What is the differences between synthetics, extracts, and whole food supplements?
A synthetic vitamin or supplement is created in a laboratory. Chemists follow a recipe and through chemical reactions create the vitamin or chemical artificially. An extract is a substance that has been isolated from its original compound by chemical or mechanical action, as by pressure, distillation, or evaporation. Balance of Nature knows vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals work together better in their natural form than they do isolated or artificially created. For instance, numerous studies have shown an inverse relationship between cancer risk and consumption of green and yellow vegetables. ß-carotene is present in high amounts in these fruits and vegetables. It was therefore hypothesized that ß-carotene was responsible for the anticancer effects. However, clinical studies have proven otherwise. In some studies smokers gained no benefit from ß-carotene supplementation, in terms of lung cancer reduction, but rather an increase in lung cancer and mortality was noted. Many people
