Nutrition Info

Benefits of DHA & EPA

Omega 3’s are what is referred to as essential fats. They are deemed essential as your body either cannot produce them and/or cannot produce enough of them to support your body’s needs. Therefore you must get them from your diet. The three essential Omega 3’s are alpha linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). ALA is found only in plants. Common sources of ALA are flax, flax seed and chai. Although an essential Omega 3 it does not carry with it the same level of health benefits as DHA and EPA. DHA and EPA come from fish sources only. Small cold-water fish have the highest concentrations of EPA and DHA (anchovies, sardines, and mackerel) but they are found in most seafood. DHA and EPA are key nutrients in brain (central nervous system) and cardiovascular health. Therefore in order to maintain optimal health it is important to consume these as part of our regular diet. Since most people do not consume enough fish in their diet to supply healthy levels of EPA and DHA we need to supplement our diet with these in order to maintain our health.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a multi faceted role in our bodies. Besides being a key factor in maintaining healthy bones it plays an important role in many other areas of our metabolism that are necessary to maintaining good health and preventing disease. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of numerous ailments such as osteoporosis, depression, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Excellent sources of vitamin D are fatty fish and dairy products. Our bodies naturally synthesize Vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight. Over the last few years research has identified that the majority of the population is vitamin D deficient. Especially in northern climates where there is limited sun exposure during the winter months. Therefore most of the population should supplement their diet with a vitamin D supplement.

Benefits of Vitamin B-Complex

Vitamin B6 -also called pyridoxine, is one of eight water-soluble B vitamins and it plays a number of important roles in the maintenance of good health. It is best known for its role in helping to metabolize fats and promote healthy tissue formation as well as protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It also maintains cardiovascular health by helping transportation of oxygen.

Good food sources of Vitamin B6 are meats, nuts, bananas, vegetables and whole grains.

Folic Acid is also known as Vitamin B9 and is an essential water-soluble vitamin that is essential to numerous bodily functions. The human body needs folic acid for the production and repair of DNA. It also plays a role in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system as well as the production of healthy red blood cells. It is especially important in aiding in growth during infancy and pregnancy. Children and adults both require folic acid to produce healthy red blood cells.

Excellent sources of folate are leafy green vegetables, legumes (beans, lentils), egg yolks, liver and sunflower seeds. Many foods such as pasta, bread, and cereals are fortified with folic acid and can contain up to 100% of the daily-recommended intake.

Vitamin B7 also called Biotin, is an essential water-soluble vitamin that supports a healthy energy metabolism. It plays a key role in the production and release of energy from fat. It is a critical component in the production of sugar (glucose) in the liver, which is responsible for helping us maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Biotin is found in many different foods, but not in significant amounts. The best food source of biotin is egg yolks, liver and peanuts. Biotin is also produced naturally in our intestines.

Vitamin B3 also known as Niacin, is an essential water-soluble vitamin that is involved in both DNA repair, and the production of steroid hormones in the adrenal gland. It has long been used to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol. Niacin also helps keep your nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair and eyes healthy.

Niacin can be found in a number of food sources, liver, beef, tuna, salmon as well as many fruits and vegetables and grains.

Vitamin B5 also called Pantothenic Acid, is an essential water-soluble vitamin. It plays a critical role in allowing us to create energy from carbohydrates, fats and protein. The major dietary source of B5 is in meat. Good vegetable sources are avocados and broccoli. It can also be found in whole grains but the majority of the vitamin is removed in the milling process.

Vitamin B12-also called cobalamin, is another of eight water-soluble B vitamins. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in energy production throughout the body, allowing our metabolism to utilize fat for energy production. When partnered with folic acid, it has a key function in DNA synthesis.

B12 can be found in animal food sources, red meat, shellfish, fish, chicken, eggs, milk and milk products (cheese).

Due to the lack of these foods in their diet Vegans are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency as are other groups with low intakes of animal foods. They must get their B12 from either fortified foods or from a high quality B12 supplement.