In this current fast paced world, we often lack the time and energy to actually be having a balanced nutritional meal and healthy lifestyle. This resulted in many people trying other alternatives such as subscribing to a healthy diet plan or taking supplements to help fulfil the body’s nutritional needs. The last 2 years of Covid-19 really taught us to be wary of our immune system by having more fruits and vegetables, and also taking dietary supplements.
Multivitamins have been around since the 50’s and it grew popular across decades due to profound health benefits discovery. It is famous across all ages of life despite the variety of products prices. There are so many multivitamins in the market sold with different formulations and some even very distinctive to other brands due to additional herb or flavour. It can be rather confusing which multivitamin is actually decent enough and get its job done but here are 5 most essential ingredients in a multivitamin you should look out for before purchasing any:
1-Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is important in preventing anaemia. It helps maintain the shape of the blood cell and maintain good blood oxygenation for the body. Apart from formation of normal blood cells, it is essential for brain function. Vitamin B12 is exclusively derived from animals such as meat and cow’s milk. People with vegan or vegetarian diets might be having low levels of vitamin B12 in the body.
2-Folate
Folate is a part of vitamin B and mainly comes from plants. Such plants are broccoli, spinach, asparagus and banana. Folate deficiency can also cause anaemia such as the vitamin B12. Lack of this vitamin especially among pregnant women can cause a baby to be born with nervous system problems such as neural tube defects. Pregnant women are often supplied with folate and vitamin B12 individually in the hospital or clinic to prevent the vitamin deficiency.
3-Iron
Iron content is high in red meat and milk. It is important for the blood cell to carry oxygen throughout the body by combining with iron. Iron deficiency can cause anaemia when the blood cell is smaller in size. Iron deficiency not only comes from less intake of food low in iron, but it can also be from people with a long history of chronic illness or long course infection disease.
4-Vitamin C
Vitamin C nowadays seem to gain great popularity as it acts an antioxidant that works wonder in our body by preventing cells from radical damages and for beauty purposes. Immune system also benefits greatly from this vitamin as it helps with building strong immunity. It also promotes better skin healing. Vitamin C in usually high in citrus fruit such as oranges and grapefruits.
5-Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps strengthen strong bones and teeth as it works as an absorber for calcium. Without vitamin D, calcium in the blood may not be utilised by the body. Vitamin D’s other name is ‘the sunshine vitamin’ as it comes from the chemical reaction in human skin to produce vitamin D. It also can be obtained from both plants and animals such as mushrooms, meat, fortified cereals or milk and sardines.
It is important to know what multivitamin really works for you. You should consider the reasons why you are taking one and look for products with the highest ingredients that meet your health goal. Remember, buying expensive products doesn’t work well and sometimes too many ingredients would actually create a grey zone of health benefits.
