What are the benefits of Nutraceuticals?

Nutraceutical is a term that refers to the best parts of a food, such as fish oil or vitamin D, which provide benefits to your health. As more and more is discovered about proper nutrition and the enormous role it plays in every aspect of human health, we know that diet is key. It’s also true that one’s diet varies throughout the year, depending on what’s in season and available, or affordable, as well as other factors, such as whether you have time to prepare home-cooked meals. 

Bottom line is – it’s nearly impossible to eat a perfect diet every day. The benefit of nutraceuticals is they supplement the daily nutrients you may be missing in your diet. Nutraceuticals are often used by functional medicine doctors, who combine aspects of traditional medicine with nutrition and lifestyle changes. 

The goal of functional medicine is to provide patients with a preventative health plan. Instead of reacting to disease and illness, functional medicine doctors strive to help their patients ward off disease and improve their quality of life, or function, at the same time. 

Supplementing your diet

Preventative health care revolves around developing healthy habits such as getting regular exercise and meeting dietary needs. The concept sounds simple, but according to a study conducted by the World Health Organization, an estimated 400,000 people die every year in the United States due to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle.¹ 

Practicing good nutrition not only helps you feel better but can literally save your life. In order to ensure you’re getting the nutrients your body needs, plan on eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and limiting the amount of processed foods, sugary treats and those that contain saturated fat. 

Some vitamins are more difficult to get through diet alone, such as vitamin D, which is made when the skin is exposed to UVB sun rays. In addition, vegans and vegetarians may not be getting the RDA of certain vitamins and minerals that are mostly present in meat and dairy products. These are both good examples of when nutraceutical supplements can be helpful. 

Living better every day

Taking daily supplements can do more than replacing a nutrient you’re lacking. Other benefits of taking nutraceuticals are that they can improve the way you feel and how your body functions. “In addition to a healthy diet, there is evidence that some supplements can benefit your overall well-being with little to no risk.²” 

There are many vitamin and supplement categories, all aimed at supporting overall health and quality of life. Probiotics, digestive enzymes, and fiber can all help you stay regular and avoid bloating and gas. Melatonin is useful when battling jet lag or insomnia. Silica can help support flexibility, preventing the aches and pains that come from stiff connective tissues. 

What all these nutraceutical supplements have in common is that they can help you feel your best every day. 

References

1  Preventative healthcare, Wikipedia®. 
2  Millstein, Jeffrey MD (2020), The Truth About Supplements: 5 Things You Should Know, Penn Medicine. 

NOTE: The Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.., and University of Pennsylvania Health System (Penn Medicine), have not reviewed or approved the above article.