Green Tea x 50 is not Green Tea

I have been asked about this supplement on numerous occasions, and come across clients with the misinformation that Green Tea x 50 is green tea. This post will describe how the two items differ.

What is Green Tea?

Green tea is made from Camellia sinensis leaves that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. 

What does Green Tea contain?

B vitamins, folate (naturally occurring folic acid), manganese, potassium, magnesium, caffeine.

Like any other caffeine containing item there can be side effects with the amount you consume depending on sensitivity levels. These include such as nausea, vomiting, mood changes, restlessness, heart palpitations and insomnia. 

There is 25mg of caffeine per serve
(A regular coffee can contain from 120mg-220mg caffeine per serve)

Benefits of Green Tea

•          Reduce blood pressure
•          Control blood sugar levels
•          Boost metabolism
•          Reduce cholesterol levels
•          Reduce inflammation
•          And much more

What is Green Tea x 50

Green tea x 50 marketed as a concentrated green tea supplement providing you with the benefit of 20 cups of green tea in one serve

What is in Green Tea x 50?

Green Tea Extract (16%) – is mostly safe and is beneficial for boosting metabolism, cancer prevention and reducing LDL cholesterol, it can also causes issue in those with anaemia, diabetics, digestive concerns, mood disorders, glaucoma, liver concerns and osteoporosis just to name a few. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, mood changes, restlessness, heart palpitations and insomnia. There can be a negative interactions with statins, drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove caffeine from your body such as antibiotics, antihistamines and the contraceptive pill. There is 27mg of caffeine per serve

Resveratrol Extract (5.5%) – is mostly safe and for the most part can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels & increase HDL cholesterol levels, however it can interact with some statins, antibiotics, antihistamines, voltaren, Panadol basically any medications that are changed by the liver. This means the medication will take longer to break down increasing the effect AND side effects of the medication

Maltodextrin – natural but highly processed. Generally, maltodextrin comes from corn, rice, or potato starch. It is a carbohydrate. It can affect blood sugar levels and negatively affect your gut flora

Ascorbic Acid - an isolate of Vitamin C and safe to ingest providing there is no allergy to this compound. The amount that is used is not listed and an excess of ascorbic acid is most likely to be diarrhoea as your body excretes the excess.  

Xylitol – is a sugar alcohol general found in small amounts of fruits. Whilst in small amounts pose no risk, in large amounts (amount is not listed on this product) can cause bloating, diarrhoea, spike blood sugar levels, diabetes and promote tumour growth

Citric Acid - is a natural preservative found in citrus fruit. Side effects from this preservative in excessive amounts are nausea, diarrhoea, bloating cramps but can be severe as swelling and tingling in your extremities. It can react with supplements containing calcium, antacids, decongestants, UTI and lithium medications.

Natural Flavours & Colours – this means there are other flavours and colours that do not need to be listed in or named in specific amounts. This will only be a concern if there is an allergy to a paritcular colour or flavour.

Malic Acid – found in apples this will add the sour content to the product and is safe to ingest and mostly used in topical creams, however it has also been found useful for fibromyalgia sufferers.

Alfalfa – is a beneficial herb which can lower cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation and levelling blood sugar levels. It should not be consumed in excess in pregnancy or oestrogen sensitive conditions as it is seen as a phytoestrogen, it can also increase the symptoms of auto-immune diseases.  Medications it may affect include warfarin, contraception pills and immune suppressants

Sucralose- is a synthetic sweetener that the body is unable to metabolise. It is a sweetener which through many studies have should to cause migraines, gastrointestinal issues as well as a possible link to some cancers only in excessive amounts

Pepper – is often used to enhance the absorption rates of some nutrients and a power nutrient. An excess of pepper can affect any medications that are changed by the liver (as listed above)

Fortunately this product lists all ingredients included (anything less than 5% does not have to be listed) and it is recommended at serve 2 serves per day (3g per serve). This product also meets all TGA guidelines & all ingredients are listed are minimal amounts as directed by TGA 


Before consuming any supplement it is important you are aware of the ingredients and it is important to contact your health care professional to help decide whether a product is safe for you. If you have any questions about supplements you are taken please contact Naed Nutrition at admin@naednutrition.com.au

Supplement Review Part 3 of 3 - Fish Oils

Fats/lipids are essential to the body and its everyday metabolic process’ including providing insulation, acting as an energy source, protecting against shock, and maintaining cell membranes.  Triglycerides are a form of fat essential for energy production obtained either via the diet or from fat stores.  Fatty acids are essentially building blocks that make up a single triglyceride, and many of these fatty acids are produced by the body. Some fatty acids cannot be produced by the body, and therefore must be obtained via the diet; these include linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linoleic acid (Omega-3). 

