Capsules vs Powders for Gut Health
Just to be clear, our Product of the Month is the 30 capsules version of sense* for gut health. But we are going to extol the benefits in this article of the superfood supplement powder too. You then have all the information at your finger tips.
And to be clear, in every serving of the sense* for gut health superfood supplement powder you will find the same ingredients as one sense* for gut health supplement capsule PLUS all the targeted superfood powders on top. The reason why they are called superfood supplements!
An easy way to see the difference is by looking at the nutritional table on the back of every pack of superfood supplement powder. The supplement capsule ingredients are in black and the superfood powders in green. Put them together and you have yourself a superfood supplement.
Much better for absorption of all the nutrients into your blood stream by delivering them on a bed of superfoods. Remember…Total, Targeted, Absorption!
The Taste of gut health superfood supplement powder
One thing that may make you decide on supplement capsules rather than superfood supplement powders is taste.
The superfood supplement powder for gut health is a bit like mar-mite. You either love it or hate it.
The active ingredients included for taste are cacao, cinnamon and coconut. But other strong tasting ingredients shine through too like garlic and turmeric.
Add these to some heavy duty minerals like calcium and chloride which, frankly, don’t taste great. Which meant we had our work cut out.
We think that when you mix the superfood supplement powder with the right smoothie ingredients or foods then it tastes like cookie dough. That’s the people who really like it speaking:)
Convenience
If you are not much of a smoothie maker or you prefer toast for breakfast instead of yogurt or kefir, capsules are probably your choice too.
Also if you are on the go a lot and don’t have a set routine.
There is nothing worse that forgetting to take your supplements. If your capsules are in your handbag or coat pocket then you are sorted.
Powders need to be sorted in the kitchen, preferably your own, right?
The Sense* Gut Health ethos
How was sense* for gut health formulated? What is it intended to do and improve?
These things came from the collaboration between our Founder, Jonathan and our super expert nutritionist, Dimitra.
Our Founder had succumbed to an auto immune disease and managed to cure himself through diet. His Gut Health story is here.
So he knew what he wanted to achieve and some of the ingredients to do it. Dimitra added the finesse and expertise to know which ingredients went together the best. Which formats of each ingredient to use is massively important so the body absorbs them better.
See the article on Why is Using Quality Ingredients in the right Format Required.
Not a Probiotic
Our product for gut health was never intended to be a probiotic. But that is not to say don’t take one. Adding good bacteria to your gut is always optimal.
But don’t take sense* for gut health at the same time of day as your probiotic. We will explain but take them at least 2 hours apart and longer if you are fasting so the later one is after a meal.
Contains Killer Botanicals
These are often organic botanicals aimed at killing or preventing the spread of bad bacteria in your gut. Often tummy problems can arise because we have swallowed something that manages to find a home in your gut.
Otherwise, a course of antibiotics may have wiped out all your good bacteria, allowing a bacterial or fungal overgrowth to develop.
It is important therefore to have botanicals or other ingredients in any gut health product that seeks to redress the balance. You need quite a few too since different botanicals kill different bacteria or fungus. Here are a list of the killer ingredients in sense* for gut health capsules plus the additional ones in the superfood supplement powder:
Supplement Capsules
- Caprylic acid
- Organic garlic
- Organic oregano
- Rosemary
Superfood supplement powder in addition has:
- Cinnamon
- Ginger root
Contains Tried and Tested Vitamins
The following vitamins and minerals are found in both capsules and powders. These have health claims that are approved by the European Food Safety Authority:
- Chloride – supports normal digestion by production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. It is really important that the acidity levels in the stomach remain high.
- Not only does this break down food. It also helps kill bad bacteria whereas good bacteria can live through the acid bath in the stomach.
- Calcium (in 2 servings) – supports normal function of digestive enzymes so that food is broken down properly.
- Vitamins A and B2 – supports normal mucous membranes in the gut wall. Leaky gut syndrome can occur if the gut wall is not maintained properly.
Contains Resistant starches and soluble fibres
These do not digest in the stomach generally and as a result are available as “food” in the small and large intestines.
They feed good bacteria and improve the balance between good and bad bacteria/fungus so that the nutrients in your food have a better chance of being absorbed.
