Many of us choose to take nutritional supplements in order to balance out areas of our diet where we might feel we are lacking in our vitamin or mineral intake, or to help in the treatment of a diagnosed medical condition.
Whatever the reason for using health supplements, there is always the risk of running out of patience and simply stopping to take them on a daily basis – particularly vitamin supplements you have chosen to use yourself, rather than being advised or prescribed. But doing that could mean you’re undoing all the good that taking supplements may have achieved up to that point, so here are five simple ways to improve your chances of sticking with a supplement regime for the long term, and maximising the health benefits as a result:
1. Chewable vitamins
Chewable vitamins are one of the easiest options if you are not a fan of vitamin supplements that come in pill or tablet form. And they’re not just for the kids, either! There’s no reason why chewable supplements shouldn’t be taken by adults – anything that makes it easier for people to stick with their nutritional regime for the long term can have a positive impact on their diet as a whole.
However, many people still see chewable vitamins as something they buy for their kids and not for themselves, which is a perception that could be hard to shake off. Remember that as long as you’re taking them, it doesn’t matter what delivery system you use. Besides, they taste really nice!
2. Functional drinks
There’s a whole range of what are known as ‘functional drinks’, from energy drinks containing caffeine and taurine, to probiotic yoghurt drinks and even isotonic sports drinks that help you to stay hydrated during and after exercise.
For some people, the idea of drinking a beverage and gaining some hidden health benefits is preferable to swallowing a pill or even chewing soft vitamins. With single-serving probiotic yoghurt drinks in particular, it’s easy to have a week’s supply in the fridge, and simply consume a day’s worth of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients as an accompaniment to your breakfast.
3. Soluble supplements
Some people have a genuine problem taking tablet. So soluble supplements are ideal for anyone who doesn’t want a pill to swallow, and prefers to take their supplements in the form of a drink.
They’re a little different from functional beverages, in that they are supplied in dry form as a tablet or powder, which must be dissolved in water, fruit juice or another appropriate liquid before consumption.
4. Supplemented snacks
There are all manner of snacks with functional ingredients – not to mention foods whose ingredients are naturally associated with positive health effects.
For those people who manage to find one that’s right for their dietary needs and their snacking habits, this can be a good way to add those ingredients as part of a daily diet, without consuming them as separate nutritional supplements.
5. Jam sandwiches!
Finally, the classic method that has been helping children take travel sickness pills for generations – crush them up and put them in a jam sandwich!
For nutritional supplements that come in the form of a dry tablet that can be crushed, or are recommended to be taken with food, this is still a great way to make them more enjoyable to take, whether for children or for adults who find solid pills hard to swallow. Make it a little healthier by using honey as a replacement, or go for a sugar-free jam.
