Non-Negotiables To Consider When Choosing A Supplement
Whether you are looking to buy your first nutritional supplement or are simply wanting to replace one that you are already taking, finding a supplement that is effective can be both time-consuming and overwhelming. After all, with hundreds of options out there it can be difficult to sort through them and determine which ones are right for you.
If you’re currently on the hunt for a new supplement for your daily routine, we want to make it a little easier for you by sharing three non-negotiables that you should consider.
1. It’s Made with Food-Based Ingredients
The ingredients used to make nutritional supplements fall into one of two categories—food-based or synthetic.
Synthetic ingredients are man-made through industrial processes that use chemicals to create ingredients that mimic natural nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Many companies turn to synthetic ingredients because they are often simpler, easier, and cheaper, which helps them be able to churn out more products for less money and in a shorter period of time. While the use of synthetic ingredients may be more convenient for the company, it’s much less convenient for your body. Though these man-made nutrients are designed to mimic those found in nature, the truth of the matter is that your body is much more sophisticated than it may seem, and it can recognize that these nutrients are different. This can cause your body to believe that these artificial nutrients are foreign, harmful and something that needs to be removed instead of absorbed.
Meanwhile, food-based ingredients are natural. They contain nutrients that are nearly identical to the ones that Mother Nature created herself because they are derived from foods that grow naturally in the wild. Some of the most common examples of food-based ingredients are fruit extracts, herbs, mushrooms, and algae, which are all derived from foods that are grown, harvested, and minimally processed before being used in the manufacturing process. Since the nutrients in these food-based ingredients come directly from nature, your body is more equipped to digest and absorb them much as it does with the nutrients found in foods that you consume.
Needless to say, supplements made with natural, food-based ingredients have a lot more potential when it comes to your overall health, which is why it is the first non-negotiable you should be looking for.
2. It Contains a Variety of Vital Nutrients
As we’re sure you know, the point of nutritional supplements is to complement a healthy, well-balanced diet. While some of us need to take single-nutrient supplements because of specific health conditions, the majority of people will benefit more from a nutritional supplement that contains an array of nutrients. This is because even the healthiest of diets may not provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to keep you looking and feeling your best, so choosing a supplement that contains a variety of nutrients will help ensure that as many gaps are being filled as possible.
On top of variety, it’s also important to consider the potency, or concentration, of each nutrient. Essentially, this means that you will want to keep your eye out to make sure that your supplement not only contains key nutrients but has them in quantities that will actually make a difference for your body. After all, if you are taking a supplement that contains nutritionally insignificant amounts of vital nutrients, then that supplement likely isn’t doing much to help nourish your body.
With this in mind, beware of supplements that claim to have a wide array of nutrients, and make sure you carefully read the label to see exactly how much of each nutrient is actually included in the formulation.
3.It’s Backed By Quality and Safety Certifications
While it is easy to choose supplements based on the ingredients or nutrients you need, it’s equally, if not more, important to find out if they have been thoroughly tested and verified for both quality and safety. After all, any company can make claims about what their product contains, how it’s made, and how well it works. However, just because they claim it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. This is where third-party certifications come in.
Companies and products that are certified safe and high-quality by third-party agencies have undergone strict testing and thorough audits by independent third parties that are equipped to compare a company’s ingredients and manufacturing practices to industry standards. There are a great number of quality and safety certifications out there, but one of the most telling ones is being registered to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
GMP certification is the gold standard in the food and supplement industry, which means that companies that are registered to these standards have proven that their facilities are well-maintained and their products are consistently produced in compliance with the best practices set forth by the FDA. NSF International and many other third-party entities are equipped to audit manufacturing facilities and practices to ensure they comply with GMP standards.
What makes this certification even more powerful is that it is not a one-time event. In order to maintain registration, companies must continue to follow these best practices and undergo 1 to 2 unexpected audits each year. During these inspections, the company’s documentation procedures, ingredient sources, equipment, and all production, storage, and shipping areas are checked for compliance. Passing these audits each year is a great indicator that the company takes the quality and safety of its products seriously.
In addition to being registered GMP, there are a few other certifications you may want to keep your eye out for, such as…
- Certified Organic. A product that is certified organic is guaranteed to contain natural ingredients that have been grown and harvested under strict conditions to ensure they do not contain harmful chemicals or synthetic ingredients. In order to maintain an organic certification with entities like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a company’s production facility is audited annually to ensure they are compliant with the certification requirements.
- Certified Kosher or Halal. For those who follow specific ethnic or religious diets and lifestyles, it’s important to find supplements that have been certified to comply with those requirements. Seeing that a supplement is Certified Kosher or Certified Halal can help you rest assured that it meets the dietary requirements for those lifestyles.
- Certified GMP for Sport™. If you’re an athlete, you’re well aware that nutritional supplements can contain substances that are banned by major sports organizations. A GMP for Sport certification shows that the company has proven that they are taking the proper steps to reduce cross-contamination and ensure that its products are safe for competing athletes because they do not contain any banned substances.
Check All Three Boxes With New Earth
There is no doubt that the search for a nutritional supplement requires you to do your own research. If you are on the hunt for a new supplement that meets all three of these non-negotiables, you can save yourself plenty of time by turning to New Earth.
Your safety is something we take very seriously, which is why all New Earth supplements contain only the natural, raw ingredients that are listed on the label. From material sourcing to product bottling, our quality control team continuously monitors the manufacturing process to ensure we are passing all annual audits and creating a product that is as safe and high-quality as possible.
Here at New Earth, we are proud of and stand behind all of our products so much that we offer a 90-day money-back guarantee, so you can put any of our whole food supplements to the test risk-free.
At New Earth we are on a mission to positively impact the health of every body and soul we come in contact with. We specialize in producing third-party certified, organic whole food supplements including a variety of probiotics, and digestive support. Our supplements feature a rare, yet highly nutritious superfood, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA). Also known as organic Wild Microalgae®, AFA is a unique type of microalgae that is available in many forms including tablets, capsules, and powders all designed to help you on your journey to holistic wellness. The best part? We offer a 90-day money-back risk-free guarantee on all of our products. Visit our website to learn more.
