What is Garlic? While many medicinal remedies call upon the use of fresh garlic for treating various conditions, this plant is also available in supplement form. Garlic supplements are used by those wishing to enjoy its health benefits without suffering from garlic breath and other side effects of the odiferous quality of the plant. What…
Category Archives: Supplements, Vitamins and Nutrients
Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA)
What is Gamma Linolenic Acid? Gamma linolenic acid, or GLA, is an essential fatty acid that is found in certain vegetable oils, particularly borange oil and evening primrose oil. GLA is a member of the omega-6 family of fatty acids, rather than the omega-3 family. The average American consumes as much as 30 times the…
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Garlic
Latin name: Allium sativum Chinese name: da suan What is Garlic? Garlic is a plant known for everything from populating the dishes of Southern Europe to warding off vampires. Though grown all over the world, China is the largest producer of garlic, accounting for nearly 75% of the world’s crop. It is a pungent, spicy…
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Flaxseed
Latin name: Linum usitatissimum Other names: ama, annual flax, common flax, linseed flax What is Flaxseed? Flax is an annual plant that is native to a region extending from India to the eastern parts of the Mediterranean. Its history of use goes back to ancient Egypt, where it was actively cultivated. What are the health…
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Fermented Soybean
Latin name: Sojae praeparatum Chinese name: dan dou chi What is Fermented Soybean? Soybeans have been used as a replacement for protein in vegetarian and other diets for centuries. The cultivation of the soybean dates back 3,000 years, and it was first recorded that soybeans were used as a replacement for meat in the sixth…
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GABA (gamma amino butyric acid)
What is GABA? GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) is the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter. Increasing the presence of GABA lowers the activity of some brain cells and thus helps a person to relax, sleep more easily, and mitigate their anxiety. What are the health benefits of GABA? The root of the flowering plant Valerian has…
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Folate/Folic Acid
What is Folate/Folic Acid? Folate is a b-complex vitamin that exists naturally in a variety of foods. Folic acid, folate’s synthetic counterpart, is consumed as an additive in enriched foods or as a dietary supplement—the latter of which is typically available as part of a B-complex formulation. Folate is of great importance to pregnant women…
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Flaxseed Oil
Latin name: Linum usitatissimum Other name: Linseed oil What is Flaxseed Oil? Flaxseed oil is a dietary supplement created from pressed seeds of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum) and a source of certain omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed oil contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), while the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and other coldwater fish contain…
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Flavonones
What are Flavanones? Flavanones are a natural substance found primarily in citrus fruits and in some aromatic herbs such as mint. Fruits, plants and roots containing flavanones have long been used as folk remedies in China, Argentina, and Brazil for the treatment of a variety of ailments including spasms and fevers. Flavanones are one of…
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Fish Oil
What is Fish Oil? Fish oil is important in a diet because it is rich with omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are not produced by the fish themselves, but rather are derived from food at the bottom of the food chain—microalgae. Prey fish like sardines and herring store microalgae and pass it along to…
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