How to Choose Safe Supplements and Foods

Last Updated on September 23, 2020 by Ellen Christian

Have you ever wondered how to choose safe supplements and foods? It seems like every time I turn the news on; I hear about supplements or foods that have been tainted with some bacteria or substance that doesn’t belong. Arsenic in rice? Steroids where they don’t belong? How can I be sure what I’m buying is safe? I recently attended a NOW Foods #NOWWellness Event in Chicago where I learned more about this subject. Thank you to NOW Foods for taking care of my expenses for this trip.

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How to Choose Safe Supplements and Food

How to Choose Safe Supplements and Foods

The obvious first step when purchasing any food or supplement is to look at the label and understand what’s there. Don’t pay as much attention to the front of the label as the back. You want to know what the ingredients are and what possible allergens are included. Does the product contain gluten or corn? Are the ingredients non-GMO? Are flavorings natural or synthetic? Check to see if the manufacturer has been certified by any independent testing companies.

I learned that NOW Foods is in full compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP. Introduced in 2007, federal cGMPs are published federal requirements for companies engaging in the manufacture, packaging, labeling or holding of dietary supplements. They insist on choosing only the best ingredients and are committed to testing and safety. That sets them apart from other natural product companies.

How to Choose Safe Supplements and Food

In addition to using outside testing services, they test their ingredients in-house. You may remember the news story about a supplement company that had not tested ingredients themselves and ended up using ingredients in their supplements that had been tainted with steroids. I don’t need to worry about that with NOW Foods because they test all of the ingredients they use themselves rather than relying on someone else. They are also very careful to keep allergens separate. Check us all out in our safe outfits we wore while visiting NOW Foods.

How to Choose Safe Supplements and Food

I had the opportunity to walk through their factory and see the manufacturing process from how they store raw ingredients to how they are mixed, encapsulated and packaged for sale through retailers.  After learning about their safety practices, I’m confident that what they sell is something I can feel good about using and feeding to my family. They won’t cut corners and aren’t willing to sell products that don’t stand up to their quality standards, even if it means losing sales.

How to Choose Safe Supplements and Food

I’ve used NOW Foods Supplements for years because I’ve always been impressed with their quality. Before attending this event, I had no idea that they also offered a variety of food products including gluten-free pasta and baking mixes, stevia, oils, and ancient grains. They also offer an incredible selection of essential oils and diffusers, pet nutrition, sports nutrition and beauty products. Of course, whether it’s their supplements or their brownie mix (which is amazing!), they stand behind the quality.

I had a fantastic time at the NOW Foods #NOWWellness Event, and I’m thrilled to be able to offer one of my readers an amazing selection of NOW Foods products worth $536.50!

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53 thoughts on “How to Choose Safe Supplements and Foods”

  1. I learned they have been around since 1968, which is pretty incredible considering there wasn’t such a huge emphasis on natural living back then. That means they were way ahead of the curve in developing and encouraging natural and healthy products!

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  2. I learned that since 1998 NOW has hosted an annual employee forest preserve cleanup day to de-litter and maintain the East Branch Forest Preserve next to their Glen Ellyn Road plant.

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  3. The tip you gave about looking on the back of the bottle and reading the ingredients versus just reading the front is really great. Although I do this with food I never thought to do it with supplements to check for ingredients. I will employ this in the future

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  4. There are so many amazing products on the site- I would be interested in so many products. I learned that It’s not an understatement to say that coQ10 is absolutely essential for life. It helps to metabolize fats and carbohydrates, and maintains cell membrane stability.

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  5. I like how NOW Foods believes in advocacy and are fighting to maintain the integrity of DSHEA. And since 1988 they have had a natural and organic beauty products.

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  6. Very interesting process and company. I’m glad they have b in business a long time. They must really follow standards. Great!

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  7. Ellen, I’d love to have been there! I use a lot of NOW supplements but wasn’t aware they had such an extensive line of other products. I have a number of gluten-free friends and so have developed lots of GF recipes and buy GF products quite frequently.

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  8. I learned this about their great company; Our purchasing agents are extremely knowledgeable about natural ingredients and their unique attributes, and they utilize this knowledge every day to ensure the ingredients used in NOW® products meet our lofty expectations — and yours.

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  9. I learned Now products are found all over the place, at least on six continents and in more than 70 countries worldwide. I’ve used them for years too.

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  10. I just read through the ingredients Now Foods won’t use—it is like my own list of ingredients that I won’t use. I also learned that they “test and test agaon” to insure quality and safety.

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  11. I learned that NOW® Pets products are intended to address today’s most common pet health concerns, including immune system health, normal joint structure and function, cardiovascular health, a healthy mood, a lustrous coat, and more.

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  12.  I learned that Now Foods has been  manufacturing quality dietary supplements and natural products since 1968!  

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