Are Supplements Good or Bad? Real Food vs. Dietary Supplements
Are supplements good or bad? This is something that you should pay close attention to.
For quick results, people often look for short-cuts and turn to supplements such as powders, pills and shakes. They think that this is the best way for losing weight, recovering from an injury, gaining muscles, etc. If you compare real food vs supplements, real food is the better alternative than having supplements, here’s why:
- Supplements often contain Fillers
Supplement manufacturing companies often use fillers to reduce the production costs. Hydrogenated soybean oil, Talc, Magnesium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Lead, Mercury and PCBs are some common fillers used in vitamins and other supplements. - Supplements come with unexpected side-effects
Supplements can cause side effects especially when taken in wrong quantity or taken in combination with other supplements. Some ingredients in supplements are added in more quantity than what your body might require and taking more of it raises the risk of experiencing more side effects. Therefore, when talking about food vs bodybuilding supplements, consider having real food than the supplements which many harm your body and eventually your bodybuilding career. - Supplements are expensive
When we compare food and dietary supplements, supplements are more expensive. Therefore, it is better to invest money wisely on real food than on supplements since they are artificial and can have a negative impact on your body.
What to do
Take maximum minerals and vitamins from food than from supplements. Add real food to your diet as it is less expensive, tastes better, and comes with no side-effects. Consult a dietician and figure out the nutrients that are lacking from your diet. If you are unable to make dietary changes or have a serious deficiency then you can consider taking supplements but only after doctor’s recommendation.
For Overall Health, quit vitamin supplements and consume dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.
For Recovery, quit protein powder and consume low-fat chocolate milk and tart cherry juice.
For Muscle Gain, quit gainers or creatine and consume smoothies, nuts, meat, poultry and fish for natural creatine.
For Weight loss, quit weight-loss pills and consume yogurt, green tea, plenty of fruits and vegetables.
To Boost Immunity, quit taking probiotics & vitamin C/D vitamins and consume Dark-coloured fruits and veggies, low-fat milk and yogurt.
Here’s a food chart that can help you to get the respective nutrients:
| Nutrient | Found in |
| Vitamin B | Lean beef, turkey, tuna, sunflower seeds, spinach and other leafy greens, eggs |
| Vitamin D | Salmon, tuna, lean beef, vitamin D-fortified milk and yogurt, fortified orange juice, egg yolk |
| Iron | Liver, oysters, lean beef, chickpeas, beans, lentils, and sesame seeds |
| Magnesium | Spinach, kale, and other leafy green vegetables; unrefined grains; and legumes |
| Calcium | Dairy products, fish such as salmon and sardines, and dark, leafy greens. |