Supplements are not magical tools to cure illness or improve physical condition by themselves. In our modern society, there are many factors that lead to nutritional deficiencies. First, let’s deepen our understanding of the risks that modern society faces. On Top of that, I will tell you the points of how to get along with the right supplements.
What are supplements?
“Supplement” is a translation of the English word “dietary supplement”. It literally means “nutritional supplement”.
The point is that it is “assistant”, and it is a bit different to expect that the use of supplements will cure illnesses or have magical effects.
It’s safe to assume that any product or company that advertises dramatic results or advertises well-behaved expectations is rather unreliable.
So, what is the significance of the existence of supplements, what is their true role? It’s all about restoring the balance of essential nutrients for our bodies.
Dietary Problems in Modern Society
Modern Japan is full of various foods. Even busy people will not have trouble eating every day, as methods for eating without the hassle of obtaining ingredients and cooking have also been developed.
However, processed foods and affordable dining options, which are convenient, hassle-free meals, often have major nutritional problems.
Challenges of processed foods
Processed foods are boiled in water or fried in oil while being processed. At that time, it seems that “pure water” and “highly refined oil” are often used to avoid contamination with foreign substances and to reduce the time and cost of oil replacement by suppressing discoloration. Then, of the micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, those that are water-soluble and those that are fat-soluble will gradually dissolve in oil, and the remaining ingredients will be in a state like husks.
In addition, in order to make cheap meat and fish delicious, the technology of injection, which injects seasoning liquid and fat into ingredients with a syringe, is also being used. By sticking a bundle of needles, the meat is tender and juicy, but it is literally inflated, so the nutritional value is naturally reduced.
There is also the problem of additives in processed foods. Many phosphate compounds are used as additives because they have various functions such as preventing food from discoloring, improving texture, and improving storage stability. Phosphorus is one of the essential nutrients for humans, but if taken in large amounts, it interferes with the absorption of other minerals. Therefore, processed foods rich in phosphate compounds are negative in terms of nutrient intake.
Problems of affordable eating out
Dietary habits centered on processed foods and affordable eating out tend to greatly disrupt the balance of the five major nutrients.Restaurants that offer affordable menus need to be careful about how they prepare their food. It’s fine if the food is cooked properly at the restaurant, but there are also restaurants that simply heat processed foods and arrange them in order to reduce the cost of kitchen equipment and labor costs. It is well understood that such a diet can be extremely poor in terms of nutrition.
Perhaps the processed food manufacturers and restaurants that provide such food are not intentionally trying to reduce the nutritional value, but rather, it is “reasonably priced”, “looks good”, “long-lasting”, and ” I think they are trying to serve good food. However, they must have turned a blind eye to the fact that micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals are easily reduced in the process of processing.
to restore nutritional balance
Based on this reality, what we should do to restore nutritional balance is to “reduce the opportunities to eat processed foods and increase the opportunities to cook seasonal ingredients yourself.” If you suddenly say “No processed food at all”, you may not be able to make a living.
Let’s review seasonal ingredients
I often see and hear comments from supplement manufacturers and retailers saying, “The nutritional value of today’s vegetables has drastically decreased compared to the past, so it is useless to eat them. So please try our supplements.” is also not true. In fact, it is natural that the numerical values are different because the measurement method of nutritional ingredients is different from the past and now. Also, unlike in the past, nowadays vegetables are distributed regardless of the season. Out-of-season vegetables have lower nutritional value, which pushes the average nutritional value of vegetables down on the market.
In fact, the nutritional value of fresh seasonal vegetables is not significantly inferior to that of older vegetables. By all means, try to get along with the greengrocers and increase the chances of buying seasonal vegetables.
How to deal with supplements correctly
If used well, supplements are a useful tool for modern man.Now, let’s get back to the subject of this article, “the true role of supplements.” As we have already told you, one of the major causes of nutritional imbalance is the lifestyle of eating simple processed foods. The fundamental countermeasure is to reduce processed foods and cook and eat seasonal vegetables yourself.
However, there may be times when it is difficult to improve your eating habits due to your busy schedule, or when your physical condition deteriorates significantly and you want to recover as soon as possible. Supplements can be a powerful ally in such situations. The correct way to interact is to use it as an emergency evacuation tool when it is difficult to practice an ideal diet.
I think it would be great if you could get along well with supplements in such a way that you can overcome an emergency with supplements, recover your physical condition, and adjust your lifestyle in a body-friendly direction.