If you are regularly eating a balanced diet, you probably don’t need to use supplements. There are, however, a few known exceptions. The new dietary reference intakes (DRIs) suggest that women of childbearing age supplement their diets with 400 micrograms of folic acid (folate) to prevent the risk of neural tube defects. Pregnant women should supplement their diets with 600 micrograms of folic acid. In addition, adults 50 years or older should obtain their RDA of B12 from fortified foods or supplements. Adults may need calcium supplements to reach the goal of consuming 1,000 mg/day for those age 19 to 50, 1,200 mg/day for those age 50 or over, and 1,000 mg/day for pregnant or lactating adult women. For legitimate information on supplements, use our links from Organizations for Sound Nutritional Information.
Reliable Web Sites for Food
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with keeping food and drugs safe for consumers. The FDA also provides information to help you identify Web sites that have good information and avoid those that have incorrect information. The following are some of their top-rated food sites for kids.
- Eat Right: This is a Web site created by the American Dietetic Association to provide useful information about healthy eating.
- Dole 5-A-Day:An award-winning site that educates kids, parents, and teachers about why fruits and vegetables are so good for you.
- Health Canada Nutrition:This site provides a comprehensive overview of Canada’s national nutrition policies and resources.
- InteliHealth:You can find daily news, health features, interactive quizzes, "Ask the Expert," and access to the USDA database for nutrient analysis.
- Mayo Clinic:This site offers good nutrition information in a fun, user-friendly format. Bookmark this site as a source that you can trust for nutrition advice.
