FOOD RULES - RULE #40

from "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual," by Michael Pollan

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PART II: What Kind of Food Should I Eat?

(Mostly plants.)

RULE #40 - Be the kind of person who takes the supplements - then skip the supplements.

We know that people who take supplements are generally healthier than the rest of us, and we also know that in controlled studies most of the supplements they take don't appear to be effective. How can this be? Supplement takers are healthy for reasons that have nothing to do with the pills. They're typically more health conscious, better educated, and more affluent. They're also more likely to exercise and eat whole grains. So to the extent you can, be the kind of person who would take supplements, and then save your money. (There are exceptions to this rule, for people who have a specific nutrient deficiency or are older than fifty. As we age, our need for antioxidants increases while our body's ability to absorb them from the diet declines. And if you don't eat much fish, it couldn't hurt to take a fish oil supplement too).

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"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."