Maintaining a balanced diet can be challenging, and whole food may not always be readily accessible or affordable in certain regions or seasons. Supplements can provide nutritional coverage that supports wellness goals.
Quality supplements vary considerably and many are not scientifically studied, which makes personalised nutrition increasingly appealing.
Liquid Supplements
Liquid supplements may be an ideal solution for individuals who struggle to swallow large pills and capsules. Many come in spray or sofgel formats that make it easy for individuals to take them, and can even be enhanced with monk fruit, stevia or other safe and natural sweeteners to appeal to children and adults who want something tasty yet healthy.
Liquid supplements tend to be absorbed quicker than pills due to being pre-dissolved and partially broken down, giving people who rely on vitamins for immunity enhancement or managing stress an immediate effect from taking them.
Liquid supplements and vitamins that offer optimal performance should be free from artificial ingredients, coloring or flavoring to provide a natural taste. Furthermore, they should be easily digestible and packed with immune system supporting nutrients such as Vitamin C & D, zinc selenium and omega 3s as well as probiotics for digestive comfort and nutrient absorption.
Tablet Supplements
Tablet supplements are composed of powdered ingredients or supplements tightly compacted together into hard pills. Their shape may range from circular, oval or disc-shaped, with scores down the center enabling easier splitting into halves (if needed for lower dosages).
These tablets are often coated to keep them from breaking down in your stomach and are therefore taken longer to dissolve and be absorbed into the system, offering consistent doses of specific nutrients throughout the day. They may be an ideal way to stay nourished.
Tablets are the most cost-effective delivery method and preserve their potency longer than liquids, capsules, or powders; however they can be difficult for some people to swallow. Capsules provide an alternative that can quickly disintegrate upon contact with liquid – this makes them popular choices among those having difficulty swallowing pills while offering variety in flavoured supplementation options.
Sachet Supplements
Sachets make an ideal format for liquid supplements and vitamins, easily portable enough to carry with you and can fit easily in any pocket compared to boxes which require more space and can add unnecessary weight. Furthermore, this form of packaging protects product quality by preventing protein denaturation.
No matter where your journey may lead you, sachets can help keep your nutrition on track. Just tear open one and empty into your beverage of choice before stirring to activate!
Sachets provide an ideal way to control dosage. With them, you can be certain you’re taking the exact amount advertised on the label – something particularly essential when taking liposomal vitamin C which could have significant impacts on children’s language, social and emotional development, motor skills development and motor control*. *Source: Steadfast Nutrition 2017.
Customised Supplements
As much as diet can meet nutritional requirements, certain hard-to-source vitamins and minerals require supplementation. One approach for meeting those needs is through personalized vitamins and supplements tailored specifically to an individual’s dietary requirements.
Customised supplements are developed through consultation and testing, such as blood tests or gut microbiome analysis. Based on these results, a personalized supplement plan with specific dosages and combinations of nutrients is then crafted. This approach has proven more effective than over-the-counter versions which tend to contain generalized quantities that don’t always fit.
Ritual offers an online quiz to determine your nutritional needs, before sending you packs of vitamin- and mineral-rich supplements that meet these. They have an ethical sourcing policy and rigorously test their products – this could make sticking to a healthy routine easier, helping you meet your dietary goals faster!
