Supplement sales in Australia have become a multi-million dollar industry, and with our fast-paced lifestyle and busy schedules, we should definitely be including them in our daily routine, right? Before we all go pop a pill, let’s take a moment to ask the question, are supplements worth it? The answers are all found in decoding their labels.
Ninety five percent of supplements on the shelves are a combination of synthetically produced vitamins and mostly non food based minerals.
Changing Habits nutritionist, Cyndi O’Meara offers her advice on how to read a supplement label and choose the best supplements for your health and wellbeing:
1. Look for the word natural: If it doesn’t say 100% natural plant or animal, it probably isn’t. The words ‘food base’, ‘food state’ or ‘organic’ often pop up on product labels. Don’t be deceived as this often means it is a mixture of foods spiked with synthetic vitamins.
2. Check for any additives: There is a difference between the terms “free from” and “no added”. If you see the former on a label, you can be assured that particular ingredient will not have been added (eg. Free from gluten, sugar, preservatives etc.)
3. Is the supplement in capsule, tablet or gel cap form? My rule of thumb with this one is no tablets or gel caps. Many gel caps often include a combination of the following ingredients but they will not be listed on the label – glycerine, sorbitol, methacryclic acid, copolymer…the list goes on! Moreover, if it has an enteric coating then it may also have practisers present.
4. Look for real foods: For example, if the product is powder and contains the ingredients rose hip, acerola, camu camu, these are foods high in Vitamin C. So not only is natural Vitamin C part of the product, but the other nutrients our body requires from these ingredients. Other great ingredients to look out for include barleygrass, chlorella, spirulina, spinach or broccoli powder, powdered herbs, inca ichi oil, – in other words, whole foods! Avoid anything with ingredients ending in ‘ate’ or ‘ide’ – these are usually synthetic.
5. Consider the Taste and Smell; If the supplement label does not say anything about sugar yet the chewable vitamin is sweet then there is probably an artificial sugar present. If it smells fake due to added colours and flavours then it probably is.
6. What about probiotics? A great addition to your health regime, I recommend consuming probiotics made from food. Read the ingredients and choose a probiotic that is fermented food base rather than one made in a petri dish.
7. Fish Oils? Be very careful about fish oils, it takes 5 kg fish to produce 1 kg of fish oil, it is very expensive, so if you are buying it cheap read the ingredients or call the company and ask what they have added. Soya oil and synthetic vitamin E is often added, plus most are encapsulated in gel caps which could have dubious ingredients.
There is a nutritional supplement for every complaint, but if you are eating whole foods and supplements based on natural sources, your body is well on its way to vitality and true health.