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The Food Pyramid Updated 01 Dec 2007

Supplements

Vitamin supplements don't appear in the Food Pyramid and the orthodox view is that unless you have a nutrient deficiency that cannot be addressed by diet, there's little to gain by taking pills.

Willett, however, advises a regular dose of multivitamins for most people.

The relevance for New Zealanders is hard to see. The National Nutrition Survey 1997 concluded that, in the general population, vitamin intakes from food were satisfactory. It's also known that once you reach optimal levels, especially for the B vitamins and vitamin C, you will simply get rid of any excess in your urine.

There is also evidence that antioxidants in food are more effective than in supplements.

Some people do need specific dietary supplements. Vegans need extra vitamin B12; people who get very little exposure to sunlight need extra vitamin D. Women planning a pregnancy, and those who are newly pregnant, should take folate (folic acid) pills.