Here's what I'm talking about, supplement boys

[seasoned]

I think this is not quite right. Certainly people who take supplements talk them up. I don't think people who don't take supplements talk them down.

At least we agree on half of it. But, people that don't take supplements fall into two categories, (1) the ones that talk down supplements, (2) the ones that are oblivious, or just don't care.

There is no doubt that increasing pressure on agriculture to increase productivity has lead to a decline in the nutritional value of our staple food, but the evidence is that taking supplements to replace the lost nutrition does not achieve that benefit and in fact is potentially harmful.

Anywhere on the internet we can get any answer we want pertaining to the benefit of supplements. Vitamins as well as pharmaceuticals need to be taken per the label recommendations. Also with food, not in place of food.

Nutritional supplements were are large part of the health industry when I was involved and initially I thought that it was a good idea to take your vitamin supplement. Vitamin C was the big spinner in the early days but when I investigated the claims, the evidence wasn't there so I became a sceptic. Over the past 40 years, more and more scientific studies have emerged to demonstrate that supplements are more a means of transferring wealth from one section of the population to another, benefiting the advertising fraternity en route, than providing a benefit to the end user.

The alternative is a vitamin depleted food product that in some cases is genetically modified.

WRT your quote from CC's thread. That is food fraud. Nothing to do with reduced nutritional value. People paying for a top quality product should be entitled to receive what they pay for.

Food fraud yes, void of food value and nutritional content, yes again. Pertinent to the thread, maybe, as it boosts the need for an alternative, "safe guard", perhaps vitamins fill the bill.

Another problem for countries like the US, South America and Australia, and to a lesser extent the EU, is the cost of production of quality foodstuffs. Increasing yields seems like a good thing until we then find that the nutritional value is reduced. Feeding grain to livestock, for example, may produce higher quality meat but at a greatly increased cost and a greatly increased demand for grain. Asian countries can produce food at lower cost and we are finding more and more Asian produce on our shelves. Nutritionally, the food is not as good as local produce, a situation that is exacerbated by storage and transport. Even worse is the way the foods are labeled, especially packaged product. (Some foods from China are produced in ways that are not permitted in other countries.)

Do you suggest "genetically modified foods"?

Unfortunately, taking supplements to shore up the lack of nutrients in certain foods is being shown to be a waste of money or worse. Perhaps that money could be better spent in increasing the nutritional value of the food in the first place. :asian:

Great idea, but until then.....................

 

[K-man]

At least we agree on half of it. But, people that don't take supplements fall into two categories, (1) the ones that talk down supplements, (2) the ones that are oblivious, or just don't care.

and (3). Those that don't take them because of the evidence available to suggest it is not a good thing to do, in most cases.

Anywhere on the internet we can get any answer we want pertaining to the benefit of supplements. Vitamins as well as pharmaceuticals need to be taken per the label recommendations. Also with food, not in place of food.

Maybe. I would suggest there is scientific evidence and vested interest.

The alternative is a vitamin depleted food product that in some cases is genetically modified.

Many things are genetically modified. We have been doing that for hundreds of years. I am sure that genetic modification will have an important part in the future of world agriculture. But there will have to be stringent safeguards in place. Just as pharmaceutical companies have not always been ethical and honest, the same could be said of companies working on genetic engineering.

Food fraud yes, void of food value and nutritional content, yes again. Pertinent to the thread, maybe, as it boosts the need for an alternative, "safe guard", perhaps vitamins fill the bill.

Escolar is not void of food value and nutritional content. However it can cause a type of oily diarrhoea in up to 50% of people eating it. If you are one of the 50% affected, vitamins will not help. The problem here is substituting a cheap fish when you are paying for an expensive one.

Do you suggest "genetically modified foods"?

In the context above, no, not GM. Antibiotics and different types of fertiliser and pesticides mainly. Also toxic additives such as we had in baby formula some years back.

As I have said previously, I have been suckered along with many others in the past and I think I am pretty objective. When big money is involved, it seems that a lot of 'reputable' people are tempted to perjure themselves. Once something hits the market with 'reputable' information testifying to it's fantastic properties, it is hard to get people to believe otherwise.

The problem with vitamins and supplements is that they can be advertised with claims that don't have to be scientifically verified. We had one fraudster here that made a fortune selling dietary products that did nothing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Foster

But try telling people who bought his products that they didn't work. :asian:

 

[seasoned]

Just for fun!

Try here.

 

[K-man]

Just for fun!

Try here.

Mmm! Seems about right. :asian: