Looking for the fountain of youth? If you believe those television ads depicting active, healthy seniors downing cans of liquid nutritional supplements, you might be tempted to think it’s been bottled and placed on a grocery shelf near you.

But before you rush to stock up on “meals in a can,” chew on this experts say most people can get the nutrient requirements they need from eating a well-balanced diet.

Liquid nutritional supplements were created to meet the special dietary needs of patients in hospitals and nursing homes, and they can be great for seniors who are recovering from illness or hospitalizations, need to gain weight or have difficulty chewing or swallowing.

“For those individuals who can’t eat enough food to get the nutrients they need, these products have been a lifesaver, literally,” said Patricia Froberg, consulting nutritionist for the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. “But the biking, jogging, attractive silver-haired people we see toasting each other with liquid supplements in magazine and television advertisements are actually examples of people who need them the least.”

If you’re healthy, the best way to get the nutrients you need is through a balanced diet, not through expensive supplements.

Your largest calorie intake should be from grains, the next largest from vegetables and fruits, then fish, poultry, meats and dairy products. The fewer fats, oils and sweets you eat, the better.

“Turns out Grandma was right,” says Froberg. “If you want to keep up your energy, eat real food.”