Most American require supplements.

According to the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the National for Health Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans derive 34% of their energy from fat, two percent from alcohol, and the remainder from carbohydrates and protein. In the typical diet, the intake of saturated and monosaturated fats is four times greater than polyunsaturated fats.

Young adult males posted the highest intake of cholesterol, ranging from 372 to 395 milligrams a day, compared to a national average of 270 milligrams. Meanwhile, Americans are eating 13 to 17 grams of fiber daily, less than the 20-30 grams recommended by the National Cancer Institute. Americans get a little less than 300 milligrams of magnesium daily, and no sub-groups by age, sex, or race approach the recommended daily intake of 400 milligrams. A lack of magnesium in foodstuffs and in water supplies, due to the use of artificial tertilizers and soft water, linked with the increased incidence of heart attacks. Diabetics, migraine sufferers, and persons with heart conditions are among those who can benefit from added magnesium.

Most Americans fell short of getting the recommended 15 milligrams of daily zinc, an important mineral that serves a co-factor for hundreds of enzymes produced in the body, including digestive and antioxidant enzymes. The mean dietary intake of zinc is 11 milligrams in the U.S. The elderly often get just eight to...