How many cups of vegetables, specifically green vegetables do you eat in a normal day? The USDA recommends a minimum of 2-3 cups of green vegetables per day and 1.5-2 cups of fruits. The CDC has found that less than 10% of adults get the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.
Meanwhile 70% of adults in the U.S are taking 1 prescription medication. The combination of the rise in metabolic disease, prescribed medication and lack of fresh produce paint a picture that we must pay attention to. Eating fruits and vegetable give our body the vitamins and minerals it needs to operate optimally. We refer to these as phytonutrients. When there is a lack of phytonutrients it affects all of our body systems and can be identified in: lack of energy, lack of concentration or clarity, loose stool or irregular bowel movements and lowered immune system response resulting in increased infections.
So, will taking a multivitamin make-up for the lack of vegetables in my diet? As you can imagine, a supplement will not and cannot take the place of real, whole food in our diet and bodies. That being said even those who are meeting the daily requirements for vegetables and fruits can still benefit from a supplementation of phytonutrients to aid in the diversity of their intake. Similar to our recent post about probiotics, finding the right multivitamin is all about doing your research and understanding what you are looking for. A multivitamin that mimics the nutrients you would receive from leafy greens and fruits is preferable.
In summary, the best thing you can do for your brain, gut, energy production and stress response is to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables AND supplement with a multivitamin from a company that you trust.