Natural vs Synthetic Nutrients

Natural vs Synthetic nutrients – which is better?  In general, a lot of people do not get enough nutrients from their diet alone. There has been much debate over whether synthetic nutrients provide the same benefits as natural nutrients. Some might even suggest that synthetic nutrients may be dangerous.

The difference between natural and synthetic nutrients is that natural nutrients are acquired from whole food sources in the diet. While synthetic nutrients sometimes also referred to as isolated nutrients, are typically made from an industrial process artificially.

Also, a special note, synthetic nutrients do not include whole food supplements, which are made from dehydrated and concentrated whole foods.

It is good to point out that majority of supplements available on the market today are made artificially. They can be taken in pill, capsule, tablet, powder or liquid form, and are made to imitate the way natural nutrients act in our bodies.

The conventional outlook to synthetic nutrients is that they are almost chemically identical to those found in our food. On the other hand, the production process of synthetic nutrients is quite unlike the way plants and animals produce them. Therefore, in spite of having a similar structure, your body may respond differently to synthetic nutrients. Furthermore, it’s unclear how well synthetic nutrients are absorbed and used in the body. Some may be more easily absorbed while others may not. This is because when you eat real food, you’re not consuming single nutrients, but rather a whole range of vitamins, minerals, co-factors and enzymes that say to your body that it is okay for optimal use. Lacking these extra compounds, synthetic nutrients are not likely to be used by the body in the equivalent way as their natural counterparts.