Alpha-linoleic acid or Omega-3 is essential for normal growth and development, especially in the eyes and brain, and also plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of heart disease and inflammation.  Fish oil is a popular supplement comprised of omega-3 fatty acids, aimed at alleviating a range of health conditions including improving cardiovascular and brain health, and reducing joint and arthritis inflammation. Fish oil contains two forms of omega-3, one is Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which lowers blood pressure, prevents blood clott formation, protects against irregular heart beats, and reduces inflammation. The other form is Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is essential for the central nervous system, brain development and normal brain function.

Swisse Ultraboost Wild Fish Oil is a popular fish oil on the market available at your local pharmacy or discount chemist. Swisse Ultraboost contains a total of 0.261g of omega-3 triglycerides, comprised of 0.139g of EPA, and 0.087g of DHA.  Alternatively, Bioceuticals Ultraclean 85 Fish Oil contains a total of 4.5g of omega-3 triglycerides, comprised of 2.5g of EPA and 0.94g of DHA. This translates to a daily dose of next to half that of Swisse Ultraboost, supporting that fact that is the highest strength fish oil available on the market. Bioceuticals Ultraclean is also sustainably sourced from wildly caught Alaskan Pollock, contains no heavy metals, is a liquid form to ensure better absorption, and has an orange flavour with no reflux or fishy after taste.

	Swisse Ultraboost Wild Fish Oil	Bioceuticals Ultraclean 85 Fish Oil
Price	$27.50	$55 .95
Size	500mL	200mL
Ingredients	Omega-3 Triglycerides - 0.261g: EPA - 0.139g DHA - 0.087g	Omega-3 Triglycerides -  4.5g: EPA - 2 .5g DHA - 0.94g
Dosage: General health Joints	3.5mL 10.5mL	2.5mL 5mL

Omega-3 is naturally found in a range of foods, as listed below. When increased in the diet these foods will help to reduce joint and arthritis inflammation, and assist to maintain cardiovascular and brain health.

Oils: flaxseed, canola, soybean & walnuts

Nuts & Seeds: flax, almond, walnuts, & soybeans

Pacific Oysters & Fish: blue mackerel, salmon, sardines & tuna 

Sarah Campbell

Nutritionist at Naed Nutrition - Currambine

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

Supplement Review Part 1 of 3 - Probiotics

Probiotics are an amazing supplement on the market! They are specifically aimed at improving digestion and the health of your gastrointestinal system; by improving and maintaining healthy gut flora, along with assisting in maintaining a healthy immune system. They are particularly helpful in reducing and maintaining the severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, including bloating, constipation and diarrhoea

A well-known probiotic on the market is Ethical Nutrients Inner Health Plus, found in the fridge at your local pharmacy or discount chemist. Inner Health Plus contains 25 billion bacteria comprised of two strains of beneficial bacteria and colostrum powder. Another probiotic containing 25 billion beneficial bacteria is Orthoplex Multiflora. Multiflora is a practitioner brand of probiotic, and is therefore higher in potency than regular brands. Found in the fridge at your local supplement, health food store, or clinic, Multiflora contains a wider range of strains of beneficial bacteria, and along with maintaining and assisting gastrointestinal health and IBS symptoms, Multiflora is also effective in assisting in the management of allergies. Even though Multiflora may be higher in price per capsule compared to Inner Health Plus, it is higher in potency and contains a wider range of beneficial bacteria, and is therefore more effective in recolonizing bacteria in the gastrointestinal system. This may translate to better relief of IBS symptoms, greater immune system support, and relief of allergies leading to a decreased dose of supplementation long term. 

Probiotics are also found naturally in foods such as yoghurt, kefir, miso, and traditional sourdough bread to name a few. By increasing these foods in your everyday diet you can effectively support your gastrointestinal health and reduce symptoms of bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.

	Inner Health Plus	Orthoplex Multiflora
Price	30 capsules $21.69	60 capsules $61.20
Specific Bacteria	Lactobacillus acidophilus Bifidobacterium lactis Colostrum powder - bovine	Lactobacillus acidophilus Lactobacillus plantarum Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lactobacillus casei Lactobacillus gasseri Lactobacillus balgaricus Lactobacillus lactis Lactobacillus longum Lactobacillus breve Streptococcus thermophilus

Visit the Naed Nutrition store for any more questions on probiotics