More than ever before, consumers today are demanding transparency on product labels. As news about food adulteration and contamination continues to appear in the headlines, the concern for food and product safety is rising.
If nutritional supplements have ever been an important part of your daily routine, no doubt you’ve wondered what’s behind the label. You may be among the growing ranks of consumers questioning where their products come from and how they’re developed. These are key questions – it’s important to know where your supplement’s ingredients are sourced to guarantee purity, safety and efficacy.
Here’s some tips to help ensure you’re making smart and safe decisions when purchasing vitamins and supplements.
Ask the Right Questions
Start with asking the right questions. Protect your health and wellbeing by being inquisitive about the intricacies of supplement development and production.
* How and why are product ingredients selected?
* Where are the farms located and who is operating them?
* Are chemicals and pesticides used in the growing process?
* Are the right parts of the plants being used and are they harvested to maximize the nutrients our bodies need?
* Will the package keep the supplements fresh and how is the packaging tested before distribution?
These questions should be easily found and answered by researching companies and their processes.
Trace the Source
Consumers have a right to know where their supplements come from. Do you know where your products originated? Can you trace them to the source? Understanding not just how ingredients were cultivated but where and by whom your supplements are produced also matters.
But how can you be sure? Confirm the brand you’re purchasing from is truly transparent and offers insight into each step of its process from start to finish.
“Nothing matters more than your health and the health of your family. That’s why it’s important to know as much as you can about the products you consume,” said Sam Kilgore, quality engineering manager at Nutrilite, the world’s number 1 selling vitamin, supplement and minerals brand. “At Nutrilite, we meticulously track each step of the journey – from seed to supplement. Every one of our botanicals goes through a detailed nine-step traceability process and we have rigorous rules in place to help protect our products from even the slightest threat of contamination at any point in the process. This ensures that our supplements contain exactly what we say they do.”
According to Kilgore, who is also known as Nutrilite’s “chief traceability officer,” Nutrilite offers insight and transparency into every step of its process, tracing ingredients down to the last detail as highlighted by the Nutrilite™ Double X™ Vitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient Supplement.
Verify Then Trust
Most vitamins and dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. As a conscious consumer, however, you want to ensure you know exactly what’s going in or on your body. Verifying a product’s safety and reliability is an important part of your due diligence. One way you can do this is by consulting EcoCert, a global leader in certification in organic farming, sustainability and safety.
NSF International is also an independent organization to check. NSF conducts product testing to confirm the actual contents of the supplement match those printed on the label. Its testing also confirms that there are no unsafe levels of contaminants, such as heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides in the product.
Knowing for certain the supplements you and your family are consuming are safe, pure and effective will give you the peace of mind you deserve. (BPT)
