About FDA
What is the difference between a dietary supplement and a conventional food?
Conventional foods are foods that are not dietary supplements. A dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth that is intended to supplement the diet and that contains one or more "dietary ingredients." The "dietary ingredients" in these products may include
- vitamins
- minerals
- herbs or other botanicals
- amino acids
- other substances found in the human diet, such as enzymes
Dietary supplements must be labeled as such and must not be represented for use as a conventional food or as the sole item of a meal or the diet. One way to distinguish dietary supplements from conventional foods is by looking at the nutrition information on the label of the product. Conventional foods must have a "Nutrition Facts" panel on their labels, but dietary supplements must have a "Supplement Facts" panel.
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- Are dietary supplements approved by FDA?
- If I take vitamins already, should I be eating foods that are fortified with vitamins as well? Is there such a thing as taking too many vitamins?
- Are foods that contain added nutrients considered "enriched"?
- What is the difference between a dietary supplement and a conventional food?
- Is a dietary supplement a food or a drug?
- What is a dietary supplement?
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