This morning, my 13 year-old son asked me why I always want him to have a healthy breakfast.
I explained that I wanted to make sure he got the vitamins and minerals his body needs.
His response was: “Well, why can’t I just have two Pop Tarts and [a multivitamin]?”
I didn’t really know what to say to that! What would you have said?
– Teresa Womell
(Location withheld)
“Because as long as you’re living under MY roof…”
No, kidding.
Truth is, your initial answer backed you into this corner. You mentioned that eating healthy foods is important in order to get necessary vitamins and minerals.
While that is certainly an important part of the equation, nutrition goes far beyond vitamins and minerals.
Foods also offer phytonutrients, flavonoids, and antioxidants — chemical compounds that offer a variety of health benefits.
Take an orange, for example. It is a great source of vitamin C, folate, thiamin, and potassium.
That’s fabulous in its own right — but there’s more!
Oranges also offer approximately 150 phytochemicals and over 50 flavonoids that help lower our risk of heart disease, several cancers, and high blood pressure! You simply can not get that from a supplement.
I explained that I wanted to make sure he got the vitamins and minerals his body needs.
His response was: “Well, why can’t I just have two Pop Tarts and [a multivitamin]?”
I didn’t really know what to say to that! What would you have said?
– Teresa Womell
(Location withheld)
“Because as long as you’re living under MY roof…”
No, kidding.
Truth is, your initial answer backed you into this corner. You mentioned that eating healthy foods is important in order to get necessary vitamins and minerals.
While that is certainly an important part of the equation, nutrition goes far beyond vitamins and minerals.
Foods also offer phytonutrients, flavonoids, and antioxidants — chemical compounds that offer a variety of health benefits.
Take an orange, for example. It is a great source of vitamin C, folate, thiamin, and potassium.
That’s fabulous in its own right — but there’s more!
Oranges also offer approximately 150 phytochemicals and over 50 flavonoids that help lower our risk of heart disease, several cancers, and high blood pressure! You simply can not get that from a supplement.