On the Table
By Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, D.O., M.A.

How do I know if I’m eating healthily? There are so many different recommendations, it’s very confusing

First, consider the food pyramid (www.nal.usda.gov:8001/py/pmap.htm), which identifies basic food groups—breads and other starches, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat and protein, and fats and sweets—and provides recommended numbers of daily servings. It also has nutritional goals, such as limiting fat to 30 percent or less of daily calories and increasing the amount of fiber consumed each day. The basic concept of the pyramid is a well-balanced diet.

Be aware that “healthy” foods might be less healthy than they seem. For example, a 12-ounce can of tomato juice may have 1,000 mg of sodium (i.e., salt), almost half the maximum recommended daily value. Mayonnaise and cheese are almost 100 percent fat and contain a large amount of sodium. “Low fat” and “no fat” pastries and ice-cream-type products are often very high in sugar. One woman who ate a primarily vegetarian diet, thinking it to be quite healthy, developed a severe vitamin B-12 deficiency after several years. 

Getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals can be challenging. Most are in fruits and vegetables. Some cereals advertise having “100 percent of the recommended daily vitamins and minerals.” Many of these products are fortified, meaning extra vitamins or minerals have been added; even milk and bread are routinely fortified. Juices and other products often are fortified with calcium in response to consumer concern about osteoporosis. 

Many nutritionists agree that with a balanced diet, vitamin and mineral supplements usually aren’t needed. If you decide to take them anyway, read the label to determine how much you actually are taking. A daily multiple vitamin and mineral supplement is generally complete and provides about one day’s recommended values. However, some supplements contain one or two vitamins in massive doses. If you combine supplements with fortified foods, you might consume much more than your body needs. 

If you consume more water-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins C or B-12) than you need, healthy kidneys just excrete them in urine. However, if you consume more fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamin A) than you need, your body stores them. Too much of these vitamins can cause a range of severe medical problems.

Before starting any dietary supplement or herbal product, discuss it with your doctor. Vitamin supplements necessary for one person can be dangerous for someone else.