Natural Super Green Food Supplement [review]

Super Green Food Supplement in Capsules is about the easiest way to internally take super green food. I have tried super green food powders in smoothies or super green food juices, but the super green food supplement in capsules is an easy and quick way to boost your nutrition levels. Supa Herbal Greens Original herbal green food supplement blend is made with organic ingredients, gluten-free and non-GMO ingredients, in a vegetable capsule.

Supa Herbal Greens Original       
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and are honest. I am not a medical professional. Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise program or taking a supplement. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease

The Good	The Not So Good
100% raw	Did not experience significant changes
Organic ingredients (other than veg capsule)
Non-GMO, Gluten-Free
Made in the USA

Supa Herbal Greens Original vegetable caps are made with GMO-free, gluten-free, and organic super green foods ingredients. The bottle contains 90 vegetarian capsules, which last 1 month. Recommended dosage is to take 3 capsules before or after meals. May be taken up to 3 times per day.

Supa Herbal Greens Original Ingredients:
Organic Super Green Foods (235mg):
  Alfalfa Grass (aerial)
  Barley Grass (aerial)
  Dandelion (aerial)
  Ginger (root)
  Ginseng (root)
  Parsley (aerial)
  Rose hips (fruit)
  Turmeric (root)
  Wheat grass (aerial)
  Garlic (bulb)

Organic Super Whole Complex (125mg):
  Celery (seed)
  Flax (seed)
  Pumpkin (seed)
  Sesame (seed)
  Sunflower (seed)

Organic Super Digestive Complex (80mg):
  Anise (seed)
  Caraway (seed)
  Fennel (seed)
  Ginger (root)

Organic Super Sea Greens (35mg):
  Kelp (aerial)
  Bladderwrack (aerial)
  Nova Scotia Dulce (leaf)

GMO Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Filler Free, Magnesium Stearate Free, Additive Free, Preservative Free super green supplement.

Supa Herbal Greens is a very concentrated herbal supplement. As the above states, the ingredients are high quality, organic, non-irradiated, and are additive free. Basically, you get 100% herbs within the capsule. I usually have a hard time finding natural supplements that are additive-free, especially Magnesium Stearate-free supplements, so I was really excited to try this brand. One of my goals for this year was to add more super green foods to my diet. The Supa Herbal Greens supplement is a great addition and I feel great about taking the supplement because of the organic ingredients.

I also like the ingredients combination of not only super green foods, but also raw seeds and nuts, garlic, and sea greens. I took 2 capsules per day and noticed that my energy did not dip as much as usual throughout the day. Otherwise, I did not notice a significant improvement. I bet if I took 3 capsules up to 3 times a day, my energy would be really high. My goal for taking this supplement is for preventative health.

The vegetarian capsule is a standard smaller capsule and it easy to take.

If you are looking for an easy way to take super green foods on a daily basis, try the organic Supa Herbal Greens green super food supplement.

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Natural Ways to Support Your Heart [Giveaway + review]

Did you know that more than 610,000 people die each year in the US alone from heart disease? That is about 1 in every 4 death being from heart disease. Heart disease is prevalent in both men and women and has become the leading cause of death. Eating fish and fish products help to support cardiovascular function and reduce the incidence of heart disease. A diet high fish and natural fish oil supplements like Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2X are natural ways to support your heart.

Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2X      
Nordic Naturals CoQ10 Ubiquinol          
The Complete Mediterranean Diet         

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

Disclosure: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  I am not a medical professional. Information about the products was sourced from the company website. Please consult your physician before starting a new supplement. I received the products for free to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and are honest.

The Good	The Not So Good
100% pure and natural
High concentration
No artificial preservatives

Fish Oil has become part of my diet again and I have even introduced it into my toddler's diet. While I prefer fish oil in liquid form, I do appreciate the convenience of the capsule form. Nordic Naturals is a brand that I keep purchasing because it is one of the front runners for high quality fish oils and supplements. The company takes great strides in keeping their standards high.

Ultimate Omega 2X Ingredients: purified deep sea fish oil (from anchovies and sardines), soft gel capsule (gelatin, water, glycerin, natural lemon flavor), natural lemon flavor, d-alpha tocopherol, rosemary extract (a natural preservative).

Ingredients are gluten-free, milk-free, artificial color free and artificial flavor free. The natural lemon flavor comes from lemon rind.

CoQ10 Ubiquinol Ingredients: organic extra virgin olive oil, soft gel capsule (gelatin, water, glycerin, carob color), ubiquinol, beeswax, d-alpha tocopherol, rosemary extract (a natural preservative).

Ingredients are gluten-free, milk-free, artificial flavor free. The label does not state that ingredients are artificial color free, so I wonder if the carob color is artificial or natural.

