Why do we pop-in those Vitamins and dietary supplements? Don’t we get our complete nutrition from food?

NO! Not really! The industrial food production practices followed today do not guarantee complete and holistic nutrition from food. That’s why most of us pop-in those vitamins and dietary supplements to get optimal levels of the essential micro-nutrients.

But, did you ever wonder about the safety of these vitamins and dietary supplements? Or you blindly trust them because they are herbal supplements?

Here are the 5 dangerous ingredients you should check before buying those vitamins or dietary supplement pills.

1) Artificial Colours

As per FDA statement, artificial colours are added to the vitamins and supplements to prevent any colour loss due to exposure to light, air, extremes of temperature, moisture, and storage conditions.

However, these colours serve no purpose other than improving the look of your pill and have been linked to many behavioural disorders in children. Check the ingredients list of your supplement for the following artificial colours:

• FD&C Blue No. 1
• FD&C Blue No. 2
• FD&C Green No. 3
• FD&C Red No. 3
• FD&C Red No. 40
• FD&C Yellow No. 5
• FD&C Yellow No. 6

Though they are currently approved by FDA, they are hazardous and must be banned.

2) Hydrogenated Oils

Partially hydrogenated soybean oil form the major filler in the majority of the vitamins and dietary supplements today. Knowing the fact that partially hydrogenated oils are rich in trans fatty acids and are bad for human health, FDA still doesn’t ban these cheap fillers in the dietary supplements.

3) Lead, Mercury and PCBs

It’s good to consume essential fatty acids daily. They are important for the health of a pregnant woman, babies, toddlers and your brain and heart health. But, lead, mercury, and PCBs can find a way in your supplements derived from fish oil.

4) Talc or Magnesium Silicate

Yes, that’s true. The talcum powder you use daily is used as a cheap filler and anti-caking agent in your herbal supplements. Chemically talc is Magnesium Silicate and can cause lung problems or even stomach cancer.

5) Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide is used as a colorant in the vitamins and supplements but has a myriad of health implications. It can cause lung inflammation, lung damage, decreased function of the immune system, kidney damage, and small intestine inflammation.

Despite the dangerous effects of these ingredients in the vitamins and dietary supplements, FDA doesn’t take an adequate and prompt action.

So, what will you do? Sit hand-in-hand and wait for FDA to take action? Or keep popping the pills with these dangerous ingredients?

Take matters in your hand with the below solutions:

• Eat certified organic whole foods and take food-based supplements that are tested for heavy metal contamination.
• Read the labels before you buy them. If you spot any of these ingredients in the vitamins, take a photo of the label and Tweet it.
• Choose a brand that has independent quality control testing i.e. USP, NSF, or Consumer Lab labels.
• Write to the FDA asking that they must issue a warning label on foods containing artificial colours.

Be aware of the ingredients in your vitamins and dietary supplements. Be safe!

Need to standardize your nutraceuticals and dietary supplements? Contact our herbal testing laboratory for accurate results.

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