The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book written by Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., CNS, FACN and Nancy Bruning is an interesting read. They start their book out with a quiz on vitamins and minerals so you will have a base of your own knowledge on the subject. I want to post their quiz so you can take it and see how much you do know.
- If I eat well, I can get all the nutrients I need from food. A. True B. False
2 Vitamin E has been shown to: A. Improve your sex life B. Help prevent cancer C. Prevent baldness D. None of the above
3 Enriched white bread is just as nutritious as whole wheat bread. A. True B. False
4 Which drug(s) increase your need for certain vitamins and/or minerals? A. Antibiotics B. Aspirin C. Birth control pills D. All of the above
5 Who generally requires a higher intake of vitamins and minerals?
A. Senior citizens B. Body builders C. Marathon runners D. All of the above
6 Which mineral(s) has been shown to protect against many forms of cancer?
A. Calcium B. Magnesium C. Selenium D. None of the above
7 As long as you take supplements, you can eat whatever you want.
A. True B. False
8 Vitamin C has been shown to ________________________ colds.
A. Cure B. Prevent C. Shorten the duration of D. All of the above
9 Which nutrient(s) may be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease?
A. Calcium B. Vitamin E C. Niacin D. All of the above
10 The more supplements you take, the better.
A. True B. False
Answers:
- B. This may have been true for early humans, who lived physical active lives, ate wild, fresh whole foods, and breathed clean air. Today, we eat relatively few nutrient-dense fruits, nuts, and vegetables. We are under physical and psychological stresses our ancestors never dreamed of, paradoxically raising our need for many nutrients. Our food has less nutrients because it is raises using synthetic chemicals, then stored and processed at a later date.
- B. Many studies show that vitamin E helps protect us against the harmful effects of a variety of carcinogens and toxins.
- B. The flour used to make white bread has been stripped of over 20 nutrients. Whole wheat and whole grain breads are higher in nutrients.
- D. Many drugs interact with nutrients in the body. Antibiotics have been shown to interfere with vitamins B, C, K, and calcium. However, vitamin C can destroy the action of the antibiotic so do not take vitamin C if you are taking an antibiotic. Birth control pills deplete the body of B6, folic acid, and vitamin C. Aspirin over a long period of time may deplete the body of vitamin C and folic acid.
- D. People who participate in heavy exercise programs will need to increase carbohydrates and thiamin. The elderly have reduced absorption and at times poor eating habits and are at greater need of calcium, vitamins B6, B12, E, and D; folic acid; and zinc.
- C. Cancer rates are higher for people who live in areas where the soil is lower in selenium. There is evidence that calcium may help protect against colon cancer.
- B. Supplements should be taken in addition to a healthy diet. Supplements are not intended to overcome a diet that is too high in fat, sugar and low in fiber.
- C. Vitamin C has been shown to shorten the duration of colds and lessen the severity of the symptoms. Vitamin C is necessary to support the immune system, but has never been proven to prevent or cure the common cold.
- D. Studies have shown that a higher calcium intake will lower blood pressure. Vitamin E may reduce cholesterol in the blood and increase HDL or the “good cholesterol”. It may be effective in prevent platelets from clogging the arteries. Niacin is effective in helping with these conditions as well.
- B. There is an optimum amount of each nutrient and taking more than the recommended amount is of no benefit.
Score:
- 7-10 Correct: Excellent
- 4-6 Correct: Average
- 0-3 Correct: poor
Future postings will look at vitamins and minerals and how they benefit the body.
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