I feel confident about the ingredients list and the high quality of the ingredients in these Nordic Naturals supplements. I would like to see the company move toward more organic ingredients, though I do like that ingredients are non-GMO verified. I like that the ingredients list is simple.

Results: The supplements are easy to take. The Ultimate Omega 2X has a slight lemon flavor, but I did not find it off putting. Since I have started taking a fish oil supplement regularly, I feel like I am able to recover quicker from illness.

Cardiovascular Health: Starting with a Mediterranean diet and supplementing with high quality supplements is a great way to ensure a reduced risk in getting heart disease. In our house, we try to cook as much as possible, choose nutrition ingredients and cooking oils like olive oil, stay physically active, and supplement with natural supplements. Since we have history of heart disease and high blood pressure on both sides of the family, it is extremely important for us to maintain heart hearth. Dr. Ozner's book, The Complete Mediterranean Diet, was a good reminder for me about maintaining a nutritious diet full of whole foods! The book is also full of over 500 recipes that will help any family start a healthier lifestyle!

Nordic Naturals Coupon Code: HEART16 
Receive 15% discount on phone and web orders; free shipping on all orders over $25
Expires 05/01/16

Enter below to win a prize package from Nordic Naturals and Dr. Ozner!

Please use the Giveaway Tools entry form. Open to US only. All entries will be verified. Duplicate, incomplete and invalid entries will be deleted. 

Giveaway

Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2X
Nordic Naturals CoQ10 Ubiquinol
The Complete Mediterranean Diet book
($130 RV)

Entry-Form

Disclosure: All Natural Katie is not responsible for companies/sponsors who fail to ship the prize. Nordic Naturals will be shipping the prize to the giveaway winner.

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Raw Fermented Liquid Probiotic [review]

Probiotics seem to be everywhere and in just about anything. Last year, I did some research on the best form of probiotics and the consensus was that as close to natural and as close to raw is the best. Natural fermentation provides the best balance and mix of probiotics. Raw keeps the healthy bacteria at the highest level because heat can kill bacteria. Pro EM-1 Probiotic is a naturally fermented raw probiotic supplement.

Pro EM-1 Liquid Probiotic      

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. Information about the product was sourced from the company website. These statements have not be reviewed by the FDA, not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any conditions or diseases. Please consult your physician before starting a new supplement. I received the product to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and are honest.

The Good	The Not So Good
Organic ingredients	Comes in a plastic bottle
Raw and naturally fermented
Ease to take

Pro EM-1 Liquid Probiotic Supplement is a fermented liquid probiotic made with organic ingredients and naturally occurring microorganisms. The company only uses live viable and active microbes (never freeze dried). The fermentation process produces active metabolites, including enzymes, co-enzymes, amino acids, organic acids, bacteriocins, and other bioactive micronutrients. Fermentation is a natural process that makes vitamins and minerals more available, but also provides our GI system with healthy bacteria.

The liquid probiotic comes in a dark navy plastic bottle. I do wish that the bottle was glass, but I am glad that it is dark to preserve the natural organisms. Pouring the bottle has been a bit of a challenge because of the way the opening is designed. When the bottle is very full, some of the liquid did drip down the side of the bottle. I have been experimenting with pouring quickly or slowing to see if it helps.

Pro EM-1 Probiotic ingredients:
Purified water
Organic aloe vera gel
Natural honey
Organic molasses
1 million cfu/ml of microbes:
   Lactobacillus plantarum
   Lactobacillus casei
   Lactobacillus fermentum
   Lactobacillus bulgaricus
   Saccharomyces cerevisiae
   Rhodopseudomonas palustris

This list of ingredients is one of the simplest for probiotic supplements. Even in natural supplements, sometimes it is hard to avoid fillers that are required to make the product work or make the supplement easier to digest and get absorbed into the body. I like the simple ingredient list. The liquid probiotic is gluten-free and dairy-free. The mix of microbes is a little bit different than what I have read on probiotic capsule supplements and that is due to the fact that this is a raw, fermented product. I strongly believe in the power of fermentation and am glad I found this product.

Usage: The recommended dose is 1 tbsp per day, taken with meals. The liquid probiotic can be mixed with water or juice. I have also been adding 1 tsp to my toddler's yogurt.

Results: I have been taking it directly and then chasing with water. The taste is somewhat pleasant to me. I have been taking about 1-2 tsp per day and have not experienced any discomfort. If you experience discomfort, reduce the amount day and gradually increase. Since I have began taking probiotic supplements (most of the days lately), I feel like my digestion and bowel movements are regular and of a good quality. In general, I have not had any GI issues like gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. I do feel like taking the probiotic supplement on a regular basis has helped my GI system.



