Have you been using the same multivitamin for years? It may surprise you to know that not all vitamin sources are the same. Quality nutrition begins with a quality product. Even if you’re purchasing your vitamins at a health food store, you may still be wasting your money. Find out the difference between synthetic nutrition supplements and whole-food gold.

Why You’re Wasting Money on Your Vitamin Supplements

If you’re purchasing and taking nutrition supplements from your pharmacy or grocery store, chances are your vitamin sources aren’t as good as they could be. This is because most popular vitamins you find on your supermarket shelf are filled with synthetic, man-made vitamins chock full of fillers, colorants, and additives that do nothing for your health.

This means you’re getting very little nutrition, even if you’re spending $20-$40 on a bottle of supplements. So what’s a health-conscious person to do? Become a label-reader. If you see items like BHT, Aluminum Lake, and yellow 6, you’re not getting a high-quality vitamin. You’re getting a synthetic supplement with fillers that can eventually cause the health problems you’re trying to avoid.

Why Whole-Food Vitamin Supplements are Better

Whole-food supplements are also referred to as raw-food vitamins or live-food vitamins. This is because, instead of being created in a lab, these nutrition supplements contain antioxidants that come from food sources only. Whole food vitamins contain natural digestive enzymes, which help your body better break down and absorb the nutrients contained therein.

Organic, whole-food vitamins are an investment in your health. While they shouldn’t be used as a replacement for a healthy diet , they can definitely fill in some nutritional gaps.

Special Nutrition for Women

Women looking for quality whole-food vitamins should look for a multivitamin with plenty of calcium and folic acid. Vitamin D, C, and E should also be included. Vitamin D and C boosts the immune system while vitamin E offers protection from cellular damage. Adding a probiotic supplement to your diet can help ease digestive stress and prevent yeast infections.

Menstruating women should also consider adding an iron and magnesium supplement to their diet . Iron helps prevent symptoms of anemia while magnesium helps ease PMS and feelings of stress.

Special Nutrition for Men

Men who are looking to improve their health need special nutrition supplements as well. When choosing a whole-food supplement for men, look for a few key nutrients to improve your health. These nutrients include lycopene, selenium, and zinc to improve your testosterone levels and keep your prostate healthy.

B-complex vitamins can help ease feelings of stress and anxiety while vitamins C and E help support heart health. Also, look for a vitamin that contains immune-supporting vitamin D as well as digestive enzymes to improve your intestinal health.

If you didn’t realize there was any difference between synthetic vitamins and whole-food supplements, you’re not alone. Stop wasting your hard-earned money on products that have no nutritional value. Invest in your health by purchasing raw food vitamins today!

Author's Bio: 

Jaime A. Heidel is a freelance writer with a passion for holistic health. She runs her own natural health blog and currently writes for http://www.menshealthnet.org/ .