Real Food vs. Supplements

We are designed to eat food, not isolated nutrients.

Nutrition scientists have spent years of researching and isolating different components of food and trying to understand their functions. They have learned a great deal by breaking down food components, but the danger lies in isolating a part from a whole when choosing what to eat. Within foods, all the various micronutrients exist within a complex food matrix that affects how the body absorbs them and how they interact with each other. When nutrients are isolated and put in a pill or added as fortificants to other foods, they can be poorly absorbed and lose their interactions with other nutrients.

Broad Principles of Healthy Eating

Diet plays a key role in the management of a variety of conditions and illnesses. Rather than focusing on finding the magic bullet to prevent or treat a certain condition, embrace some broader principles of healthy eating.

• Eat a diverse diet and vary what you eat when you can from day to day and season to season

• Be courageous and try new foods

• The next time you go shopping, buy something different that is inexpensive and in season

• Swap food with friends and eat food that is abundant in flavour

• Aim to eat as often as possible with others—never underestimate the social, personal and sensory benefits of sharing a meal

• Be a role model for others

• Remember that food has an important role in the prevention and treatment of disease