USANA General Questions
Do USANA products contain artificial colorants or flavorings?
All foods - whether picked from your garden or your supermarket shelf - are made up of chemicals. For example, the vitamin C or ascorbic acid found in an orange is identical to that produced in a laboratory. Indeed, all things in the world consist of the chemical building blocks of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and other elements. These elements are combined in various ways to produce starches, proteins, fats, water, and all vitamins found in food.
Some additives are manufactured from natural sources; soybeans and corn, for example, provide lecithin to maintain product consistency, whereas beets provide a powder that can be used as food coloring.
Other useful additives are not found in nature and must be man-made. Artificial additives can generally be produced more economically, with greater purity and more consistent quality than some of their natural counterparts.
Whether an additive is natural or artificial has no bearing on its safety.
USANA products do not contain artificial colors. However, the Wild Strawberry and Dutch Chocolate Nutrimeals contain some flavoring ingredients that are considered "artificial." These flavorings are used to support the natural flavors in providing a stable and consistent flavor profile.
Food colorings, flavorings, and other additives are strictly regulated by the FDA. As such, these additives must have thoroughly researched safety profiles before they are allowed to be included in food and food products. In addition, ongoing safety is monitored through the Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS). This system monitors and investigates all complaints that are believed to be related to specific foods, food and color additives, or vitamin and mineral supplements. This computerized database helps officials decide whether reported adverse reactions represent a real public health hazard associated with food, so that appropriate action can be taken.
Given the structural identity between natural and artificial flavors, one might wonder why so many people purchase naturally flavored products exclusively while avoiding artificially flavored ones with zeal. Generally, it is due to education. When you look at the structure, it is exactly the same; the flavors taste exactly the same. But the word "synthetic," to some consumers, means dangerous or inferior.
The bottom line is this: simply stating that a flavoring is all-natural or artificial does not make it good or bad, right or wrong, safe or dangerous. Other factors (such as the quality of the ingredients, form and purpose of the product, stability and consistency) have more bearing on the choice of ingredients. All of the ingredients USANA uses, whether naturally derived or synthetic, are completely safe when used properly, and all ingredients have extensive safety profiles.
It is unfortunate that there is so much misinformation regarding these topics as it only serves to confuse and complicate the real issues.
USANA manufactures well-researched, top-quality products, with safety as our first priority. We will not compromise safety and quality to play marketing games that confuse and distort the real issues at hand. Our products are based on real science and supportable evidence, not on media trends and scare-mongering.
Why don't any USANA products contain significant amounts of phosphorus?
Phosphorous is easily supplied in adequate amounts in a typical diet. Phosphorous is necessary for optimal bone health, but its intake must be balanced with dietary calcium. Too much phosphorous can impair calcium absorption and negatively affect bone health. National Health Surveys (NHANES) have consistently shown Americans to be adequate in phosphorous across all age groups. Some age groups average almost twice the recommended amount. Since calcium intake in Americans is generally not adequate, adding more phosphorous to the products would simply create even more of an imbalance than exists already.
Individuals who are concerned about their phosphorous intake should consult a dietitian or physician about whether it is necessary to add additional phosphorous sources to their diet.
Why don't any USANA products contain significant amounts of potassium?
Because most people consume an adequate amount of potassium every day, the average American is not in need of supplemental potassium. The richest dietary sources of potassium are unprocessed foods, especially fruits, many vegetables, and fresh meats. However, some potassium can be found in nearly all foods (including the USANA Macro-Optimizers). Adding potassium to the tablets or capsules would simply displace other important nutrients that are more difficult to obtain from a typical diet.
Some individuals taking certain medications may require additional potassium. In those cases, they should consult their physician regarding recommendations on products and proper dosages.
Do the USANA Nutritionals contain salicylates?
USANA do not carry any products containing significant quantities of salycilates, nor do we add any salicylates to our nutritionals. Any salicylate amounts potentially occurring in the tablets would be incidental and inconsequential.
(Incidental amounts in the tablets would be hundreds or even thousands of times smaller than normal dietary amounts from fruits, veggies, and berries.)
Do USANA products contain digestive enzymes?
USANA's products do not contain digestive enzymes, and unless you have been diagnosed with a specific digestion problem, it is unlikely that taking digestive enzymes will do much for you.
Enzymes are proteins that help increase the rate (or speed) of chemical reactions. The enzymes used by the human body to digest food are produced in the salivary glands, tongue, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine. These enzymes are built from dietary building blocks in the body.
Within foods, different enzymes perform tasks like helping fruit ripen, mature, etc. These are not the same enzymes your body uses to digest food (an unfortunately persistent myth).
If you really are in need of digestive enzymes, we suggest that you ask a doctor or pharmacist for a recommendation on a brand and dosage.
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