Can I take vitamins instead of eating vegetables?

You may and you can take vitamin pills instead of vegetables, but whether they will substitute for vegetables is another matter entirely. So-called vitamin pills are called supplements, not substitutes, and there are good reasons for that. read more

More people take a daily vitamin supplement than eat their five-a-day, according to new research from Bupa. One in three people surveyed said they take vitamins or supplements every day, while only one in four said they eat five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. read more

The NIH says more than one-third of Americans take multivitamins, even though they agency says they “cannot take the place of eating a variety of foods that are important to a healthy diet.” One of the problems with multivitamins is that there is no regulatory definition for what a multivitamin is, so a supplement from one company can be completely different from another company’s version. read more

" No. "No matter what the label says, a supplement cannot provide all the benefits of getting at least five servings of vegetables a day," says D. Milton Stokes, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and chief dietitian at St. Barnabas Hospital & Nursing Home in New York City. read more