Check the ingredients in your supplements

Choose The Right Supplements

Published on by Western Herbal and Nutrition, Inc

Supplements can help fill in nutrient gaps in your diet, as long as you choose the right ones. Here’s what you need to know about supplements.

People always ask us about supplements. Should they or shouldn’t they use them? That depends entirely on the quality. While it’s ideal to get nutrients primarily from food, this can be very difficult when most of the food we eat is processed, our diet does not contain enough variety, or over-farming depletes nutrients from the soil and produces food that’s less nutritious than it should be. Proper supplementation can help fill in these gaps, and provide you with the essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) you need for ideal health. There are several conditions and limitations, however, so keep the following in mind:

Check the ingredients.
Unfortunately, many supplements are of poor quality, containing unnecessary fillers that make them far less effective. Look out for artificial colors and sweeteners, and possibly harmful preservatives. For example, in some multivitamin chewables, you’ll find aspartame (an artificial sweetener that stimulates the release of insulin, a hormone that encourages fat storage), BHT (a preservative that has cancer-causing potential), and artificial colors. Other wellness supplements sneak in polydextrose (a synthetic version of fiber), Xylitol (a sugar alcohol that’s been known to cause digestive problems), and sucralose (an artificial sweetener). A great way to avoid this problem is to choose products that are natural and organic.

Don’t forget the essentials.
Unless instructed otherwise by your doctor or a nutritionist, It is  recommended that you take the following on a daily basis:
  • A high-quality probiotic (live bacteria and yeasts that aid your digestive system)
  • A multivitamin, and
  • A fish-oil supplement to ensure you get the heart, brain-boosting and fat-burning benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.