There are so many types of health food on the market, how should we choose the right one? Will eating it for a long time have any impact on the body? There are many types of health foods. They have different nutritional components and properties, and are suitable for consumption at different times. If taken at the wrong time, not only will the nutrients not be absorbed, but it may also have counter-effects! This article will answer your questions about health and nutritional food supplements.

What types of supplements are there?

Supplement is actually an extension of general food. It is composed of natural food or processed, refined or formulated combinations. It can supplement people with the nutrients they need and help adjust their physique. However, it cannot claim to have health care effects, nor can it be claimed to have the effect of curing diseases. Generally includes 4 types:

      1. Special nutritious food
        Formulas for infants and older infants, formulas required for specific diseases, and nutritional formulas approved by the central competent authority for use by people with special nutritional needs. (For example, submersible, meal replacement, nutritionally balanced formula for diabetes/kidney disease, etc.)

      1. Functional food
        The so-called functional foods refer to those nutrients that are not only necessary to maintain life, but also include health foods that are beneficial to health. (For example: lactic acid bacteria, probiotics, yogurt, etc.)

      1. Dietary supplements
        Foods in the form of capsules or tablets that can supplement nutrients needed by the human body or have non-traditional edible forms that regulate special physiological functions. (For example: glucosamine, vitamins, multivitamins, B complex, etc.)

    1. Healthy food
      Among these four types of health food, it is the only supplement with substantial scientific evidence of “health efficacy”. It is labeled or advertised as having such efficacy and is not a food with a medical purpose of treating or correcting human diseases.

If you eat three meals a day, why do you still need to take supplements?

Dietary supplements are used to supply nutrients that the human body lacks. But you can’t just think that these are foods that are helpful to your body. When your body’s functions are in trouble, you can just eat health foods and ignore medical treatment. However, we cannot ignore the help of health foods to the human body, because many human body scientific researches have confirmed that through correct and appropriate nutritional supplements, diseases can be prevented, and even slowed down or improved. Here are two major benefits of nutritional supplements:

      1. Daily diet fails to meet the nutritional needs of the body
        Most people believe that as long as they eat three balanced meals, they can absorb enough nutrients. Health food is not necessary for people who eat a balanced diet. This idea is correct, but it encounters problems when practiced in today’s society.First of all, we all have a rough understanding of the nutritional value of food. But some people will find a strange thing, why the chicken now is not as tender and the vegetables are not as delicious as before. The reason is very simple. In order to obtain maximum benefits, producers change the original feeding and breeding methods, use pesticides, chemicals, etc., in order to produce in large quantities, and at the same time, the products can be launched on the market in the shortest time, so nutrition will also Hence the weakening.In addition, the lifestyle of modern people also greatly affects our ability to absorb sufficient nutrients from our daily diet. Office workers lead busy lives and often have three meals outside. Most of them choose fast food, which is high in fat and low in fiber and has little nutritional value. Spending time in the kitchen is a luxury for modern people. They would rather eat out quickly and spend more time resting and entertaining.

    1. There are different stages of human health
      Human health has different stages: health, disease incubation period, illness, and recovery period. When the human body is healthy, daily food may be able to provide enough nutrients. Once the resistance is weakened and you fall ill, you need to take medicines, and supplements may be slower in effectiveness. However, during the incubation period of the disease, if you can eat more to strengthen your immunity, Nutritional supplements may prevent the onset of disease, and even if the disease does occur, the condition will be alleviated. During the recovery period, Supplement can help speed up the recovery of physical strength.

Will taking supplements for a long time put a burden on the body?

When we take health food supplements, we must pay special attention to the need to be particularly cautious when consuming vitamins and minerals, especially people with chronic diseases or long-term medication. First of all, we must avoid health product-drug interactions, thereby reducing the impact efficacy or the probability of adverse drug reactions. Second, no matter which health product you consume, pay attention to its edible dosage. It is best not to adjust it without authorization, or to take several different types of health food at one time.

Excessive intake of relatively common health products such as vitamin A can cause side effects including reduced bone density, abnormal liver function, and central nervous system abnormalities.

How to eat health food? When is the most effective time to eat?

There are many types of supplements. According to different nutrients and properties, the suitable time to eat them is also different. If you take multiple supplement at the same time, it is recommended to stagger the time when taking them! Here are some answers to your questions about food supplements.

Timing to take supplements

Different supplement have different timing to take, please take according to suggested use. Usually the time are stated as following:

      1. Eat on an empty stomach: at least 30 minutes to more than 1 hour before a meal, or at least 1-2 hours after a meal

      1. Eat after meals: Within 1 hour after eating

      1. Eat with meals: Eat immediately after eating the health food or eat the health food after the first meal

    1. Eat before going to bed: Within 30 minutes before going to bed

The best time to consume fat-soluble supplements

Dinner is the best time to consume fat-soluble health foods. Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in the body through fat and are then carried into our bloodstream and perform basic functions.

When we get extra fat-soluble vitamins in food, they are stored in the liver, and we can choose to eat foods containing saturated fats or oils to aid absorption.

Fat-soluble vitamins include: vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin D

The best time to consume water-soluble supplement

Water-soluble supplement are best absorbed when eaten on an empty stomach. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water, so the body can use them. The body will take in the vitamins it needs and excrete excess vitamins through urine. Since the human body does not store them, in addition to supplementing health food, you can also eat more foods rich in these nutrients.

Water-soluble vitamins require regular supplementation. Vitamin B complex and vitamin C are easily damaged by high pressure, high temperature, acid, alkali, light, smoke, alcohol, etc. After absorption, they are easily lost through sweating, urination, etc.

Water-soluble vitamins include: vitamin C, all B vitamins, and folic acid.

The best time to eat probiotic and fiber supplements

Probiotics and dietary fiber are suitable for consumption before meals. These health foods are best when consumed before food is digested. .

Including: probiotics, lactic acid bacteria, grape seeds, chitin, dietary fiber.

Supplements suitable for consumption before bed

Contains calcium, magnesium, and collagen. Calcium is most effective at midnight and early in the morning, so it is suitable to be taken before going to bed. Calcium is better absorbed when taken in low doses in divided doses; magnesium can help soothe nerves; collagen can be taken on an empty stomach or before going to bed. Protein, gastric acid can help digest and absorb protein and amino acids.

The correct concept of supplement

I would like to remind everyone that before purchasing supplements, we must first clarify our purchasing purpose. We must not buy it just because others say it is effective. We must first understand whether our own physical condition is really needed before purchasing. In addition, patients who have been taking drugs for chronic diseases for a long time must understand the ingredients of the health products they choose and consult a doctor, pharmacist, nutritionist or expert to protect their own health and rights.

Summarize

Many people think that the supplements they buy are natural, as if they see a panacea, and eating them can improve all the problems in the body. Don’t think that just eating supplements can solve all the discomforts of the body. If the body really doesn’t To feel comfortable, you must first go to the hospital and ask a professional doctor for diagnosis. Health food can only help you maintain the quality of your body, but it does not relieve your pain! In addition, to have a healthy body, you must improve your own immune system, eat normally, work and rest normally, and combine it with moderate exercise, sleep and rest. Your body will naturally be healthy and your ailments will go away!