I know some of my readers will have watched a recent "Trust Me I'm a Doctor " BBC medical style documentary programme in which the researchers and doctors stated eating a balanced diet was all that was needed to obtain the necessary intake of minerals and vitamins. As a food evangelist I am in agreement with the sentiment, but there are some significant flaws with the programme's findings.
According to a study published in 2013 by the Dept of Environment Food & Rural Affairs the number of portions of fruit and vegetables eaten by individuals are, over time, falling. Furthermore, most people groups have consumed less than 5 portions a day for a number of years. A worrying trend.
Current Government guidelines suggest not less than 7 portions is recommended as a minimum, though 9 to 13 portions of fruit and vegetables have been recommended by some authorities to aim for optimum health!
Also it is generally agreed that most foods contain less nutrients than has historically been the case, cf reports by the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation, hence the need to eat greater amounts of better quality food, which may also support the argument for supplementation. But that's another story....
My own GP has said to me I can't advise you on dietary matters as I am not a dietician and have not had training in nutrition.
The Trust Me programmes are a source of some useful information, but they often make singularly strong pronouncements without reference or discussion to the whole story or bring all the available research and evidence into the public arena.
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