Do I need vitamin supplementation?
Vitamins play important roles in the body, keeping the body working properly and helping us stay healthy. For example, vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants which have an important role in supporting our immune system and protecting our body from free radical damage. You can read more about antioxidants in our “Antioxidant for Wellness” article.
There are two main types of vitamins, depending upon how they are absorbed and stored by the body:
1. Water soluble
2. Fat Soluble
Water soluble vitamins are a group of vitamins which are dissolved in water and are absorbed easily by our body. They cannot be stored, therefore we need to include these vitamins in our diet every day. Good food sources of water soluble vitamins include fruits and vegetables.
Hint! Include a range of colourful fruits and vegetables to include a wider range of vitamins in your diet.
Fat soluble vitamins are made up of four vitamins; vitamin A, D, E and K. These vitamins are dissolved in fat and are found in dairy products, oily fish and eggs. Unlike water soluble vitamins, excess fat soluble vitamins can be stored in our body.
Did you know? There are only a few dietary sources of vitamin D and around 50% of Australian adults are deficient in vitamin D during winter1?
When do I need vitamin supplementation?
Eating a balanced diet, consisting of all the main food groups (including protein, carbohydrates, fats, fruits and vegetables) should enable you to meet your nutritional requirements. If you are not able to include all these foods groups in your diet every day, you may need to consider a complete nutritional supplement containing vitamins, minerals and protein. SUSTAGEN Hospital Formula is specially formulated to be high in protein, contains 24 vitamins and minerals and can be easily included into your daily routine. Find out more about our SUSTAGEN Hospital Formula range here.
Why not explore our delicious recipes for some inspiration here?
References:
1. The Victorian Health Monitor Report, 2012
