Think of vitamins and minerals, or micronutrients, as the body’s “spark plugs” and “motor oil.” They are responsible for jump starting the reactions that take place at the level of individual cells in your body and for making sure that these reactions run smoothly.
They do not, contrary to popular belief, provide energy; rather, they help your body utilize the energy that it gets from macronutrients. It’s best to obtain vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat for several reasons.
First, foods contain exquisite combinations of nutrients that may enhance the absorption of those nutrients in ways we don’t yet fully understand. Second, foods contain thousands of substances, many of which have yet to be discovered, that may positively influence your health. Third, the supplement industry is poorly regulated, so it’s difficult to determine the quality, safety, and efficacy of the product. Besides, eating food is just more fun than popping pills!