Roadside Dietitian

by Pam Whitfield, MS, RD and Don Jacobson

Millions of people take multivitamins every day. The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is from food. If you eat a variety of foods – from ALL the food groups – chances are that you’re getting what you need. If you’re in doubt, one multivitamin each day is OK.

What is the danger of mega-dosing?
It depends on which type of vitamins you are talking about. We need two types of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble.
     B vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble. Generally, they are not toxic to the body. If you need them, your body will use them. If you don’t need them, your body will excrete them. Look at the color of your urine a few hours after you take a supplement. If it’s bright yellow, those are probably the B vitamins your body didn’t need. Which means that supplements offering 5,000 percent of your daily B vitamins are probably an unnecessary drain on your wallet.

What’s the story with fat-soluble vitamins?
We need four fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K.  Vitamins A and D are the two that are most easily toxic. These vitamins are retained in your body. Eating too many carrots or drinking too much milk is not typically a problem.  However, you want to be careful with supplements offering A and D. They can redline your “legal” load limit.
Pam Whitfield and Don Jacobson are the authors of
Roadcookin’: A long haul driver’s guide to healthy eating (2008). They can be reached at their Web site roadcookin.com or on Twitter at Roadcookin.

 

Recipe of the Month

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

R & B Pot Roast (Pot)
Cooking time on this will vary depending on quality of meat. However, cook over low heat for up to 1½ hours, and you’ll really have a tasty feast.
4 oz. bison top round pot roast (pepper to taste)
1 medium onion, cut in chunks
Food release product
1 8-oz. box Kitchen Basics beef stock
1 large potato, quartered (skin on!)
2 carrots, sliced

Cover pan bottom with food release product.
Season meat with pepper. In pot over medium heat, quickly brown meat on all sides. Immediately add remaining ingredients and simmer over medium flame 45 minutes or longer. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
Nutritional Info (1 serving): Calories: 376,
Carbohydrates: 53 gram, Fat: 4 gram (sat fat:
1 gram), Cholesterol: 75 mg, Protein: 35 gram, Sodium: 596 mg, Fiber: 8 gram