A healthy and balanced diet is essential to help us feel our best. We might be a vitamin brand, however we are very open about the fact that you CAN get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a healthy, balanced diet and adequate amounts of sunlight.
However, if you (like many of us) find it difficult to eat as healthily as you should when you’re short on time, that’s where supplements, such as VÖOST can help to fill any nutritional gaps. Whether you’re juggling work, family, studies or all of the above, your health can often be pushed down the priority list.
If you’re thinking about adding a daily supplement to your regime, when it comes to choosing the vitamins that are right for you, where do you even start? There’s such an overwhelming amount of information out there that it’s easy to be mislead.
So, we’ve gathered a few of the most common misconceptions we hear about vitamins to help you wade through this information
1. Not considering you may need to take a Vitamin D supplement
It is actually very difficult to get adequate amounts of Vitamin D from food. Therefore, the main source of Vitamin D is sunlight. Our bodies actually produce Vitamin D when our skin is exposed to the sun. So, why is it important? Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat, which is important for healthy bones and teeth - we wrote an article on the benefits of Vitamin D here.
Whilst we might presume that because we live in 'sunny' Australia we get enough Vitamin D naturally, this often isn't the case. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has identified that one in four Australians is Vitamin D deficient.¹
The Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society suggests that a minimum of between two and three hours per week of exposure to as much bare skin as feasible may be required to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D.² Many Australians, particularly in southern states would struggle to get this in the winter months.
It is certainly worth speaking with your GP or Pharmacist if you think you may be at risk of Vitamin D deficiency as they can help you determine whether it's worth considering a Vitamin D supplement.
2. Not taking your Vitamins during pregnancy (or taking too many)
There’s a lot of information surrounding what you can and can’t eat during pregnancy and this includes which supplements you can take. According to research, only the use of Vitamin D and folic acid supplements in pregnancy is advised (unless you are anaemic). Current official advice from the Department of Health recommends that women should take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day, from before pregnancy up to 12 weeks and a Vitamin D supplement daily throughout pregnancy.³ Remember to always consult your healthcare professional before taking a supplement if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.
It’s worth noting that children's bones keep growing throughout childhood. They grow fastest of all early in life and when going through puberty. Of course, building strong bones in childhood requires a range of vitamins and minerals, however, Vitamin D is important for bones because it helps our bodies to absorb Calcium effectively.⁴ *
3. Not being aware that there are specific vitamins and minerals for different needs
Vitamins and minerals are nutrients your body needs to help it stay healthy (no one ever felt their best on a diet of ice-cream and crisps - right?). For example, Vitamin B helps support healthy blood and a healthy immune system.
It’s not always easy to know what specific vitamins you may need, for instance vegans may require a Vitamin B supplement. If your diet is restricted, or if you have an allergy or intolerance to dairy products, you may struggle to get enough Calcium and require the support of a Calcium supplement.
Of course, if you are unsure, we would always recommend speaking to your healthcare practitioner.
4. Opting for sugary gummy vitamins
The tempting sweet taste and bright colour of so-called gummy vitamins makes them appear just like sweets, and like traditional sweets, you need to watch out for the ones that contain hidden sugar.
You will be pleased to know that VÖOST Effervescent range does not contain sugar as an ingredient. The sugar that is present in our products is derived from fruit powder which is used as a colouring. In fact, the sugar content in our core range is less than 0.6g per serve – taste is of the utmost importance to us so you can be sure there is no compromise here!
