Selecting
Ingredients…We Look to Nature First
Founded
on the philosophy of offering products in harmony with nature and
good health, Shaklee adheres to the principles that were established
by our founder, Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee. When we select ingredients
for our products, we hold to two important principles. These
principles set us apart as a company and are the basis for our
advanced approach to product development and production.
First
of all, our ingredients must be as natural as possible. Secondly,
those ingredients must reflect the most recent scientific and
technological advances. The superior quality of Shaklee products is a
result of our respect for nature’s wisdom and our use of
state-of-the-art research and production methods.
The
ingredient glossary that follows is a testament to the principles and
philosophy established by Dr. Shaklee. Information is the key to
understanding. In our Nutritional
Products Ingredient Glossary, you will find a description
of every ingredient found in Shaklee nutritional and products.
Included is information about ingredient sourcing and processing, as
well as the roles the ingredients perform in our products and in our
bodies.
Natural
Ingredients
Our
number one priority is to use natural
ingredients in our products whenever possible. In fact,
when you look through the glossary, you will notice that the vast
majority of our ingredients are naturally sourced and are categorized
as natural. For example, beta carotene is harvested from specially
grown algae, and vitamin E is obtained from soybean oil. We also
include many plant-derived ingredients in our products as potential
sources of what Dr. Shaklee referred to as unknown nutritional
factors, or, those dietary factors that may be important to health
but have yet to be identified by scientists. The mineral ingredients
that we use are also categorized as natural ingredients. Minerals are
natural elements of the earth, and some are dietary essentials for
good health. Sometimes, essential minerals can be sourced directly as
they are found within the earth–for example, calcium from
limestone. But more commonly, minerals must be purified and bound to
specific carriers to enhance their bioavailability and digestibility.
When a mineral source has a carrier, it is noted in the Nutritional
Products Ingredient Glossary. Those mineral carriers
include natural compounds like mineral
salts, organic acids, and protein/amino
acids.
Naturally
Derived Ingredients
Although
an ingredient may be found in nature, it may not occur in a
concentration that is high enough for our high potency formulations.
Fortunately, such ingredients can often be derived from natural
sources through processes such as fermentation. Vitamin C is a good
example. Rose hips and acerola are two of nature’s most
concentrated sources of vitamin C, but they are not concentrated
enough for high-potency vitamin C–containing formulations.
Fortunately, vitamin C can be derived from the carbohydrate that is
present naturally in corn through a multi-step process that includes
fermentation. Ingredients like these are categorized as naturally
derived.
There
are certain ingredients that are derived from natural sources that
may be modified to perform a certain function. For example, soy
lecithin can be modified to make hydroxylated soy lecithin. This
modification of soy lecithin increases its solubility in water and
enhances its ability to coat and protect tablets. So, modified
natural ingredients like these are also categorized as naturally
derived.
Scientifically
Formulated Ingredients
Sometimes,
a sufficiently concentrated source of an ingredient cannot be found
in nature, nor can it be derived from natural sources. In these
instances, advances in nutritional technology allow us to use highly
bioavailable ingredients formulated from biochemical building blocks.
Whenever we use these types of ingredients, they are tested
thoroughly to ensure bioavailability, purity, and potency. The B
vitamin, thiamin, is an example of a nutrient that is formulated from
biochemical building blocks.
Nutritional
Products Ingredient Glossary 1
Updated
2/5/031
Another
category of scientifically
formulated ingredients are those that originate from a
natural source, but are modified so that their final form is
structurally and functionally different. An example is the ingredient
hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Cellulose is a natural plant fiber.
The cellulose is modified so that it takes on different properties
that make it functionally advantageous to a product. Ingredients like
these are categorized in the glossary as scientifically
formulated.
Ingredients
with Special Functions
Not only do Shaklee
products contain a host of essential nutrients or important herbs,
they often contain specific ingredients that have a functional role
in improving the bioavailability or acceptability of a product.
Scientifically Advanced Vita-Lea®
Multivitamin and Multimineral Dietary Supplement tablets, for
example, are coated with a mixture of spirulina and cellulose gum.
Spirulina gives Vita-Lea its natural green color and the cellulose
gum coating makes the tablet smooth and easier to swallow. The core
of each Vita-Lea tablet features another ingredient, croscarmellose
sodium. Also called modified cellulose gum, croscarmellose sodium’s
function is to absorb water rapidly and promote the breaking apart of
the tablet and subsequent release of nutrients for absorption. Is
another example of a product whose ingredients have specific
functions.
Its
Sustained Release Vita-C® 500
mg vitamin C supplement sustained-release tablet technology is based
entirely on natural gums and waxes from plants.
The
Shaklee Difference — The Highest Standards
Our
Nutritional and Herbal
Products Ingredient Glossary is a reflection of the
Shaklee philosophy and principles at work. Each ingredient is as
natural as can be, and illustrates the leading advances in science
and technology. That’s the approach to making products that Dr.
Shaklee pioneered: exacting the highest ingredient standard possible.
The
ingredients, though, are only one part of the Shaklee Difference. Our
unique blend of ingredients coupled with the cumulative power of the
ongoing science behind our products make Shaklee unique. The Shaklee
Difference is reflected in our research, in our product development,
in the care we take to adhere to strict clinical testing, and in our
meeting the highest manufacturing standards in the industry. That’s
the combination that sets Shaklee products apart from all others.
That’s
the Shaklee Difference — demanding and providing the best and the
purest — by setting the highest of standards.
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