Cooking for, and looking after the needs of, six kids and a self-employed husband must be a monumental task. Yet growing up, my mother made sure we had proper nutrition and the other necessities of life. Now that I’m older and a parent myself, I can certainly appreciate how much my parents accomplished. Around the time of Covid 19, I began to wonder if eating healthy was enough or whether I should also be taking vitamin supplements with my meals.

According to Food Guide Canada, if you’re already eating a variety of nutritious foods, taking vitamin and mineral supplements isn’t required. For instance, if you’re regularly eating iron-rich foods like fish, lentils, or eggs, you probably don’t need to take an iron supplement.

Canada’s Dietary Guidelines recommends that people between ages 2 to 50 take a daily dietary source of vitamin D. Adults 51 years of age or older should take a daily supplement of 400 IU (or 10 mcg) of vitamin D, according to these guidelines. This recommendation supports blood levels, as individuals in this life stage experience increased bone loss.

So, should you supplement or not? It really depends. If you’re already eating healthy, chances are you likely don’t need to take any supplements. However, if you’re not getting enough of a certain vitamin or mineral, then consult your doctor or pharmacist to see if you should take a supplement. Since Covid, I have been taking supplements, and they’ve helped me feel better.

By Peter Yurek, BSc. Phm.