Declining soil quality, non-stop lifestyles and the accessibility of convenience foods are just a few things that make getting all the nutrients we need from food alone, an ever-increasing challenge. Whilst it's not impossible, it is difficult, and unless you're meticulously tracking your food and drilling into your nutrients at a micro level - you may want to consider using a multivitamin as a nutritional safety net to help cover all bases.

Taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement can help support overall health and wellbeing by providing the micronutrients your body needs to function and thrive. They can also help improve energy levels, protect against disease and provide a wide range of health benefits. 

In this article we'll discuss multivitamins in more detail, why and who may want to take them, along with the difference between Organic Wholefood Multivitamins versus traditional synthetic sources.

What are Vitamins and Minerals?

Vitamins and minerals are naturally occurring substances found in food which are essential for our bodies to function. They are known in the nutrition world as micronutrients as they're needed in small amounts in comparison to macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein) which are needed in large amounts.

Vitamins are needed for growth, development, repairing damage and for processing the macronutrients from the food we eat, and there are 13 essential vitamins (including Vitamin A, C, E, D & K, plus 8 B vitamins).

Minerals are needed in tiny quantities and are responsible for hundreds of chemical reactions occurring constantly in the body. They play a huge role in metabolism and also in the making and breaking down of body tissue. The minerals we need most of are calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and sodium.

Do I need a Supplement?

In an ideal world we’d get all of the nutrients and micronutrients we need from a normal diet. In reality, this is simply not possible for most of us. Because of our busy lifestyles, our diet varies daily and it is hard to consistently meet nutritional requirements.

There are numerous factors which affect our intake of micronutrients. For example, vitamins are damaged by heat and light – which means that the cooking process can deplete fresh foods of their vitamin content. Processing foods also removes mineral content – refining grains strips them of their potassium, iron and chromium, and processing rock salt into table salt removes every mineral but sodium. 

In short, whilst you can survive without them, taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement will help to optimise your nutritional status and improve overall health. The better health you're in, the better chance you have preventing disease and slowing down the ageing process.

Organic Wholefood Multivitamins

If you googled multivitamin you would find 1000's of search results for multivitamin and mineral products, most of which are produced using synthetic or artificial nutrients.

We're delighted to be one of the few companies in the UK offering an Organic Wholefood Multivitamin that's derived from 100% natural ingredients, and which still helps meet your daily requirements in the best way possible. Because these ingredients are plant-based, they’re full of antioxidants and phytochemicals that protect against disease, and completely free of artificial fillers, binders or bulking agents.

Let’s take a closer look into the ingredients of our multi's…

• Amla Fruit – also known as the Indian Goosberry, amla fruit is extremely high in vitamin C and is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also contains potassium, phosphorus, iron, sodium and beta-carotene. Studies have linked alma fruit consumption to reducing blood sugar levels and improving heart health.
• Guava – rich in vitamins, carotenoids, polyphenols and antioxidant pigments. This subtropical fruit is a source of vitamins A, C and many B vitamins, as well as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium and calcium. Guava has been shown to help lower and blood pressure, as well as neutralise free radicals which can protect against cancer.
• Holy Basil Leaves – this is a sacred plant for Hindus and is often planted around shrines – which is where the ‘Holy’ name comes in. The nutrients in holy basil have been shown to alleviate inflammation and joint pain, as well as help to reduce stress and anxiety symptoms. It is a rich source of Vitamins A and C, as well as the minerals calcium, zinc and iron.
• Curry Leaves – contain Vitamins A, B, C and E as well as masses of minerals. We’ve extracted organic iron from curry leaves to enrich our Organic Multivitamin for Women, providing an extra dose of iron to support menstrual cycle losses and prevent deficiency. Iron helps us to absorb energy from food and so is important for preventing tiredness.
• Lemon Extract – rich in vitamins including folic acid, vitamins A and C. Lemon peel is rich in phytonutrients – chemical compounds found in plants that protect them from cellular damage. As with all citrus fruits, lemons are extremely high in Vitamin C – which boosts the immune system and helps fight infection.

We’ve extracted all of our vitamins and minerals from fruits, vegetables and botanicals – using only water to do so. This means that they’re free from the additives, solvents and excipients frequently found in synthetic multivitamin products.

Whilst we all have near enough the same macronutrient requirements, it has been shown that micronutrient needs vary between men and women, so we’ve formulated two different blends to better meet the individual needs of a male or female respectively.

Find out more about each multi-vitamin using the links below:

• Click HERE for the Male Multivitamin
• Click HERE for the Female Multivitamin

Thanks for reading,

Stephanie Masterman

Natural Nutrients Nutritionist