Herbal dietary supplements: The new category of dietary supplements

Herbal dietary supplements: The new category of dietary supplements

Not all vitamins and minerals are created equal and your body can tell the difference between synthetic and herbal supplements. If you've ever taken a cheap, synthetic vitamin or mineral and not noticed any change in how you look or feel, there's a reason. Artificial vitamins often pass through your body without being absorbed. Just like making food choices, taking the time to study labels and ingredients can be crucial to achieving your desired health or wasting time and money.

Many of the same rules you probably already apply to choosing food also apply to choosing the right supplements. Study the nutrition label and look for ingredients that are plant-based, organic, and come from whole food sources. Avoid synthetic chemicals or other artificial ingredients, sweeteners and fillers.

What are herbal supplements?

Herbal supplements are made from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, spices, bark, flowers, leaves, and other plant ingredients. The exact source depends on which vitamin or mineral is needed. Typically, the process begins with a plant that is already naturally high in nutrients. From there, supplement manufacturers use various methods to extract the desired nutrient and create an herbal supplement that provides the full recommended daily allowance (RDA) of a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Examples of nutrients and their plant source

If you're not familiar with the existence of plant-based supplements, it's easy to think that every vitamin on the shelf is the same. This couldn't be further from the truth. To give you a better idea, here are some common vitamins and minerals with their preferred plant source alongside their synthetic or animal alternative.

What are the benefits of herbal supplements?

Minimally processed, plant-based supplements offer several advantages over synthetic vitamins and minerals. Here are the top benefits of herbal supplements.

Better bioavailability

Bioavailability indicates how easily your body can absorb a particular nutrient. An overwhelming amount of evidence suggests that healthy, whole plant-based foods are the foundation of a nutritionally complete diet. This includes the supplements you use to maintain your health. The best supplements are the ones your body is ready for, in other words – they are plant-based. This is because your body has evolved to recognize and use nutrients that come from plant sources that our ancestors found in nature. ((link removed))

Lower risk of toxicity

Proper absorption isn't just about getting more. In some cases, taking too much of a particular mineral can be toxic. Herbal supplements typically pose a lower risk of mineral toxicity than their synthetic or animal counterparts. For example, the toxicity risk of a herbal iron supplement is lower than that of an iron supplement from animal sources. ((link removed))

Additional cofactors and nutrients

Plants contain a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, aromatic oils and phytonutrients. In many cases, these nutrients work together. If you isolate certain connections, you might get the team's star but leave behind all the supporting players. These supporting players are the cofactors and nutrients only available in herbal supplements. Here are just a few things that synthetic and lab-made supplements may leave out. ((link removed))

• Pflanzenpigmente: Chlorophyll, Curcumin, Flavonoide, Carotinoide, Lutein, Anthocyane
• Flavonoide: Catechine, Quercetin, Polyphenole
• Aromatische Verbindungen: Allicin, Sulforaphan, Carvacrol, Thymol
• Alkaloide: Koffein, Chinin, Theobromin, Piperin
• Enzyme: Protease, Cellulase, Amylase, Nattokinase, Lipase
• Terpenoide: Saponine, Limonen, Phytosterole, Oleanolsäure
• Polysaccharide: Cellulose, Acemannan, Pektin, Hemicellulose

Natural smell & taste

One of the most desirable features of herbal supplements is that you know what you're getting. Herbal supplements typically do not contain synthetic fillers, toxic chemicals, and artificial sweeteners that are far too common in other supplements. Plants contain oils and other compounds that provide the natural smells and flavors missing from lab-grown vitamins. If you want to check the quality of an herbal supplement, open it and check the smell and taste. You should be able to recognize some of the natural smells of the organic ingredients.

They are vegan

Relying on plants is better for your health and better for the environment. While most herbal supplements are also vegan, it is still possible that unscrupulous manufacturers sneak in some animal by-products or use non-vegan gelatin capsules to contain the otherwise vegan ingredients. In most cases, herbal supplements are vegan, but check the label carefully to be sure.

Questions when choosing herbal supplements

Buying plant-based supplements is always the smarter option, but how do you know you're getting the best? Look for a brand that you can trust and that pays attention to how and where each plant-based ingredient is grown and processed.

How do the plants grow?

Make sure the plants used are grown using sustainable methods. Organic and wild-crafted sources are best and reduce the likelihood of being affected by chemicals and pesticides from industrial agriculture.

How are the plants processed?

As soon as plants are harvested, they begin to decompose. Heat, humidity and time are all enemies of fragile plant nutrients. Supplement companies that take your health seriously will do everything they can to protect the plant and keep these valuable nutrients, cofactors and nutrients in the final product. Appropriate drying, milling and concentration techniques incorporating these compounds should be in place. Without these strict protocols, your supplements will not provide the maximum benefit.

Buy herbal dietary supplements – our recommendations

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Zinc: (link removed)

Aloe Vera: (link removed)

Vitamin D: (link removed)

Omega 3: (link removed)