If you are looking for a raw probiotic supplement, Pro EM-1 fermented liquid probiotic is a great supplement to boost immunity and health naturally.
  

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Organic Coconut Oil Softgels [review]

Coconut oil is one of my favorite all purpose oils. I use coconut oil for cooking, moisturizing, healing red and irritated skin, and as a supplement. When I purchase coconut oil, I look for organic, extra virgin coconut oil to ensure that I am getting the highest quality with the highest amount of vitamins and nutrients. Eukonic Organic Coconut Oil supplement, in fast dissolving softgel pills, support a healthy heart and provide extra energy.

Eukonic Organic Coconut Oil Supplement       
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Organic Coconut Oil	Not USDA Organic Certified
Cold-pressed and unrefined	Did not experience significant changes
GMO free

Eukonic Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil softgels are created from unrefined cold-pressed coconut oil. Each bottle contains 120 fast dissolving softgels, which last 1-2 months depending on how many times they are taken per day. Recommended dosage is 1 softgel taken 1 to 2 times per day, preferably with a meal.

Eukonic Organic Coconut Oil Softgel Ingredients:
Coconut Oil (1000mg), Gelatin, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Vegetable Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Purified Water.

Eukonic proposes that the coconut oil supplements support a health heart, weight loss, and provide more energy. I feel like the coconut oil supplement is great for prevention. Although I have not noticed any weight loss (not currently trying to lose weight), I noticed a bit more energy during my recent race training. I felt like my body could push a little more during my runs. This only occurred when I was taking the softgels twice a day. Although I did not experience significant changes, I feel like taking an organic coconut oil supplement is a great approach to staying healthy.

The size of the softgels is a bit on the bigger size. My husband has difficulty taking "horse pills," so he turned his nose up at the size of these. However, I found that they are easy to swallow with a swig of water. Based on the size of the softgells and the additional ingredients, I would assume that 2 softgels provide about 1/2-3/4 of a teaspoon of coconut oil. I know this is quite under the recommended daily intake of coconut oil. However, if you are incorporating coconut oil in your diet in other ways, you would be ingesting much more.

If you are looking for an easy way to take coconut oil on a daily basis, try the fast dissolving coconut oil soft gels from Eukonic.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and are honest. I am not a medical professional. Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise program or taking a supplement. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

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A Natural Complete Digestive Enzyme [Review]

Ever since I became pregnant and gave birth, there is something about meat that give me digestive issues. Furthermore, my diet is not as balanced as it should be because I am running around a toddler all day long and am lucky if I have a full meal. Starting probiotics has helped my digestion some. Adding a digestive enzyme supplement improved my digestive system even more. Enzymatrix Complete Digestive Enzyme is a complete and effective digestive enzyme formula, which includes a diverse range of 18 different enzymes to ensure proper digestion.

100 Naturals Enzymatrix Complete Digestive Enzyme      

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Effective
Natural ingredients
No artificial additives or preservatives
Made in the USA

100 Naturals Upbiotics Advanced Probiotic Formula contains 18 different enzymes to ensure proper digestion with each meal regardless of food groups. Each enzyme helps with a specific type or types of foods. I like that this a complete solution for digestive enzymes and is a supplement that can be taken regardless of what is eaten. The capsules are the standard size and are easy to take. The enzyme supplement is flavorless.

Enzymatrix Complete Digestive Enzymes:
Protease 1
Protease 2
Aspergillopepsin
Amylase
Lipase
Cellulase
Glucoamylase
Invertase
Alpha Galactosidase
Beta Glucanase
Pectinase
Zylanase
Phytase
Hemicellulase
Lactase
Bromelian
Papain
Peptidase

The enzymes work for different types of food groups, including digesting beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables, carbs, fiber, grains, proteins, plant walls, sucrose, milk sugar in dairy products, fats, carbs from grains, phytic acid in nuts and grains, etc.

Other ingredients include: maltodextrin, vegetable capsule (hypromellose and water), and medium chain triglycerides.

This list of ingredients is one of the simplest for supplements. Even in natural supplements, sometimes it is hard to avoid fillers that are required to make the product work or make the supplement easier to digest and get absorbed into the body. I like the simple ingredient list.

Uses: The bottle states that the 1 capsule should be taken 1-2 times at the beginning of each meal as a dietary supplement. Do not exceed 6 capsules per day. Since this was the first time I have taken an enzyme supplement, I did some experimenting with the timing since I had read that some people take the supplement up to 30 minutes before the meal and some take the supplement at the beginning of the meal. For me, it worked to take the supplement about 15-30 minutes before the meal for best results.

