Filling in Nutritional Gaps with Nutraceuticals

In an attempt to provide children with healthier meals at school, President Obama signed a child nutrition bill in 2010. Although many schools have been able to adjust to the nutritional standards of the bill and the cost of supplying children with healthier food choices, many children still do not eat healthy, balanced meals on a regular basis.

This is probably because of the steadily increasing prices of food, especially of fruits and vegetables that carry a lot of the essential vitamins and nutrients children need to grow. Although people can still afford healthy food options, prices are definitely taking a toll on the budgets of parents. As a result, American families might not be eating healthily enough.

Fortunately, private label nutraceuticals have been able to provide Americans with a steady supply of nutritional supplements at affordable prices. These products are designed to help fill in the nutritional gaps a person might have due to having a less-than-ideal diet.

When choosing a nutritional supplement for your child, be sure to read the information on the packaging. Try to choose a supplement that contains essential vitamins and minerals such as the B vitamins, vitamin C, and iron. By using nutritional supplements responsibly, you and your children can lead the happy, healthy lives you deserve.

Liquid Nutraceuticals: A Growing Trend

Today’s consumers are constantly seeking innovative ways to obtain the general health maintenance they need. They are also looking for more variety and benefits beyond the traditional tablet and capsule technologies that have lorded over the nutraceutical industry for years. Consumers are discovering that drinkable supplements are a new and effective way to address their health needs.

Liquid nutraceutical products offer features and advantages never before seen in traditional tablets and capsules. These diverse products include a wide array of single-serve bottles, single-serve shots, and multi-dose concentrates. Vendors benefit from innovative manufacturing and formulation methods that they can capitalize on to attract and retain customers.

Many people prefer the convenience and simplicity afforded by drinkable products compared to that of pills and capsules. Liquid nutraceuticals ‘go down’ easier than their solid counterparts, and this characteristic can be enticing to people who are resistant to the idea of swallowing too many pills in one day, or are simply unable to swallow a tablet or a capsule.

In response to growing demand, nutraceutical manufacturers have now expanded their liquid production capabilities. Many have recently added syrups, liquid dietary supplements, liquid suspensions, energy drinks, oxygenated water, and nutrient-enhanced vitamin water into their wide range of selections.

Nutraceuticals: Are They Medicine or Food?

The answer? They're both.

In recent years, there has been a boom of nutraceuticals in the US. Derived from the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceuticals,” nutraceuticals are medicinal compounds or products derived from food and sold in medicinal form. In addition to their nutritional value, they also carry specific health and medicinal benefits that can help prevent diseases. An example is lycopene, which is extracted from tomatoes and helps prevent cancer.

The description of nutraceuticals often depends on how they are sold or marketed, as they come in different types. They can be sold as dietary supplements, or as isolated drugs or botanicals, such as ginseng and gingko biloba. Nutraceuticals can also be marketed as “functional foods.” These come with constituents or vitamins that provide additional benefits not usually offered by the food alone. This could be in the form of processed food and drink like milk fortified with Vitamin D, or eggs enhanced with Omega-3.

More and more people are becoming concerned with their health, and part of maintaining health is to have a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. The use of nutraceuticals aims to achieve that balance, in a relatively modern and more proactive way. These products are found in local supermarkets and come at an affordable price. Why, then, would anyone still opt to get sick and spend thousands on medicines if they can spend less on food supplements and remain healthy?