1. Benjamyn Smith What About Multi-Vitamins?

2. What is a Multi-Vitamin Multi-vitamins became very popular in the 1970’s when mega-doses of vitamins were purported to help stave off illnesses (Christ, 2013). A multi-vitamin contains both vitamins and minerals that the human body needs to perform vital functions It is intended to supplement the diet and help ensure adequate intake of essential vitamins and minerals.

3. Do They Work? So far, science is inconclusive as to whether multi-vitamins have any health benefits (Christ, 2013). They may be beneficial if a person’s diet is chronically deficient in many vitamins and minerals. Because multi-vitamins are created by humans, they do not contain everything the human body needs. Things like phytochemicals are usually missing (Adams, 2006). Multi-vitamins vary widely in quality with some having vastly inferior nutrient bioavailability.

4. But What about Food? A healthy diet can supply all the necessary nutrients without the need for a multi-vitamin (Therien, 2010). There are likely essential nutrients contained in whole foods that are as yet undiscovered and therefore cannot be added to a multi-vitamin. Just like multi-vitamins, food quality can vary greatly and have both very good and very poor nutrient profiles. The quality of food is largely dependent on the quality of the soil (Adams, 2006).

5. How Variable is Food Quality? In a recent study of GMO vs. Non-GMO corn, the nutrient quality of Non- GMO corn was found to be far more dense in Non-GMO corn. The Brix reading, a measure of nutrient concentration, was found to be 20 times higher in Non-GMO corn (Honeycutt, 2013). In some cases individual nutrient contents are 100s of times higher Non- GMO corn than in GMO corn.

6. But that’s GMO GMO produce is a good example because the pesticides that are applied kill soil biology while also interfering with a plant’s ability to absorb certain nutrients from the soil. Repeated tilling, as is common in industrial agriculture, has a similar effect on soil biology. This soil biology is a large part of what makes nutrients bioavailable to plants (Mollison, 2012). Plants are capable of growing with only a very small percentage of the nutrients they are designed to absorb (Adams, 2006). These essential nutrients are applied via fertilizer and the other nutrients are often overlooked. This means that much of the grocery store produce likely does not contain the advertised nutritional profile (Adams, 2006).

7. The Multi-Vitamin Alternative Whole foods are better than a multi-vitamin. The best solution is to produce your own food on property you maintain in a holistic manner. The next best solution, and most practical for many people, is to purchase your food from a local farm that uses holistic practices. Lastly, Non-GMO foods have a better nutrient profile than Non-GMO produce.

8. References Adams, M. (2006). Secrets of Soil Nutrition: Why the Minerals in Soil Determine the Success or Failure of Foods, Health and Civilization. Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/020072.html Christ, S. (2013). Everything You Thought You Knew About Multivitamins Is Wrong. Retrieved from http://greatist.com/health/multivitamin-effectiveness Honeycutt, Z. (2013). Stunning Corn Comparison: GMO versus NON GMO. Retrieved from http://www.momsacrossamerica.com/stunning_corn_comparison_gmo_versus_non_gmo Mollison, B. (2012). Permaculture A Designer's Manual. Sisters Creek, Tasmania, Australia: Tagari Publications. Therien, S. (2010). The Disadvantages of Taking Vitamins. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/293412-the-disadvantages-of-taking-vitamins/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/293412-the-disadvantages-of-taking-vitamins/