Do real wholefood and rawfood supplements exist?

Starting Ingredient vs. Final Ingredient

All supplements, whether synthetic isolated or whole food, contain some form of synthetic isolated vitamin or mineral in the manufacturing process. However, there is a significant difference between whether the synthetic vitamin or mineral is a starting ingredient or a final ingredient. A starting ingredient is the one or more ingredients that the manufacturing process begins with, while the final ingredient is the one the person consumes when taking the supplement. When a plant absorbs, for example, inorganic iron (starting ingredient) from the soil via its root system, it is not the same iron that you place in your mouth. The plant uses chelators, such as organic acids, amino acids, and carbohydrates, to get the iron to pass through the plant's cell membranes. The iron now present in the plant’s cell membranes (final ingredient) is bound to cofactors. The form of iron that was in the soil, i.e., the starting ingredient, does not affect the form of the final ingredient. The same works for start and final ingredients in whole food supplements.

Isn't dried food powders (berries, herbs, etc.) enough?

Only dried food (in powder or whole form) cannot claim to reliably contain a specific number of milligrams or micrograms of a micronutrient. For example, if you eat 100g of peeled orange, you can expect it to contain, among other things, 51 mg of vitamin C, 150 mg of potassium, 13 mg of magnesium, 54 mg of calcium, 26 mcg of folate, 7.4 micrograms of retinol equivalents, and so on. However, you can never know for sure if the amount of these micronutrients is exactly as expected for the specific orange you've just eaten. The same applies to all dried superfood powders, whether it is blueberries, rose hips, or acai. The micronutrient content in the specific fruit, berry, or superfood powder you consume depends on factors such as soil quality, the variety (degree of refinement), how and when the fruit is harvested, any damage that occurs during harvest, drying method (which is likely one of the most decisive parameters for nutritional status), storage time, storage method, transport time, potential transport damages, and more. In other words, you cannot assert that you are getting a specific amount of a nutrient from dried powder or whole dried food without conducting analyses such as HPLC (High-performance liquid chromatography) for vitamin analysis and ICP (Inductively coupled plasma) for mineral analysis on each food batch, which does not happen. Dried food is not a supplement. The reason people take supplements is instead because they:

1. Want to ensure they are getting a certain amount of a sought-after, specific micronutrient in the recommended daily intake or a therapeutic dose.
2. Compensate for the modern lifestyle's higher consumption of micronutrients compared to what our biochemistry is adapted for. This happens because metabolism and biochemical processes involving micronutrients have evolved over millions of years without consideration of the modern lifestyle's challenges: for example, pesticides, exhaust fumes, artificial light, environmental damage, heavy metals, hormone-disrupting plastics, exogenous free radicals, reduced absorption due to gastrointestinal issues, etc., will demand a higher intake of micronutrients than what can be obtained from diet alone.

