Supplement Review Part 2 of 3 - Multivitamins

A majority of multivitamin supplements contain cheap, low grade, synthetic vitamins and inorganic minerals, which are poorly absorbed if not at all by our bodies. Centrum Advance is a popular multivitamin on the market available at your local pharmacy or discount chemist, costing around $18.99 for 100 tablets. It contains a range of synthetic vitamins and minerals from your B group vitamins, to variations of fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D and K, and common minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Calcium carbonate is a synthetic form of calcium available in Centrum Advance that when consumes can have a range of side effects, including bloating, constipation and flatulence, and can cause an increase in stomach acid production, leading to discomfort and gastrointestinal issues. It also contains food colourings, talc, an anti-caking agent and preservative sodium benzoate. It also contains such useless ingredients such as tin (which we do not ever have a deficiency in) 

Alternatively, Juice Plus fruit and vegetable capsules are an amazing product for multivitamin use. They are essentially fruit and vegetables picked when fresh, dried at a low temperature (to prevent antioxidant, vitamin and mineral damage), ground, and placed in a capsule ready for consumption. Because Juice Plus is sourced from real natural foods, our body easily and rapidly absorbs the vitamins and minerals it contains. Juice Plus is essentially aimed to fill in food gaps, and is in no way a food replacement, but when taken in accordance with a healthy balanced diet, results such as healthy gums, improvement in cardiovascular and immune health, protection against oxidative damage, reduction in inflammation and healthy skin occurs. Juice Plus costs $76.20 per month for four months; this may initially seem expensive compared to other multivitamin supplements, but Juice Plus is much better absorbed by our bodies, and there is no need to take additional supplements such calcium, iron etc., therefore is cost efficient long term. 

Aiming to include a variety of fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, pulses whole grains, dairy and lean meats in your diet, ensures your body has access to a range of vitamins and minerals leading to nourishment and well being. Enjoying a balanced, varied diet leads to an overall improvement in health, while reducing our risks of chronic disease.

Find more information on Juice Plus at the Naed Nutrition  website


Sarah Campbell
Nutritionist at Naed Nutrition