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Expired Vitamins are Okay, and 4 Other Things You Didn't Know About Nutrients

From taking expired supplements to knowing the best cooking methods for nutritional value, here's what you need to know about getting the right vitamins.

ByAllison Futterman
Credit: Lallapie/Shutterstock

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In 1912, Polish biochemist Kazimierz Funk isolated a chemical compound he thought gave brown rice its protective properties. He coined the phrase "vitamin,” to describe it. Funk realized there were probably other compounds that had potential to fight certain health deficiencies. Between the time of his discovery, until 1948, all essential vitamins were identified. By the 1950s, mass production of vitamin supplements had begun, including the concept of a multivitamin. This marked the beginning of an era where obtaining nutrition became more accessible, though not without its complexities.

Today, multivitamins have become a staple in the daily health regimen of millions worldwide. They’re a way to obtain the nutrition you may not be getting from food — although food is always a better source, whenever possible. Multivitamins are usually cost-effective, as opposed to taking individual vitamins, but there are some things you should know before taking them.

Just like prescription ...

  • Allison Futterman

    Allison Futterman is a Charlotte, N.C.-based writer whose science, history, and medical/health writing has appeared on a variety of platforms and in regional and national publications. These include Charlotte, People, Our State, and Philanthropy magazines, among others. She has a BA in communications and an MS in criminal justice.

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