Veggies Versus Vitamin Capsules

February 4, 2024 by Lazer Brody

In His omniscience, the Creator created all of creation, every individual creation as well as the particular needs for each individual creation.

The Loving Provider

King David describes the beautiful way that the Creator provides for each creation. “You open Your hand and lovingly sustain every living being” (Psalm 145:16). The world is full of interesting examples. Koala bears eat an exclusive diet of eucalyptus leaves. Their natural habitat is Australia. Why? Eucalyptus trees are native to Australia. Silk worms eat an exclusive diet of mulberry leaves. Their natural habitat is southeast Asia, particularly China, Japan and Korea. Why? That’s exactly where mulberry trees grow.

Rest assured that since the Creator provides a silkworm and a koala bear with all their needs, He most definitely provides humans with everything they need as well. Here’s a rule to remember – the more a foodstuff is natural and the less it’s tampered with, the more beneficial it is to your health.

The Creator’s Pharmacy

“The closer the food substance is to the way the Creator created it, the healthier it is.”

Fruit and vegetable farmers are actually the Creator’s pharmacists. That’s because the Creator put the most effective nutrients in the foods He created. Big Pharma can’t compete with the Creator. From the standpoint of holistic nutrition, proper eating means avoiding processed foods. That includes wasting money on synthetic vitamins. An NHIS Survey found that supplement users scored no higher than nonusers in tests of their psychological, physical, and functional health. What’s more, vitamins are expensive. Your much better off spending your money ay the farmer’s market or at the organic whole foods store. In either case, you’ll be saving enough money to afford a gym membership or at least to buy yourself a new pair of running shoes…

The Rambam doesn’t believe in the concept of “nutrition in a pill.” He teaches that we maintain health by doing Hashem’s will, which includes eating as natural as possible. This includes avoiding dangerous and unhealthy substances, like the many that are found today in processed foods. My rule of thumb in holistic nutrition is simply this: “The closer the food substance is to the way the Creator created it, the healthier it is.” Eat naturally. You’ll save your money and your health.

Veggies vs. Vitamin Capsules

Here’s why healthy food beats vitamin pills and supplements any day of the week:

Greater nutrition

Whole foods are complex. They contain a variety of the nutrients your body needs, in a way your body can best absorb them. Synthetic vitamins lack the micronutrients and phytochemicals that facilitate bio-absorption. For example, a citrus fruit, in addition to Vitamin C, contains beta carotene, calcium and other nutrients that work together in a synergistic effect. This keeps the body healthy in a way that no Vitamin C pill can do.

No harmful substances

Foods that Hashem created are wonderful for the body. Big Pharma vitamins are likely to contain, for profit reasons, harmful additives. These do your body more harm than good.

Protective chemicals

The antioxidants and phytochemicals of whole, natural foods protect your body against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. The antioxidants that fruit, veggies, seeds, nuts and dry red wine are full of wonderful substances. These slow down oxidation, a natural process that leads to aging in general and cell and tissue damage in particular.

Essential fiber

Dietary fiber, as part of a healthy diet, helps to prevent certain diseases. It retards type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and it can also improve digestion. You won’t find that in those vitamin pills. Also, the synthetic fibers that food processors add to processed foods are just designed to bulk up their profits, and not to keep you healthy.

What about pregnant women and nursing mothers? Don’t they need supplements of iron, calcium and folic acid?

Yes, they need a boatload of iron, calcium and folic acid. That’s why I tell them to eat liver, beets, and leafy greens like kale and spinach (be sure to check for bugs as Halacha requires). Dried unroasted almonds and sardines are wonderful for both expecting and new moms. And like everyone else, they should stay away from soft drinks and manufactured foods that bleed the body of nutrients.

The Takeaway

“Eat healthy and put the pill money to better use by buying fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts…”

Eat healthy and put the pill money to better use by buying fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts, natural fish, poultry and meats. Enjoy a fine bottle of dry red wine for Shabbat. I strongly recommend the Land of Israel variety.

Increase the nutrient absorption of your fresh vegetable salads by eating them with healthy fats, such as cold-pressed olive oil, coconut oil or avocado. Most vitamins are oil soluble. Don’t use commercial salad dressings, especially the fat-free kind with all the added chemicals, for it hinders vitamin absorption.

Every blessing for a long, healthy and prosperous life, LB

One comment on “Veggies Versus Vitamin Capsules”

  • Ronald Coley says:

    Great advice Lazer! Thanks for the reminder! Probably the only vitamin worth taking without a deficiency might be vitamin D and B12 especially if one is more of a plant based eater. Would you agree?

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