Results: My issues with digesting meat must be related to the fats because when I eat fattier meat, I have more issues. For example, lamb is usually very heavy for my stomach and I get indigestion after eating it. Since I have began taking the enzyme supplement about 15-30 minutes before eating a meal with meat, I feel like my digestion issues have improved some. I have reached for the baking soda (my natural indigestion remedy) less. Otherwise, I have not had any GI issues like gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. I do feel like taking the enzyme supplement when I know I am going to eat a meal with meat has helped my digestion.

If you are looking for a high quality, natural enzyme supplement, 100 Natural Enzymatrix Complete Digestive Enzyme System is a great supplement to have on hand. This supplement would also be great for people who have intolerances and sensitives to food groups such as gluten and dairy because it might allow them to consume those food groups without the negative side effects.

Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. Information about the product was sourced from the company website. These statements have not be reviewed by the FDA, not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any conditions or diseases. Please consult your physician before starting a new supplement. I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are honest.

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Have You Heard of Yacon Syrup? [Review]

When I was pregnant and reading about pregnancy nutrition, I realized the harm that granulated sugar does to our body. I avoided sugar (granulated, cane, etc.) throughout my pregnancy, using more natural forms like honey. When my toddler started eating solid foods, I also limited the amount of sugar he eats. The only white sugar he consumes is organic cane sugar that I add to healthy muffins and cookies in a reduced amount. Otherwise, I use raw honey or organic maple syrup as a natural sweetener. Yacon Syrup is a great natural substitute for sugar or molasses and is full of prebiotics and fiber.

Organic Yacon Syrup     
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Pure and concentrated	USDA Certified Organic seal not present
Natural sugar alternative	Comes in a plastic bottle

What is Yacon Syrup? Yacon Syrup is a natural sweetener that is extracted from the yacon plant that grows in the Andes Mountains. This plant and its sweetener were originally used by the Incas. Today, people in Peru eat yacon for its nutritional properties: low calorie and low sugar contents. Yacon syrup is extracted from the roots of the yacon plant. The syrup contains 50% fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which do not increase blood glucose. The syrup is made with an evaporator, similar to how maple syrup is made. Yacon syrup is thick and dark in color, having a taste of molasses and caramelized sugar. The syrup does has a rich, sweet taste to it, so a little goes a long way.

Yacon Syrup is great for those who are eating a vegan diet and are avoiding honey and cane sugar (which might not necessarily be vegan if not grown in vegan soil). I recommend reaching out to Peak Fusion to ensure the yacon plant is grown in vegan soil.

The description states that the syrup is organic, though there is no USDA Certified Organic seal nor is there a certifying agent stated. I hope Peak Fusion gains this certification and adds it to the label.

Usage: Yacon Syrup can be substituted for most, if not all, sweeteners. Granulated sugar (whether white or brown sugar) has a specific role in some baked goods and recipes, so you might want to experiment with the substitution. Otherwise, I can see replacing granulated sugar, natural liquid sugars (like honey and maple syrup) with yacon syrup. Yacon syrup is pretty concentrated, so start out with a little bit and build up. For baked goods, it might take some experiments to determine the right substitution amount.

I have not yet tried yacon syrup in baking, but plan on using it as the molasses substitute (1 tbsp) in my healthy muffin recipe. Yacon syrup is about the consistency of molasses, especially out of the refrigerator. Yacon syrup is also sweeter than molasses, so I would start off with 1.5 tsp.

Results: I used yacon syrup to sweeten tea, yogurt and oatmeal. Just 1 teaspoon was enough sweetener for one medium cup of tea, 1 cup of yogurt, and 1 cup of cooked oatmeal. I try to limit how much sugar, even natural sugar, I consume, so 1 teaspoon was more than enough sweetness for me. The syrup melted well into the hot tea and hot oatmeal. It also mixed well into the yogurt, but I had to try to drizzle it so I avoided a big glob of syrup.

My Thoughts: Yacon Syrup is okay. The syrup is a good substitute for sugars and other sweeteners and I like that it does not cause a spike in glucose. The flavor is pretty strong when taking 1/2 tsp by itself (I did try that!). The flavor is not as prominent when mixed in with other items. In the end, it is a sweetener and made from 50% fructose, so consuming it in small moderation is best for health.

I received some recipes for the yacon syrup. The marinade recipe caught my eye, though once I read how much yacon syrup would be required (3/4 cup), I realized the marinade is a little expensive for my taste. The bottle comes in size 8 oz, which means I would use almost all of the bottle to make a marinade that would mostly not be consumed. I will probably stick to using this syrup in small amounts since an 8 oz bottle costs almost $20.

If you are comfortable with the cost, give the yacon syrup a try!

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are honest.

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