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Food Stamp Program for Dietary Supplements
S. 770, the Food Stamp Vitamin and Mineral Improvement Act, introduced by Senator Harkin, is now an amendment to the Senate Farm bill. This provision would allow food stamp recipients to use their food stamps to purchase the vitamins and minerals necessary for living a healthy lifestyle, which could be especially difficult due to limited means. If consumers can use food stamps to buy such nutritionally void items such as soda, potato chips, and snack cakes, they should be able to purchase the folic acid necessary for a healthy pregnancy or a daily multivitamin daily which may be an effective way to address nutrition gaps that exist among low-income and elderly populations.
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There is extensive nutrition and disease research conducted at taxpayer expense at the USDA, NIH and in the private sector. This research has demonstrated the benefits of using nutritional supplements to improve health and wellbeing. Many chronic diseases have been traced to compromised nutrition. The FDA and USDA have required some foods to be supplemented with vital nutrients. As this nation struggles with budget deficits strained by 75% of every health care dollar being spent on chronic disease expenses, with many of those on food stamps at major risk for these conditions, it would be prudent and potentially beneficial to permit these persons to gain health benefits from regular nutritional supplementation as authorized in this section of the bill.
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