Our modern diet is so far removed from the diet our ancestors ate, and from nature, that many of the essential chemicals our bodies need to sustain themselves are missing.

Ancient hunter gatherers would have lived on a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. By comparison, our diets are full of over-processed carbohydrates, salt, sugar, fat, and a host of chemicals in the form of colors, additives, preservatives, artificial flavors, to name just a few.

The medical profession has long recognized and recognized that in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle we need a balanced diet that includes all the basic elements: minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and various enzymes.

Many people are finding that despite eating healthy, they are not getting the nutrients they need. Due to consumer demand for cheap food, we have encouraged and pressured the food industry, from farmers to supermarkets, to mass-produce our food. From battery-farming poultry to mass-growing fruits and vegetables, most of the products we buy for consumption are produced on a large scale.

The side effect of this mass production is food with little to no nutritional value. Last night on television I saw a news report highlighting that much of the Western world is consuming thousands of calories a day while suffering from more malnutrition-related diseases than ever before.

The reason is due to our food production. We have depleted the soil through over-farming and the use of modern farming techniques, which no longer include crop rotation, but do include a large amount of fertilizers and pesticides. Because we source a lot of food from outside the country, which requires traveling great distances: produce is picked before it’s ripe and before it reaches its nutritional potential.

This is also happening in our livestock production. It has also recently been reported in the news that turkeys are slaughtered at the age of 12 weeks. You might wonder why: This is because we as consumers want a smaller, more succulent turkey, which means younger, underdeveloped poultry. This results in a lack of nutritional value and, for the most discerning consumer, a lack of taste and flavor.

In recent years there has been more awareness of what we are eating, where it comes from, and how we are abusing our power as consumers. The changes have been slow at first, but now there is a more noticeable change in the food that is stocked in supermarkets.

Initially, the changes were related to organic products and there have been many discussions that the best is not always beautiful. But with increased awareness of nutritional values, there has been a shift from organic foods to foods that are locally produced and sourced. It is now well known that the longer your food takes to reach your plate from its source, the less nutritional value it will have. Obviously with some foods we don’t have a choice: this country doesn’t have the right climate to grow citrus, bananas and olives etc.

In addition to the nutritional benefits of a shorter chain from producer to store, there are fewer transportation costs and the carbon footprint is minimized. It also increases consumer confidence since the labels often clearly show the farm where it was produced.

Fish has also been affected by consumer demand with fishing restrictions and common quotas, as we have come very close to wiping out some species through overfishing. The ripple effect for the consumer is that this once cheap and abundant food has become more expensive, so less fish is now eaten.

This consumer awareness has also led to growth in the nutritional supplement industry, which is now worth billions. This industry has traditionally been led by the vitamin pill, which has received a great deal of bad publicity. Due to the content of many of these tablets, our bodies cannot break them down or absorb them. Many studies have been carried out and it is estimated that only 10-20% of each of the pills we take is absorbed. So 80-90% of what you paid for your tablet supplements is flushed down the toilet.

Most tablets and capsules have been designed and tested to dissolve in the stomach, but not all pills and capsules are created equal. Some are compressed at extremely high pressures during manufacturing and do not break down properly in the stomach. I found an interesting fact about this: In Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, each month their sewer system filters clog with over 150 gallons of undigested supplements.

As with all industries, there is ongoing research and development, and technological advancements – the nutritional supplements industry is no different. Realizing that tablets are not effective and the consumer realizing that they are wasting their money, new delivery systems have been developed.

Now you have multiple options: there are capsules, liquids, and gels.

Capsules: These are typically herbal supplements that can be easily broken down and absorbed by stomach acid. An alternative method that can be used is to open the capsule and add it to another food product, such as a juice or shake.

Liquids – These are a great way to absorb vitamins and minerals, your body can start absorbing them as soon as you swallow them as they are already in a form that does not need to be broken down by your digestive system. Liquids are also becoming more popular because many people either don’t want to or can’t swallow pills, making this a more attractive option for the elderly and young.

Gels: There are the latest delivery systems to hit the market. Nutritional supplements are most effective when taken according to the optimal timing guidelines for each individual supplement. Some nutrients are better absorbed when taken with food. Others are best when consumed at predetermined intervals prior to food ingestion to maximize the effect of their active ingredients or to avoid conflicting absorption mechanisms with other food particles.

The gel supplements are packaged in convenient gel packs that are highly portable, allowing them to be available at the appropriate time, no matter when. Plus, the gel can often be swallowed without water, which means you can take it with you, wherever you go. By encouraging and enabling the correct timing and ingestion of food supplements, gel technology enhances the absorption and utilization of each nutrient.

The introduction of gel technology means that all nutrients remain in their natural state, optimizing bioavailability and increasing the absorption and digestion of essential vitamins and minerals.
Simply put, gel supplements have the potential to change the way we take nutritional supplements.

By increasing ease of use and improving absorption, gel technology broadens the scope of supplementation, allowing a broader audience to benefit from dietary and nutritional enhancements.