I am constantly experimenting with new vitamins, minerals and adaptogens, not only so that I can be the healthiest version of myself, but also so that I can better understand which ones may help my loved ones and followers the most. I have no patience for low quality supplements that contain fillers or fewer nutrients than they claim to. Plus, the government does not monitor the manufacturing of supplements the way that it does with pharmaceuticals, so you cannot be sure exactly what is inside of them. That is why I make sure to only buy brands that I have researched myself and fully trust.
With that said, I recently got my blood panel done (something that I recommend you do regularly to make sure your various levels are adequate), and the results surprised me. Even though I have been taking the highest quality supplements, I was not absorbing some of them. I had been taking the recommended dosage for each of my capsules and tinctures, I made sure to take them either with food or without, depending on which method was called for and I never mixed ones that might negatively affect the bioavailability of another. Despite my careful attention to detail, something was off.
After weeks of confusion, I finally had a light bulb moment. I quickly ran to my supplement drawer and hastily read through each of the labels. I realized that some of my supplements weren’t food-based.
Why is it a big deal that my supplements were not food-based? Our bodies are different, some people can easily absorb the nutrients from supplements, regardless of what form they come in. For others, that might not be the case. I realized that I probably need some assistance when it comes to vitamin and mineral absorption, which is why I ended up swapping to the high quality food-based form of some supplements. I needed to more effectively absorb the nutrients that I was low on.
According to some research, non-food-based supplements are more likely to contain fillers, which make absorption more difficult.
On top of that, nutrients are most potent in the form of whole foods. That is why everyone should begin their journey to optimal health by revamping their diet to include more nutrient-dense foods like vegetables and fruits before they decide to add in supplements. But once the supplements stage is reached, food-based supplements are often thought to be better to include since the whole food form is more packed with vitamins and minerals. There have not been very many studies comparing the differences of absorption rates between whole food supplements and synthetic supplements, but the few that have been conducted show that it is likely that the whole food-based supplements lead to more absorption.
The next time you get your panels done check to make sure all of the levels look healthy. If any of them are low, I recommend increasing your fruits and veggies intake and also switching to food-based supplements for optimal absorption. The following are food based supplements I recommend:
- Innate Response: the company’s philosophy is always food first. It knows that all of the vital nutrients that are present in plants can never be replicated in a test tube, which is why they are committed to food-based supplements. I really like their Magnesium Glycinate. Learn more about Innate Response supplements here.
- The Synergy Company: they focus on incorporating super foods into their supplements. For example, this company’s Pure Synergy products blend 60+ nutrient-rich, organic whole-food and botanical concentrates into a “wellness food” of nutritional and regenerative potency. Learn more about The Synergy Company supplements here.
- Garden of Life: this company always starts with real foods when creating any vitamins, probiotics, or protein blends and they denounce supplements that include synthetic substances. I recommend Garden of Life’s Living Multi for a whole food multivitamin. Learn more about Garden of Life supplements here.
- Mega Food: this company is so transparent about what goes into their food-based supplements that they walk consumers through their entire sourcing process on their website. They even have live farm cams that people can view. Learn more about Mega Food supplements here.
Please consult your physician before starting a new supplement, the experience here is my own and this is not a sponsored post.
