4. By taking vitamins instead of eating whole foods, you’re missing out
Whenever people experience health problems due to their nutrition intake, it’s almost always due to supplements rather than to natural foods. Supplements don’t have the value of plant foods and don’t contain any of the phytonutrients that vegetables do. Vegetables, fruit, nuts, beans, and whole grains all contain these natural chemicals which protect them from fungi, bugs and other threats as they grow. When we consume these chemicals, we too benefit from their ability to prevent disease and keep our body working smoothly.
Some of the main phytonutrients are carotenoids, ellagic acid, flavonoid, resveratrol, glucosinolates and phytoestrogens. Carotenoids, for example, can help lower the risk of prostate cancer and protect you from cataracts and age-related eye degeneration (here, spinach is a great source). Ellagic acid is great for protecting against cancer; flavonoids are important for combating asthma; resveratrol may extend life (according to studies conducted on animals) and phytoestrogens may lower the risk of endometrial cancer and bone loss in women.
