absorbed.
Taking nutrients in their activated forms makes them easier and faster to absorb.
Take Vitamin E Complex
There are different types of vitamin E and you should be taking not just one form but a mixture of this vitamin or tocopherols. There are alpha, beta, gamma, and delta forms of vitamin E and your body will need everyone.
Notice that most over-the-counter vitamin E and multi-nutrient supplements will only have the alpha-tocopherol of vitamin E. Research shows that the body benefits from all of them.
In this section of our guide, we present to you some of our top picks for the best health Nutritionals in the market today. We also have provided our recommendations for different categories.
We will include the pros and cons of each product so you will have a good idea about each health supplement. Later on, at the end of this review section, we will point out what we think is the best supplement on our list.
MegaFood – Women’s One Daily
Why We Recommend It
The manufacturer is one of the most transparent providers of health supplements in the market today. All the ingredients in this supplement are traceable. On top of that, they only have a shortlist of fillers.
That means the ingredients are all sourced from grains, veggies, and fruits exclusively. For instance, the vitamin C content in this product is sourced from actual organic sources like oranges.
The manufacturer of this health nutritional complies with ISO 9001 standards. That means they comply with the strictest testing standards for producing nutritional products.
Pros
- The product is 3rd party verified (medical tests have been made)
- Manufacturer transparency
- Traceable organic ingredients
- Only a few fillers
Cons
- Price
- The formula is not 100% backed up by concrete scientific evidence (but that is also the case for a lot of nutritional supplements today)
- This product is specially formulated for women—men may not get all the RDV from this product.
Kirkland Signature Daily Multi-Vitamins & Minerals Tablets
A lot of the health Nutritionals that we reviewed were specifically formulated for either men or women. But what if you need a formula that is non-gender specific?
That is what we believe to be the big advantage of Kirkland Signature Daily Multi. It contains a great blend of nutrients that will benefit any adult.
Its list of nutrients includes all 27 of the essentials in any multi formulation and more. One downside that we can cite right off the bat is its potassium content.
Each dose only contains 80 milligrams, which is only 2% of the RDV. Some people may also get turned off by the fact that the nutrients contained in this supplement are synthetic. However, there is no scientific evidence that synthetic vitamins and minerals are worse or better than naturally sourced ones.
It can be difficult to judge the effectiveness of nutritional supplements. You can gauge the effectiveness of pain relievers and other meds because you get an immediate effect an hour or two later. But that is not the case for healthy nutrition.
And that is why tests and evaluations by third-party companies and labs like ConsumberLab become crucial. And according to ConsumberLab, this Kirkland product is one of the highest quality products around. It’s one of their top two best and most cost-efficient options.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- The nutrient content is well-rounded
- Works for men and women
- Highly rated by third-party labs
Cons
- Content of some nutrients is below RDV such as potassium and iron
- Critics point out inconsistencies in the formula
Megafood, Multi for Men
MegaFood Multi for Men is MegaFood’s offering for men who are looking for health Nutritionals that are best suited for guys. This one is also GMP certified just like the women’s formula.
That means this product is manufactured using the strictest standards today. As a further note, these standards do not only apply to the sourcing of the natural ingredients used to manufacture these health supplements.
Their production facilities have been inspected and are closely monitored. The production process complies with the highest quality standards as well.
Since this formulation is specifically designed for men, MegaFood (the manufacturer), purposefully excluded magnesium, iron, and calcium in the ingredients. It is not recommended for men to supplement these nutrients.
This is logical since men with hypertension should be careful when supplementing with calcium. That means before you supplement with these nutrients you should first consult with your doctor.
Pros
- The production process is verified
- The manufacturer is transparent about its products
- Ingredients are sourced from natural food sources
- Doesn’t contain iron, calcium, or magnesium
Cons
- The price
- The formula is specifically formulated for men only
Kirkland Signature Adults, 50 plus Mature Multi Vitamins & Minerals
Why We Recommend It
Kirkland Signature Adults 50 Plus Mature Multi is our recommended best option for seniors aged 50 and above. We all know that the nutritional needs of people change as they grow older.
