Supplements you should use, part 1

Fitness Answer Man

June 08, 2009|By CHAD SMITH / For The Herald-Mail

If you know me, you know I'm not the biggest fan of the nutritional supplement industry. In my opinion, most nutritional supplements are absolutely worthless. Only a handful on the market have shown clear value to the average person.

The newest and hottest supplements tend to be overhyped placebos that have convincing sales copy, but no solid science.

That being said however, there are a few supplements that I advise my clients to use. No. 1 on that list are so-called superfood supplements.

Superfoods explained

More and more we are discovering the power of antioxidants. Antioxidants are chemicals found in fruits and vegetables that help our bodies perform better and function properly. It's been shown that people who have an antioxidant-rich diet are at the lowest risk of certain cancers. They also live longer.

So why aren't you eating more? Well, most of us don't have time to prepare and consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables necessary for maximum health benefits. So supplementation becomes critical.

In recent years, certain kinds of fruits and vegetables have been called "superfoods" for their high concentrations of antioxidants. Some of the top supplement companies have begun converting these foods into a concentrated, easy-to-consume formula, usually in the form of a powder that mixes with water or fruit juice.

The value of these supplements are measured on the FDA's Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale. To put that simply, ORAC is how much antioxidant power is in the stuff.

How good are these supplements? Well, think about this: The USDA determined an "average serving of fruits and vegetables" has an ORAC rating of between 400 and 500. I've seen one formula with an average ORAC score of 5,315 per teaspoon-sized serving. That would be the anti-oxidant equivalent of eating 10 to 12 average servings of fruits and vegetables.

Food first, supplements second

Now, are these supplements a replacement for real solid food? No, we still need the vital fiber that whole fruits and vegetables provide. Remember, whole foods first, supplements second.

Supplementing your diet with superfood supplements can help average people like you and I get the health benefits of antioxidants without having to cram 15 to 20 servings of fruits and vegetables into our bellies every day.

You can find superfood supplements pretty much anywhere now, at health-food stores and at Web sites selling supplements. Prices can range from $29 to $59 depending on brand and number of servings. Go get some today.

o Next week: Branched-chain amino acid

Chad Smith is co-owner of Home Team Fitness. For more information, go to www.hometeamfitness.net.

|

|

|