We take supplements to boost our health – so most people wouldn’t expect to find harmful added ingredients in their bottle of vitamins. But sadly the holistic health industry is worth millions, opening it up to less than scrupulous brands whose focus is on widening margins rather than improving health.
At The EastWest Way we’re passionate about optimum health and the amazing benefits nature’s bounty can bring. Our blends are backed by science, crafted using thousands of years of traditional research in the East in conjunction with modern studies from the West. One of the precious principles of natural health we hold dear is the emphasis on purity and origins of holistic formulas, harnessing the powerful benefits of nature’s bounty without adding anything unnecessary or compromising on the integrity of each element. That’s why our focus is on responsibly sourced products created with care using the highest quality, organic ingredients.
In this blog we’re sharing just a few of the most important red flags to look out for when shopping for vitamins and supplements.
GMOs
Many supplements contain ingredients that have been grown with the use of Genetic Modification or harmful pesticides. Usually supplements contain a concentrated dose of their active ingredient, making the presence of potentially harmful pesticides higher, too. Organic is always best when it comes to supplements – as this means you’re getting the purest version of your chosen without any unwanted toxic side-effects.
Fillers and preservatives
When creating tablets or pills of any kind, fillers and bulking agents are commonly used to affect their size and shape. As the amount of active ingredients is so small (usually measured in micrograms), bulking agents are necessary to ensure a tablet large enough to be seen and taken easily can be created. Although small amounts of natural fillers aren’t detrimental to health, often toxic fillers can be excessively overused to reduce manufacturing costs and in some cases lower the amount of active ingredient used. Harmful fillers to avoid include Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate and hydrogenated oils such as palm oil, which is also harmful to the environment as well as health.
Artificial colours and flavours
All natural is always best – especially when your focus is on improving health. Sadly some vitamins contain chemical colourings and flavourings to make them more palatable and appealing to the eye – and the taste buds. These can include lurid colours, artificial sweeteners or fruity flavourings. Over time consuming even small amounts of these chemical additives could have an adverse effect on your health – the opposite of your desired result.
‘Natural’ doesn’t always mean clean
Beware of clever labelling and marketing techniques that are designed to manipulate you into believing that what you’re taking is completely clean and truly natural, because the word ‘natural’ features prominently on the packaging. In truth, guidelines are loose when it comes to the use of this word, meaning anyone can use it, sometimes without any substance to back them up. One of the best ways to determine if something is really natural and clean is to see if you recognise the list of ingredients. You should be able to identify all of them, and any claims such as ‘Organic’ should be backed up with relevant certification.
Why you’ll only ever find clean vitamins at The EastWest Way
Our mission at The EastWest Way is to help our community to look and feel their best with natural, highly effective supplements that work. When we started we were keen to offer an alternative in a market saturated with less than desirable ingredients and questionable ethics. All our vitamins are ethically and responsibly sourced featuring he highest quality, organic ingredients with no toxic additives.
