WHAT'S REALLY IN YOUR SUPPLEMENTS?
Food supplements can help improve your sense of health and wellbeing, but not all food supplements are created equally. In fact, there are various supplements on the market that contain fillers, additives, and bulking agents that offer little or no nutritional value when it comes to your health.
WHY ARE FILLERS & BULKING AGENTS USED?
There are many reasons why companies use fillers and bulking agents in their supplements. They include reducing manufacturing costs by including additional ingredients that may make the manufacturing process more cost-effective or to stabilize the product to achieve a desired consistency, texture, or appearance. Occasionally bulking agents are also added so that consumers think they are getting more for their money, but these additional ingredients don’t actually give any substantial health or wellbeing benefits.
FREQUENT FILLERS ADDED TO SUPPLEMENTS
Magnesium Stearate
Has been widely used for many decades in the food industry as an emulsifier, binder, and thickener, as well as an anticaking, lubricant, and antifoaming agent. It is commonly used as an inactive ingredient in the production of pharmaceutical tablets, capsules, and powders.
Titanium Dioxide
This mineral is often used as a colorant to give supplements a bright white color, to make them look more attractive. This ingredient is also known as E171, which has no known nutritional value. Studies have also raised concerns that this ingredient may be carcinogenic and adversely affect the digestive tract. In fact, France announced plans to stop the use of E171 in their food products from January 2020 as there is no concrete evidence that this ingredient is 100% safe.
Artificial Flavours and Colours
FDA states that artificial colours may be added to supplements to offset colour loss, correct natural variations in colour and enhance the colours that occur naturally. While flavourings are sometimes added to make the supplement more palatable. While not all food additives are harmful, many are added to food supplements that do not offer any nutritional value to support our health and wellbeing.
ALWAYS CHECK THE LABEL
We recommend thoroughly checking the ingredient list on any supplements you may be thinking of purchasing to see if they contain any of the above-mentioned ingredients. Or if there is anything noted that you’re not 100% clear on, some additional research will help clarify whether the ingredient has been included to enhance the quality of the supplement or if it has been added to simply bulk up or improve the appearance of the product.
VOYA Seaweed Supplements
At VOYA, we are committed to ensuring that our ingredients are as pure as possible by avoiding the use of fillers, binders, or bulking agents that do not provide any nutritional value and which may reduce the overall quality and benefit of our product.
Our range of natural supplements, which include Hair, Skin and Nails and Orplex Body, are created using a unique blend of seaweed sustainably harvested from the West Coast of Ireland blended with scientifically selected natural ingredients to enhance your health and wellbeing from the inside out. They are suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans and are Gluten-Free.
Disclaimer: Always seek guidance before making changes to your diet, or before introducing any supplements. This is especially important when pregnant.