FOOD FOR HEALTH
The Benefits of Whole Food Supplements By Nikolas Clarke
Nature knew what she was
doing when she packaged all
the vitamins and minerals
the human body needs to
be healthy in fresh fruits
and vegetables. A plate
full of these nutrient-rich
whole foods might just be
the best multivitamin out
there – followed closely
by a multivitamin made
with those same sources
of vitality. Whole food
supplements are made
up of concentrated,
dehydrated whole foods,
and they take advantage of
the best that nature has to
offer in order to strengthen
and complete a balanced diet.
Rather than thinking of whole food supplements as medicine or, well,
supplementary, think of them as concentrated food sources. Dark, leafy
greens such as kale have worked up quite the reputation as nutritional
powerhouses – and they are – but a cup of steamed kale offers up only a tenth
of the body’s daily calcium requirement. Drying that same kale and grinding
it into powder as part of a whole food supplement concentrates the many
vitamins and minerals contained in the phenomenal leafy green.
There’s a reason nature doesn’t deliver nutrients in isolation. Whole plants
provide a broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and more
– including phytonutrients. New phytonutrients are being discovered
every day as understanding of nutrition deepens. These natural
chemical compounds are responsible for everything from the
deep purple of cabbage to the pungent aroma of onions
and garlic, and are known to have antioxidant and antiinflammatory qualities. Not only that, phytonutrients
promote better health and account for the synergistic
benefits of whole food supplements, making it
possible for the body to use key vitamins and
minerals more easily.
When a nutrient is highly “bioavailable”,
that means it is easily absorbed and
assimilated by the body. Whole foods,
and whole food supplements, offer
unsurpassed bioavailability. Seasonal
availability of fresh produce, hectic
schedules, and other challenges can
get in the way of proper nutrition,
and even eating the right kinds of
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Living Well Naturally with Nature’s Emporium
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fall issue 2014
foods every day is not always enough, which
is where supplements come in. Whole food
supplements, full of the vibrant nutrition
you need to thrive, are the best choice for a
preventative measure and nutritional support.
In order to avoid damaging the many
phytonutrients and sensitive vitamins and
minerals that naturally occur in whole foods,
whole food supplements are minimally
processed at low temperatures. These
gentle processing techniques are specially
formulated to preserve the life force of whole
foods. That way, the delicate nutrients are
protected, ready and waiting for your body
just as nature intended.
Whole food supplements aren’t just better
for you, they’re good for the planet. Since
quality is the name of the game in this case,
whole food supplements emphasize organic
agriculture and sustainable harvesting