Different Types of Supplements

As we mentioned above, there are different types of supplements. In simple terms, they can be divided into synthetic isolated supplements and whole food supplements. Within synthetic isolated supplements, there are varying qualities, and the same applies to whole food supplements. Let's first look at the difference between synthetic isolated supplements and whole food supplements. Synthetic isolated supplements contain a molecule, such as ascorbic acid, which has the chemical formula C6H806. A typical vitamin C effervescent tablet will contain ascorbic acid (C6H806) and a few other ingredients: sweeteners (sodium cyclamate, sodium saccharin), colourings (sodium riboflavin phosphate E101, beetroot extract E162), maltodextrin, flavouring (orange flavour containing sorbitol, mannitol, orange oil, mandarin oil), sodium bicarbonate, anhydrous sodium carbonate, anhydrous citric acid, rice starch, sodium citrate. In a slightly better synthetic isolated vitamin C supplement, some bioflavonoids, usually rutin, hesperidin, and quercetin, might be added to the ascorbic acid. However, it is still a synthetic isolated supplement, albeit better than the effervescent tablet. A whole food supplement, on the other hand, always contains some form of whole food and/or nutritional yeast (the reason for using nutritional yeast for specific micronutrients is explained further below), and typically selects food that naturally contains the vitamin and/or mineral being manufactured. For example, if you want to make a vitamin A supplement, you would use carrots because they naturally contain beta-carotene. However, you would use oranges, blueberries, or other fruits and berries if you were making a vitamin C supplement because these are rich in vitamin C in their natural form and therefore contain all the cofactors linked to the naturally occurring ascorbic acid. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a form of nutritional yeast, is used for producing minerals and B-vitamins because it is rich in these micronutrients when making these specific nutrients. As a starting ingredient, a synthetic isolated vitamin or mineral is used, which ensures that the final product contains the amount of the nutrient stated on the label. Then, whole food and enzymes are added so that the synthetic isolated vitamin or mineral binds to all the cofactors found naturally in the food. The final ingredient thus contains both a guaranteed amount of a specific micronutrient, as well as all the synergistic compounds: peptides, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, phytochemicals, amines, terpenes, carotenoids, organic acids, flavonoids, sulfur compounds, isoflavonoids, anthocyanins, phenols, enzymes, coenzymes, etc., known as cofactors. These work in a very complex interplay with the micronutrient, and it is the combination of all these compounds that contributes to maximal cellular absorption (not just from the blood). This is the major difference between synthetic isolated vitamins and minerals and whole food vitamins and minerals. Both use a synthetic isolated vitamin or mineral, but one retains it as the final ingredient, while the other binds it to natural cofactors.

Nutrients in food are thus bound to many different signaling molecules, cofactors, sometimes called carrier co-factors. A single isolated substance is not enough for the cell to optimally absorb the micronutrient in question. Whole food attempts to take into account and include all these substances while also containing a guaranteed, sometimes therapeutic, dose of a specific micronutrient. Food will always be and should always be the primary source of nutrition, with supplements coming second. However, if supplements are to be taken, we believe they should be as close to food as possible.

Let’s look at the example of magnesium, a very important mineral where deficiencies are common in society. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that about 68% of the US population consumes less than the recommended daily dose of magnesium.[1] Researcher Russel Jaffe, specializing in molecular biology, clinical pathology, and chemical pathology, argues that up to 75% of the population is magnesium deficient, and this is due to:

• magnesium deficiency in the soil where our crops are grown.
• The fact that half of the population and the majority of chronically ill individuals struggle with their calcium-magnesium ATPase enzyme, which facilitates the entry of calcium and magnesium into cells.

Magnesium is incredibly important, and it is one of the key buffering minerals that regulate pH in the cells. Magnesium deficiency is therefore exacerbated for individuals with slightly low pH levels. Magnesium is the second most abundant mineral in the cell after potassium and the fourth most abundant mineral in the body after sodium, potassium, and calcium. A muscle cell lacking magnesium will build up too much lactic acid, making it acidic, which increases the risk of muscle cramps and injuries. Magnesium also acts as a cofactor in many different enzyme reactions in the body.

There are several isolated synthetic forms of magnesium: magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium glycinate, magnesium citrate, magnesium malate, magnesium fumarate, magnesium succinate, magnesium alpha-ketoglutarate, to name a few. If you choose to take a synthetic isolated magnesium supplement, it is important to know which form of magnesium is being consumed. The cheaper forms (magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide) should simply be avoided if taking a synthetic isolated magnesium supplement, as the disadvantages are likely to outweigh the benefits. The other synthetic isolated forms are acceptable as supplements, but they will not contain all the known, and even unknown, cofactors that occur naturally in magnesium-rich foods.

