Is it Better to Use Supplements or Eat Whole Foods?

Question:

I have always taken vitamins and supplements but would it be better to leave these out of my diet and get these from a whole food diet?

Answer:
The easy answer for this question is "it depends". What are your goals and what does your diet currently look like? Are you eating a healthy diet and already getting your vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat? If the answer is "yes", you probably do not need nutritional supplements. However, if your goal is to build muscle and you are on a high-protein diet, you may find it difficult to eat 10 chicken breasts a day or pound down 8 cans of tuna. Let's face it, it is quite a bit easier to drink your calories than chew them. If you are trying to add mass, you don't want to be feeling really full when it is time to eat again and liquid calories have a faster gastric clearance than a steak.

A few key points

• A good rule of thumb is that no more than 50% of your calories should come from liquid sources.
• Whole foods are typically "better" - choose them over supplements if you can meet your daily nutrient goals.
• Supplements are convenient - a RTD protein shake is easier to bring to work than a tub of chicken and rice
• Multivitamins should be a staple in everyone's diet
• If you eat 3 balanced whole-food meals per day, it is safe and fine to supplement the rest of your caloric needs with nutritional supplements