The Case For Whole-Food Dietary Supplements - Part 2

Plants use some of the nutrients they produce (including flavonoids and vitamins C and E) to cope with oxidative stress. When they are stressed, they produce more of these phytonutrients. When we are stressed, we need to eat more of them because if we don't, the consequences are significant. It has been shown that people who eat fewer plant foods have a higher risk of diseases associated with increased oxidative stress, including cancers, pro-inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders.

Are lemons and limes the richest source of vitamin C? Actually, there are other foods that have so much vitamin C, they make citrus fruits look deficient! The Australian bush plum and the Indian Gooseberry have the richest sources of vitamin C in the world. We know that flavonoids, present in all fruits and vegetables, are particularly abundant in citrus fruits as well as other phytonutients. Many of these phytonutients (nutrients derived from plants) function as antioxidants. Some recent studies have measured exactly which nutrients can contribute to a food’s antioxidant "capacity". These include catechins (green tea), carotenoids (broccoli), anthrocyanins (strawberries, etc.) as well as trace elements like zinc, copper, manganese and selenium.

Many studies have shown that, unlike "solo" nutrients, combined nutrients provided in a form that mimics natural sources provide particular benefits. Flavonoids and vitamin C combined are more effective and may be required in lower amounts than either "solo" nutrient. So Dr. Pauling was right about vitamin C, just that we need the vitamin C and associated "ascorbagins" to get the proper benefit.

Do we get these nutrients in the foods we eat?

Foods are depleted of large amounts of the numerous nutrients following storage, preparation, cooking, and processing. Plus we harvest our produce early, before the nutrients are added, due to the fact that most produce travels an average of 1,300 miles from farm to kitchen table. For those of us who strive for optimal nutrition, supplementation makes sense. When selecting dietary supplements, we should remember the lessons of history and choose those that are derived from whole-food sources.

So what's the best whole-food source for phytonutrients and vitamin C?

Zrii offers you many potential health benefits. This is due to incredible nutritional profile of amalaki, the keystone ingredient in Zrii. For instance, this small fruit (Indian Gooseberry or Amalaki) contains a huge number of nutrients that can contribute to improved health and wellness. These include:

• Rutin, quercetin and superoxide dismutase—substances that can contribute to amalaki's anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and youth-promoting qualities.
• Ascorbagins—"mighty molecules" that are shown to create a protective bond around their own rich source of vitamin C molecules, making them more bio-available than synthetic varieties.
• Ellagic and gallic acid, and emblicanin—polyphenols that may help to reduce cellular oxidative stress, destroy free radicals and support the detoxification of the body.
• Phytonutrients, amino acids, trace minerals, anti-oxidants, polyphenols, tannins, bioflavonoids—substances well-documented for their ability to promote cellular rejuvenation and overall vitality.

For more information on Zrii and Amalaki, please go to The Science of Zrii.