However, for a whole food supplement, it doesn't matter which form of magnesium is used as a starting ingredient, as the final ingredient won't contain an isolated magnesium molecule/ion anyway. Innate Response uses magnesium chloride as a starting ingredient, which in a synthetic isolated supplement is not a form of magnesium to recommend. Magnesium chloride will slowly be added to a form of nutritional yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Specific peptides are added to the nutrient with the sole purpose of ensuring the micronutrient penetrates the cell wall and the food (in this case, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) metabolizes the micronutrient in question.

Just as when a plant absorbs an inorganic magnesium salt or another micronutrient from the soil and makes it bioavailable by penetrating the plant's cell walls and thus becoming organic and bioavailable magnesium, it will do the same for Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The micronutrient grows into Saccharomyces cerevisiae’s cells just as a plant absorbs a mineral from the soil. The generation that buds off from the mixture has now incorporated magnesium into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells with all naturally occurring cofactors present. Some of these cofactors include glycoproteins, lipoproteins, antioxidants, glutathione, CoQ10, and SOD (Superoxide Dismutase). These cofactors are naturally present in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is a highly nutritious yeast, and are not added exogenously.

In other words, a supplement that is 100% whole food is one where a micronutrient has been fully incorporated into the food's cells, linked to all the cofactors naturally present in food. It is impossible to simply mix a synthetic isolated vitamin or mineral with dried food and shake it, as it won't bind to or grow together with the cofactors essential for bioavailability.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae used for some micronutrients, but not all

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used for all minerals and B-vitamins except folate, which is made with organic broccoli, and biotin, which is made with organic brown rice. Vitamin C is made with organic oranges, blueberries, and cranberries. Beta-carotene comes from organic carrots, all eight E-vitamins from organic brown rice, and vitamin K from kale. Whole food supplements also contain various blends of vegetables, fruits, berries, and herbs, such as: raspberry leaves, ginger, chamomile, spinach, dandelion leaves, dandelion root, nettle, horsetail, parsley, carrot, beetroot, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, to name a few.

Vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, E-vitamins, and vitamin K do not naturally occur in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and if they are added, they will immediately inactivate Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Since there are no natural receptors for these nutrients, Saccharomyces cerevisiae will not metabolize or absorb them. Thus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cannot be used for these vitamins. Because oxygen is present during the fermentation process, adding ascorbic acid will halt the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and oxidized forms of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E would result. Moreover, Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not grow at a low pH, so adding ascorbic acid will interrupt its growth. There are two exceptions, where recent discoveries have shown how vitamins D3 and B12 can be metabolised by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (Saccharomyces cerevisiae naturally produces vitamin D2, so there are receptors in its cells that readily bind to vitamin D3.)

Why is Saccharomyces cerevisiae used, nutritional yeast?

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used because it exhibits the complex cell structure that plants have, while growing more easily than plants and easily absorbing micronutrients into its cells, binding them to cofactors. Additionally, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is very nutrient-rich and has played a significant role for humans. In vitro, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to inhibit the growth of Candida Albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has also been used in many studies without causing problems or illness and functions as a probiotic, binding to bacteria and stimulating phagocytosis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains the most Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) of all substances studied so far, and the important antioxidant Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) was first discovered in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is an unrivaled food source for most B-vitamins, vitamin D, and all minerals when it comes to whole food supplements.

What does Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nutritional yeast, contain?

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is incredibly nutrient-rich. It contains:

• Polysaccharides: long carbohydrate chains mainly of glucan and mannan
• At least 40% protein
• SOD
• Glutathione
• Trace elements
• Beta-glucans
• GABA
• Lipoic acid
• Micronutrients: minerals and B-vitamins with accompanying cofactors.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a yeast, how does it affect someone with yeast allergies?

It is usually the outer cell walls of yeast that most people react to. In Innate Response's Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the outer cell walls have already been processed with proteolytic enzymes to reduce any risk of yeast allergy. People usually react to soy, gluten, and traces of dairy products that are often found in supplements. Innate Response is completely free from these.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a yeast, how does it affect someone with Candida?