They are slightly different from people ages 18 to 45. Studies show that as people age they tend to absorb lesser amounts of B vitamins. One report submitted by the Mayo Clinic says that it is recommended for people in the 50+ age bracket should maintain healthy levels of vitamin B12.
It should be noted that Kirkland Signature Adults 50 Plus Mature Multi contains 25 micrograms of vitamin B12. That may seem way too much since the recommended daily values for seniors is at 2.4 micrograms only.
However, it should be noted that there is no recommended cap on how much vitamin B12 anyone should consume daily. The body will continue to absorb this vitamin as long as it needs it.
This nutritional product also has a good dose of vitamin D, which is a big help when it comes to bone health. Studies also show that seniors need higher doses of vitamin D.
Another reason why we recommend this health nutritional supplement is the fact that it is very affordable. Each bottle is competitively priced.
Pros
- This supplement contains a good amount of vitamin D and B12
- Specially formulated for seniors aged 50 and above
Cons
- Problems with accuracy on the label
Rainbow Light – Kids One Food-Based Multivitamin
Why We Recommend It
One of the big reasons why we like this food-based nutrition supplement for kids is the fact that it is allergy-friendly. Its ingredients are not sourced from allergy-causing sources. They do not contain any shellfish, fish, eggs, soy, peanuts, milk, whey, and gluten.
This formula also provides plenty of digestive support in the form of probiotics. It contains around 15 Million CFU of probiotics. This nutritional content promotes digestion and also improves immunity.
Rainbow Light – Kids One Food-Based Multivitamin also contains a good amount of all the necessary nutrients for children. One such nutrient is potassium, which is essential for kids and it is one nutrient that is usually missing in adult formulas.
The tablets contained in each bottle are crunchy (i.e. they are chewable). On top of that, they are also quite tasty. They kind of taste like a fruit punch. That makes this product a good option for kids who don’t like the taste of broccoli, carrots, and the like.
Pros
- Contains a good amount of nutrients necessary for children
- Tastes great for kids
Cons
- Sweeteners
Health Nutritionals Q&A
Will nutritional supplements overcompensate when your diet is lacking in essential nutrients?
no. However, you shouldn’t overdose on certain nutrients such as vitamin A for instance.
How do I know if I need to take multivitamins?
The best way to know if you need to take multivitamins is by consulting with your doctor. In certain situations, your doctor may order tests to determine if you have any nutritional deficiencies. In cases when such deficiencies are more severe your doctor will prescribe specific nutritional supplements.
How do I know if my diet lacks the necessary nutrients?
although a lot of the regular diets that people have nowadays are lacking in all the necessary nutrients, you can never really say for sure which nutrients are the ones that you lack.
The solution here is to keep a food journal. You don’t have to maintain a detailed record of what you eat for the rest of your life. To identify nutrients that you lack, you only need to keep a food journal for a week.
Will nutritional supplements overcompensate when your diet is lacking in essential nutrients?
you can get most of the nutrients you need by eating healthy foods. There is only one exception though—vitamin D. Your body naturally produces vitamin D when the skin comes in contact with ultraviolet rays from the sun.
An alternative is to consume food that already contains vitamin D, which means the animal source or the plant source already produced vitamin D for you. Good sources include salmon, sardines, herring, cod liver oil, canned tuna, oysters, shrimp, egg yolks, and mushrooms.
Note that certain food products have been fortified with vitamin D as well.
is there any difference when you take nutritional supplements in pill or liquid form?
if the liquid or the solid form contains the same amount of nutrients then technically there isn’t any difference at all.
Nutrition for a Healthy Life
Video Credit: Alliance for Aging Research
Conclusion
So, which is the best health nutritional in our books? After gathering all the info and comparing the details with other competing products, our clear overall winner is Kirkland Signature Daily Multi.
It provides a well-rounded array of nutrients that can benefit men and women of any age. Well, in the case of seniors they will have to supplement further with more vitamins B12 and D. Another reason for this choice is the price—it is the more affordable supplement per dose. And that sums up our roundup of the best health Nutritionals in the market today.
If you’re looking for the perfect Multivitamins for you, check out our list of the Best Women’s Multivitamin
