The Savvy Shopper’s Cheat Sheet

By Toews, Victoria Dolby

KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY! HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP YOU MAKE GOOD CHOICES WHEN SHOPPING FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS 1 Go for established brands. Quality mailers, .mil the odds are more in your favor when buying from a company that’s been around a long t hue.

2 Learn Latin. When shopping for herbs, it helps to know the Latin name or names; most botanical medicines have more than one species, and this way you’ll know that you’re gelling the one with medicinal value. Knowing an herb’s Latin name also helps make label reading easier. In fact, some manufacturers use only ihe Latin name on labels for certain ( herbs. Lor example, chaste tree berry and Siberian |ginseng are commonly listed by their Latin names on labels, Vfrc.v tigntis-cditui (or just vitex) and Eleutherococcus senticosus (or eleulhero for short).

3 Look forthe seal of approval Check to see if there is a Certificate of Analysis (COA) on your product; this guarantees the potency and m safely ol the ingredients in the supplement.

4 Read the fine print Products that come with customer service information, a lot number and an expiration date typically are of higher quality than brands without these designations. I’lus, having this information helps in case of later problems.

5 Store it right. Whatever supplements you choose, take care to store them in a cool, dark place since heat and light can degrade some nutrients. Most, but not all, probiotics, liquid fish oils and exotic fruit juices/supplements (such as acai, noni, mangosleen and goji juices) require refrigeration. Again, read the label carefully. You can also extend the shell life of flaxsceds/meal by keeping them in the fridge.

By Victoria Dolby Toews, MPH

Copyright Active Interest Media Aug 2007

(c) 2007 Better Nutrition. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.