In the article “Nutritional Yeasts and Yeastophobia” from the June issue of Whole Foods Magazine in 1999, researcher Richard A. Passwater, Ph.D., interviews one of the world’s authorities on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Dr. Seymour Pomper (B.S. in bacteriology from Cornell University and M.S. and Ph.D. in microbiology and genetics from Yale University) who says: “I am not aware of a single case where Saccharomyces cerevisiae has shown any pathogenic effect in humans, which some strains of Candida have. That’s why you shouldn’t use the word ‘yeast’ too broadly because one form of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has served humanity, while another yeast form, Candida utilis, can cause disease.”

Innate Response tests each batch in third-party laboratories for active yeast/fungus and mould to ensure there are no traces of these in the product.

What raw materials are used by Innate Response?

The starting ingredients that Innate Response uses (vitamins and minerals) are USP (United States Pharmacopeial Convention). USP is a non-profit, research-based institution that sets standards for strength, quality, and purity of medicines, food ingredients, vitamins, and minerals worldwide. USP standards are developed and controlled by more than 850 experts in the field. The USP-National Formulary contains more than 4500 monographs on supplements, medications, and more, and in 2006, the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), a similar collection of quality standards for food ingredients, was also included. USP began in 1820 by standardising herbs and minerals and started in 1930 with vitamins, and today they have established monographs for all vitamins and minerals. So, Innate Response uses the highest quality vitamins and minerals as starting ingredients (Note that these are starting ingredients, not final ingredients).

How can a supplement be raw food?

Suppose you have just bought a 100% organic superfood powder or a supplement that claims to be wholefood. Even though the raw material is 100% organic, carefully picked, and properly stored, the next step in the process is drying and grinding. The drying method is likely to be anything but gentle. Most supplement companies use one of the following two drying methods:

Drum drying & spray drying

• A drum connected to a heat gun that "sprays" heat over the juiced food
• Temperature: approx. +350 degrees Celsius.
• An extremely fast method capable of handling large quantities at once
• Still called whole food, but not RAW-food

Comment: Not much of the vitamins and antioxidants remain in a food after being treated at +350 degrees Celsius.

Freeze drying

• A conveyor belt connected to cooling elements that freeze the juiced food
• Temperature: approx. -150 degrees Celsius.
• Preserves colour
• Still called whole food and also RAW-food

Comment: The cell walls expand and rupture, and important nutrients may risk being damaged, but it can still be labelled RAW because the food has not been heated. Most people have eaten freeze-dried food stored in a regular freezer at around -20 degrees Celsius, which is obviously not ideal. Freeze drying uses much colder temperatures than what is found in a freezer, so there is a risk that the food will be damaged. However, freeze drying is far better than drum & spray drying .

Refractance Window Drying

Innate Response and MegaFood use another drying method, Refractance Window Drying, for the vast majority of their raw materials. It is more expensive and slower but much gentler on the raw material, which is never heated above 42 degrees. In fact, no step in the manufacturing process exceeds 42 degrees, whether it’s juicing, grinding, bioreacting, drying, roller compaction, or tableting. We are unaware of any other company that has chosen to invest in this method. One reason is that each Refractance Window drying machine costs about 1 million USD (about 25 times more than drum & spray drying and four times more than freeze drying). Another reason is that the method is slow, but the end product lasts longer, resists oxidation and degradation better, and most importantly, preserves colour, phytonutrients, and micronutrients.

Conclusion

As we mention in our philosophy statement #3: "We believe that supplements are important, but we think good dietary habits are even more important. No supplement in the world can replace good eating habits. We believe the absolute most important things for health are eating properly and staying active, and therefore, we think one should start their healthy life with these factors in mind and then complement with supplements...".

If you are going to take supplements, which we believe improves most people's nutritional status, and do so regularly, we are convinced that they should be as close to food as possible, and that a good whole food supplement will be the best in the long run."

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