Part II - How To Choose Quality
Nutritional Products
Reading Labels:
The New RDA
When looking at
the label on the back of a dietary supplement, what are
you really looking at? The term RDA (Recommended Dietary
Allowances), introduced over 40 years ago by the National
Academy of Sciences' U.S. Food and Nutrition Board (FNB),
was set as a standard for the daily amounts of vitamins
needed to maintain health. Now, the new standard is called
the DV (Daily Value), which was introduced by the FDA in
1994. There are two sub categories of the DV: the DRVs (Daily
Reference Values) and the RDIs (Reference Daily Intakes).
The DRVs represent the daily references of fat, saturated
fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, protein, fiber, sodium and
potassium. The RDIs represent the daily references of essential
vitamins and minerals, and where it applies, protein.
Now that you have a little better understanding of what
you are looking at, keep in mind that these references only
refer to the minimum vitamin/mineral requirements needed
by the body to avoid deficiency. In order to prevent chronic
and degenerative diseases, higher levels than the RDI are
required. However, exercising caution is prudent.
Understanding Synthetic Versus Natural Vitamins/Minerals
Synthetic vitamins/minerals are produced in laboratories
from isolated chemicals, which are made to be identical
to those found in nature. Natural vitamins/minerals are
acquired directly from food sources. Though, some will argue
that they are exactly the same, this is just not so. One
distinguishing characteristic is that natural vitamins are
woven into the food along with other nutrients (complex
molecules) that have not yet been discovered. There are
definite benefits in natural supplements such as better
absorption by the body, etc. Another consideration is that
synthetic vitamins/minerals may contain coal tars, artificial
coloring, preservatives, sugars, starches, and other additives.
How To Choose Digestive Enzymes
When buying digestive enzymes be sure to choose a brand
that contains all of the major groups of enzymes such as
amylase, protease, and lipase. Also, if supplementing with
superoxide dismutase (SOD), it is important to be sure that
the product is enteric coated (coated with protective substances)
for better absorption.
Supplementing with digestive enzymes aids the body in obtaining
all of the nutritional value from the foods you eat.
How To Choose Amino Acids
There are very specific criteria to look for when choosing
amino acids. The first criteria to consider is, "are these
amino acids free-form?" Free-form amino acids are the purest
form and need no digestion, leaving the amino acids easily
absorbed into the bloodstream. The second, very important,
criteria to consider is "are these amino acids USP (U.S.
Pharmacopeia) pharmaceutical-grade?" If they are, it should
state it on the label. One last consideration is this, when
taking individual amino acids (especially at high doses)
neurological damage may occur, so choose a quality amino
acid complex containing both essential and non-essential
amino acids. It is also a good rule of thumb to take the
product for two months, and then take a break from the product
for two months.
Source: Prescription for Nutritional Healing
Here is a list of quality measures to look for:
