Nutrients can be broadly distinguished as watery (or hydrophilic) and fatty (or lipophilic), or those that dissolve in water and others that are fat soluble. Hydrophilic nutrients, like the B complex and vitamin C, are fast-acting and eliminated from the body quickly. Fatty ones, on the other hand, not only stay in the body longer, but they’re also harder to extract from food. While hydrophilic nutrients act quickly, lipophilic one’s take longer to work. These are vitamins D, E, A and K, some minerals like zinc, selenium and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, as well as their derivatives. They are more about supporting the body’s adaptation over time, as well as healing, building, repair and anti-aging, than their water soluble colleagues.
The trick to taking advantage of the youth and health promoting effects of lipophilic’s is in the digestive system. In the world of nutrition, benefits are not only about what you ingest, but what you actually absorb, and fat soluble are difficult for the body to process. Thus the importance of a healthy pancreas, liver, gallbladder and intestine, when it comes to enjoying the health benefits of the fatty nutrients is always take your fatty nutrients with meals. If you have digestive issues, it’s helpful to use stomach bitters, digestive enzymes, probiotics, lecithin granules, bile salts, among other fat digesting aids, with all your meals and with your supplements.
