Learn
More than half of American adults take a multivitamin or some type of dietary supplement, but do they really need it? According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nutritional needs should be met through eating and drinking nutritious foods and beverages whenever possible. This means regularly eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy products.
When following a healthy diet, most people do not need to take vitamin supplements However, certain populations may need them to reach nutrient goals such as pregnant women, infants, older adults, and those with specific dietary restrictions.
Check out this helpful handout to see if you may need a supplement – and what to look for when selecting a supplement. Make sure to talk with your doctor or registered dietitian before adding it into your routine.
Handout
Practice
Assess your supplement needs. If you are not in one of the specific groups listed, consider ways to add vitamins and minerals through food! Follow the MyPlate guidelines you learned about in week 1 and reach out to your doctor with any concerns.
Recipes
Stone Fruit Tomato and Cucumber Salad
References
- Operation Supplement Safety. Third-party certification: Why it’s important. opss. Accessed May 24, 2022.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins? Published November 1, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2022.
- Do I need vitamin supplements? nhs.uk. Published June 26, 2018. Accessed May 24, 2022.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Vitamins Minerals and Supplements: Do You Need to Take Them? Accessed May 24, 2022.
