Vitamin Supplements

Eating a variety of foods from each MyPyramid food group is the best way to ensure you are getting the vitamins and minerals you need. If you are interested in taking a supplement, you should consult your health care provider to find one that is right for you. Keep in mind a supplement is just like it sounds – it is a supplement to a healthy diet, not a replacement for one.

Fortified Foods

Some foods are fortified. Fortification is the addition of nutrients to a food during processing. For example:

• Some orange juice is fortified with calcium.
• Cereal is fortified with vitamins and minerals.
• Fat-free milk is fortified with vitamins A and D.

Fortification can help assure that people are getting healthy amounts of vitamins and minerals. Again, eating a balanced variety of foods –both fortified and unfortified – can help you meet your nutritional needs.