To get a better understanding of how this works, see our article about Two Ingredients of the Week – Psyllium husk and Acacia (senegal) fibre
The ingredients in these categories are to be found in the sense* for gut health superfood supplement powders:
- Acacia (senegal) fibre
- Brocolli
- Carrot
- Flaxseed
- Inulin
- Psylliun husk
- Organic raw cacao
As a result there is a good argument for taking the capsules first and then moving onto the Superfood supplement powder. By taking the capsules you focus on a killer phase but then add food for the good bacteria once this focus is not needed anymore. That said if the capsules are working for you you can always seek to supplement your diet with the additional foods mentioned above.
Some of Our Top 20 Ingredients
We are often asked by customers about the ingredients we use in our products. Why have we included certain ingredients in certain products?
To explain how some of the other individual ingredients contribute we have, in no particular order, listed the ones below from sense* for gut health in our Top 20 Ingredients.
Turmeric
With naturally active compound curcumin , it is a potent polyphenol (containing curcuminoids). Turmeric is known for its antioxidant properties.
Try always combining with black pepper, naturally containing piperine. Piperine improves the bioavailability of curcumin. This means that it’s better absorbed and used by your body.
Several recent studies show that turmeric/curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties and modifies immune system responses. A 2006 study showed turmeric was more effective at preventing joint inflammation than reducing joint inflammation.
Traditionally, it has been used in Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to treat arthritis.
Turmeric/curcumin blocks inflammatory cytokines and enzymes.
Recent research out of Genoa University has shown that taking turmeric improved bone density by up to 7% over a 6 month period.
Curcumin balances cells that remove the ageing parts of bone before those parts are replaced.
Cinnamon
Studies have found that cinnamon may reduce inflammation, have antioxidant effects and fight bad gut bacteria.
Cinnamon extracts are used to take care of gastrointestinal problems and help calm the stomach. The problems include flatulent dyspepsia or gastrointestinal spasms .
Traditionally, it has been used to fight diarrhea and can be effective for morning sickness as well.
Cinnamon is also effective in relieving abdominal discomfort brought about by excess gas too.
It is advisable to take a warm cup of tea or milk with a teaspoon of cinnamon after a meal. People with heartburn use cinnamon as a post-meal digestive aid. It also stimulates the digestive tract.
Oregano
Oregano contains naturally occurring antimicrobial essential oils. These help cease the activity of harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and have the ability to repair the gut lining, thus preventing chemicals from leaking out of the gut. One of the killer ingredients used in sense* for gut health.
Peppermint leaf
Peppermint supports digestive health. Appreciation for peppermint’s qualities as a digestive aid extends back hundreds of years.
Recent studies confirm peppermint is helpful for relieving indigestion. Peppermint may also ease various symptoms of IBS, including abdominal discomfort, gas and diarrhea.
Peppermint leaf fights harmful organisms thanks to its smaller compounds such as menthol, that can help defend against many types of harmful microorganisms.
L-Glutamine
Glutamine is an amino acid that is fundamental to the well-being of the digestive and immune systems. Glutamine is great for repairing damage to the gut. Helping the gut lining to regrow and repair. Undoing the damage caused by leaky gut.
It is also helpful in the reduction of sugar cravings.
Coconut
Coconut contains a naturally occurring lipid compound called MCT that stands for medium chain triglycerides.
These fatty acids have proven antibacterial and antiviral properties to help balance gut flora.
MCT Oil and coconut are beneficial for balancing bacteria in the gut microbiota. This in turn has positive effects on digestive symptoms, energy expenditure and the ability to absorb vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat.
Resistant Starches
Psyllium husk
– is a soluble fibre and resistant starch which feeds the good bacteria in your gut.
It also increases the bulk in your stool, an effect that helps to cause movement of the intestines. By increasing the amount of water in the stool too, it makes the stool softer and easier to pass.
Inulin
– is not digested or absorbed in the stomach. It goes to the bowels where good bacteria are able to use it to grow.
Inulin supports the growth of a special kind of bacteria in the gut. These improve bowel function and general health.
Inulin decreases the body’s ability to make certain kinds of fats in a good way.
Acacia fibre
– Acacia is a dietary fibre and also removes toxins from the body. As a prebiotic, it promotes “good” bacteria in the intestine.
