bon bon, I love your rant.

I've never heard, "I made no changes in my diet or behavior but I started taking vitamins and my health is totally different!"

While I do agree that a fair amount of vitamin-talk is cockamamie self-help in pill format, I've recently been nagged by my doctor to take calcium supplements, since skinny white women are prime candidates for osteoporosis. Now, I was told to take calcium supplements because I forgot to mention that, unlike most calcium-rich foods, I do eat ice cream regularly; but if I didn't care for ice cream, I'd probably consider taking pills. I just don't eat calcium-rich foods, often -- except for ice cream.

Also, I am told that taking Vitamin C -- the large doses in the chewables people eat like candy -- will make you pee red white and blue. That is a change in health! (Possibly not for the better.)

Another also: I am suddenly remembering that my sister got recommended to take iron supplements when she was in high school, because they thought she was anemic. But in fact, she is just really really pale for no reason except genetics, and did not need iron at the time. (Maybe she does now!)

Teeth are the only part of the human digestive system that can break down cellulose, so chewing is pretty much the only way we can get nutrients out of raw fruits and vegetables.

Fair, but I'm not arguing for swallowing things whole -- I specified (but should probably clarify) chewing normally (which is admittedly vague) as opposed to "chew a whole lot more than normal for 80% better flebotnum".

Hey guys, what effect would, say, hypothetically, forgetting to add the salt have on a cake, like, say, a fruitcake?

Salt is usually in a recipe for two reasons -- flavor (small amounts of salt enhance other flavors), and chemical reactions. You're not going to get much rise out of a fruit cake, anyhow (at least if this is from the recipe you linked a couple of days ago), so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

If I am watching TV or surfing the net or reading (or all of these things at the same time) while snacking, I know I will eat MORE without thinking. While I was in Minneapolis, I ate almost a whole bag of Smartfood popcorn and didn't notice until it was almost gone. The bad thing is, I have eaten all those empty calories, but not even enjoyed it because I barely remember doing it. This is why I don't have snack food at home. If I am going to snack, I try make it a delicious choice and pay attention to it.

I think that even if I did have a dining area, sitting down at a table and eating alone without TV or reading or something, wouldn't last very long.

yeah, I had a dining room in my old apartment, and I never used it. I liked having it, though. Now, I eat in front of the TV. I always multitask while eating, even when eating out. Alone, I mean. I suppose I multitask when I'm eating with someone, since i'm talking to them.

taking Vitamin C -- the large doses in the chewables people eat like candy -- will make you pee red white and blue.

I thought it was cheap american lager that made you do that?

Humans did not evolve to take a pill just to supplement a normal diet.

Humans spent most of their evolution as hunter-gatherers, and eating the internal organs of animals. If your diet includes the occasional servings of sweetbread, liver and kidney, then you probably won't have much of a problem meeting your vitamin requirements. With a modern diet, YMMV.

hypothetically, forgetting to add the salt have on a cake, like, say, a fruitcake?

Chemically, very little. I never salt my cakes. Tastewise, you may find the taste less sharp than it could be.

Teeth are the only part of the human digestive system that can break down cellulose, so chewing is pretty much the only way we can get nutrients out of raw fruits and vegetables

But the digestion isn't taking place there, just the prep work.

Humans did not evolve to take a pill just to supplement a normal diet.

Isn't the point that our diets are no longer normal? We didn't evolve to have our teeth last into our 70s either, and the whole teeth-brushing and dentist thing seems to be working a bit.

But our bodies are pretty good at making do.

My mother the nutritionist (she has a lot of hats) disagrees. It is far better, she insists, to get your vitamins and minerals from food, far better. But better to get them from pills than not get them at all.

Humans did not evolve to take a pill just to supplement a normal diet. If you have a preexisting deficiency, like say from illness or dietary restrictions, obviously you might need to supplement. But our bodies are pretty good at making do. Just like how if you feel fine you're not chronically dehydrated like the "eight glasses of water" people want you to think. I've never heard, "I made no changes in my diet or behavior but I started taking vitamins and my health is totally different!"

bon bon, I love your rant as well. Vitamin supplements are just weird to me. I don't like the idea of throwing an assorted, concentrated mix of elements into the body on top of a regular diet. Because too much of a good thing is also harmful.

Okay, Tom Scola and ita have good points as well.