Thinking you might need a multivitamin? It's probably not necessary if you eat a healthful diet, meaning plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, and modest amounts of fish and low-fat meat and poultry. Indeed, getting your nutrients from food rather than pills offers noteworthy advantages. Food contains beneficial fiber as well as phytochemicals that may not only help prevent disease but also interact usefully with one another. And consuming plenty of nutritious foods leaves less room in your diet for unhealthful choices.

Find out if you need to take a multivitamin, earn how to fill your nutritional gaps, and if you're taking a multivitamin or supplement, visit our Natural Medicine Ratings (subscribers only) section to check the effectiveness and interactions.