10 min read
Ingredients matter. Your go-to buying guide for health supplements.
Posted By
Aneta Urbaskova
For many of us, our modern diets alone do not provide us with all the essential micronutrients that we need to thrive. While most of us know about vitamin supplementation to bridge the gap in our nutrition, just how do we support the correction of dietary deficiencies to enhance our quality of health?
Key takeaways:
- The nutrient-density of the foods we consume is lower nowadays than it once was, leaving our diets lacking the nutrition our bodies require.
- The global health supplement market is flooded, yet not all supplements are created equal.
- Brand transparency is important when choosing a supplement.
- Nuzest's ingredients are carefully selected and evidence based.
- Using a powder form for your daily multi ensures maximum bioavailability thus supporting your body's absorption of all the necessary nutrients.
Our diets are lacking
Unfortunately, we are consuming more refined and processed foods than ever before.1 Around one third of Australians source their energy intake from discretionary foods2, which by definition are high in saturated fat, added sugars, salt and/or alcohol3.Simply put, these foods do not provide the necessary nutrients required by the body to functional optimally. A recent systematic review identified that out of 187 countries surveyed, only four countries are consuming above 400g of vegetables per day, representing 0.4% of the adult population.4
Supplements on a global scale
Living through a global health crisis, it has become increasingly clear that an individual’s health status can play a role in illness prevention and symptom reduction, and so our health has become arguably the top priority in our lives today. The global nutraceutical and dietary supplement market has seen consumers seeking additional protection from viral infection and disease based on the health or “immune-boosting” benefits of supplements.5
We seem to have become hyper aware of every cough, sneeze or sniffle, and with the knowledge of evidence that daily supplementation of a multi-vitamin can benefit our overall well-being with little to no risk, it is not surprising people are filling their online shopping baskets. In fact, dietary supplements have been reportedly used in Australia by 47% of the population1, with sales in complementary medicine more than doubling over the past 10 years.6
If just one single nutrient becomes deficient or falls outside the optimal balanced range within the human body, systemic consequences may be experienced. A chronic imbalance can then result, having the potential to cause considerable health issues.7
While evidence suggests multi-nutrient formulas can improve mortality outcomes for cancer, stroke, heart disease, along with reductions in all-cause mortality8, it is reported they can also reduce perceived stress, improve sleep and improve memory and cognition. However, not all multis are created equal.
Armed with this information however, the question remains, when looking to purchase a supplement to either support your overall health or to target a specific health concern or nutrient deficiency, how would you know exactly which products to purchase?
The importance of brand transparency
When choosing a brand for your vitamin supplementation, transparency about testing and certified quality control practices is important in ensuring the following:
- That dosages are correctly stated.
- That potentially harmful contaminants have been removed.
- That the purity of all ingredients is confirmed.
- That a certificate of analysis has been applied where necessary.
- That quality assurance between batches has been completed.
- That there is label accuracy and transparency.
- That all claims made are substantiated by a governing body.
75 ingredients to make you feel 100% - try Nuzest’s scientifically backed greens powder
To produce foundational nutritional support that is suitable for everybody, we have formulated Good Green Vitality containing levels of nutrients based on regulatory guidelines, safety considerations, efficacy and reported evidence of widespread deficiency in the general population.
We are open about our rigorous testing procedures, and we pride ourselves on listing every ingredient on our packaging.
We currently test for:
- Gluten on every product run.
- Dairy proteins casein and beta lactoglobulin on every third product run.
- Soy on every third production run.
- Microbiological pathogens on every production run.
- Heavy metals on every production run.
This means we can safely say Good Green Vitality is free from major allergens and we can ensure product safety for our customers.
Good Green Vitality only contains evidence-based ingredients. We have incorporated nutrients in their precise forms and ratios, together with synergistic cofactors, by which they are more beneficial than the isolated or limited combinations of industrially produced supplements.
Why is Good Green Vitality a powdered multi?
The form in which a supplement is produced can have significant influence on its efficacy, so for this and the following reasons, we have elected to produce Good Green Vitality in powder form:
- Dosage and ease:
The amount of nutrients contained in one dose of Good Green Vitality may be the equivalent of many tablets or capsules, and so taking this via the scoop included may provide ease over consuming multiple pills (and save you space in the cupboard!). You can find out more about how to use Good Green Vitality by visiting 'A Guide to Using Good Green Vitality'.
- To reduce nutrient destruction:
The encapsulation and tableting processes adds an extra level of manufacturing that may damage nutrients and compounds, while a powder maximises nutrient efficacy.
- To optimise digestion:
Without artificial binders, fillers and excipients that are used in manufacturing of industrially produced supplements, a powder is digested more efficiently.
Just how is Good Green Vitality so digestible and effective?
We have carefully selected specific forms of vitamins and minerals in Good Green Vitality based on their maximum bioavailability, with efficacy being the driving force behind the formulation. This means that the body’s absorption process is not hindered by cheaper forms of nutrients, and it is able to transport all nutrients efficiently and directly to the blood.
The levels and forms of vitamins and minerals, and percent or ratio of actives in herbal extracts and other supportive nutrients, have been chosen based on scientific reviews and evidence.
Whilst the levels of most vitamins in Good Green Vitality are significantly higher than the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) most of the minerals, except iron, either meet the RDI, or make a reasonable contribution to your daily nutritional needs.
If you are looking to improve your health status with a convenient, everyday multi-vitamin that can be mixed in water or your morning smoothie, look no further than Nuzest Good Green Vitality!
#Nuzest. Nutrition for Life.
References:
- Baraldi LG, Martinez Steele E, Canella DS, Monteiro CA. Consumption of ultra-processed foods and associated sociodemographic factors in the USA between 2007 and 2012: Evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2018;8(3):e020574.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Health Survey: Nutrition First Results - Foods and Nutrients. 2014.
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Eat for Health – Australian Dietary Guidelines. 2013.
- Micha R, Khatibzadeh S, Shi P on behalf of the Global Burden of Diseases Nutrition and Chronic Diseases Expert Group (NutriCoDE). Global, regional and national consumption of major food groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis including 266 country-specific nutrition surveys worldwide. 2015;5:e008705.
- Hamulka J, Jeruszka-Bielak M, Górnicka M, Drywień ME, Zielinska-Pukos MA. Dietary Supplements during COVID-19 Outbreak. Results of Google Trends Analysis Supported by PLifeCOVID-19 Online Studies. Nutrients. 2020;13(1):54.
- Complementary Medicines Australia. Australia's Complementary Medicines Industry Audit & Trends 2021: Healthy Growth. 2021
7.Li K, Kaaks R, Linseisen J, Rohrmann S. Vitamin/mineral supplementation and cancer, cardiovascular, and all-cause mortality in a German prospective cohort (EPIC-Heidelberg). Eur J Nutr. 2012;51(4):407-13.
- Childs CE, Calder PC, Miles EA. Diet and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1933.
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