We have a flat shipping fee of $9.95 to anywhere in Australia regardless of how many items you purchase. This is so we can maximise the donations we give to animal welfare.
We're confident you will love how you feel taking our product, however if you have any concerns or are unsatisfied for any reason then please contact us at support@behumane.com.au
For change of mind, we will happily refund any unopened and undamaged product within 30 days of purchase. Return shipping will be at the cost of the customer.
You can track your order simply by following the prompts on the email that was sent to you and using the tracking number that was assigned to you when you purchased your smoothie booster.
However, if you are still having trouble then please email our support team at support@behumane.com.au
Delivery times vary with your location. We ship every day from our warehouse and generally it will take up to a week to arrive at your doorstep. But don't worry, it is certainly worth the wait!
Our product is 78% organic and is made in Australia from 98% Aussie ingredients. It is naturally sourced from flaxseed, lichen and kelp, and we have fortified it with the safest and best available source of vitamin B12. Each bottle contains plant based ingredients that would otherwise naturally grow in your garden.
Our products do not contain any synthetic fillers, sweeteners or binders. It comes in its natural form, the way that nature created it for us, and intended for us to eat.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is common and research has shown that up to 26% of Australians are B12 deficient. Due to sanitisation of water and the fact that we wash our vegetables, it is difficult to meet your B12 requirements on a plant based diet in our modern society. However, don't be fooled, meat eaters also generally get their vitamin B12 from a supplement too since a majority of the worlds B12 supplements go to animal agriculture. Livestock are often naturally deficient in vitamin B12 due to poor soil quality from intense over-farming practices which leave the soil devoid of vitamin B12 containing bacteria, and also due to the fact that farm animals are often fed predominantly grains.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in Australians regardless of diet. Recent research suggests that up to 58% of Australians can be vitamin D deficient. We have conveniently evolved to produce our own levels of vitamin D in the body through exposure to sunlight, but we no longer run around naked and sun exposure is minimal, thus supplementation is a safe way of increasing Vitamin D intake.
Iodine is difficult to obtain when consuming any diet. Sea vegetables such as sea kelp are a good source of iodine. There has been some concerns about Kelp as a supplement since it contains very high concentrations of iodine, however our supplement contains a very small amount of organic kelp with carefully calculated dosages of 100 micrograms of iodine in each serve to ensure you will not exceed the daily limit of 1000 micrograms per day.
Omega-3's such as ALA are an essential nutrient and the best source of ALA's is flaxseed. Our supplement contains organic flaxseed produced right here in Australia and contains your daily recommended intake of omega-3's in each serving.
Ref:
Moore E.M., Pasco J, A., Mander A., Sanders K.M., Carne R., Jenkins N., Black M., Schneider H.G., Ames D. & Watters D.A (2014). The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in a random sample from the Australian population. Journal of Investigational Biochemistry, 3, 95-100.
Boyages S & Bilinski K (2012). Seasonal reduction in vitamin D level persists into spring in NSW Australia: implications for monitoring and replacement. Clinical Endocrinology, 77, 515-523.
This is purely due to the recommended daily intake (RDI) reference values for children being less than those for adults. Of particular concern is the RDI for iodine which is lower in children compared to adults and thus the potential for iodine toxicity is higher for children.
The body requires increased concentrations of certain micro and macro nutrients during pregnancy. We did not specifically formulate this product for pregnant women and it is therefore recommended that you consult with your local GP.
Food doesn't naturally grow in a capsule or in tablet form. Nature has created everything we need from a nutritional point of view in the form of plants and we intend to keep it this way. Putting things into a capsule or tablet requires adding synthetic materials such as binders or preservatives, and the capsules themselves are most often made from GMO soy or corn.
As a plant based doctor, I firmly believe in keeping things as natural as we possibly can and thus we have kept our product in its natural form as a ground up powder from the original plant.
Daily consumption of the measured amount of our product is ideal and recommended. This product has been specially formulated to assist you in meeting your daily recommended intake of these particular nutrients.
Each batch is specifically tested for purity, identity, strength and composition so you can be sure that you are consuming exactly what is written on the label.
We use a third party lab to test each batch for microbes, allergens and other contaminants ensuring our product complies with the standards imposed by Foods Standards Australian New Zealand (FSANZ).
Of course! We strongly believe in the philosophy live and let live and there are no animal ingredients or animal testing at BeHumane. We are also proud to donate a percentage of our profits to support animal welfare and are currently partnered with Edgar's Mission Farm Animal Rescue Sanctuary who perform incredible acts of kindness.
Our supplement is 78% organic and it is made in Australia from 98% Aussie ingredients. However, as much as we like to use the best nature has to offer, we also like to use the best science has to offer and thus we have fortified our plant-based supplement with the best and safest form of vitamin B12. See our FAQs on each ingredient below for more information.
Our bottle is 100% BPA free and is 100% recyclable.
At present, a 100% recyclable plastic bottle is the best available option for packaging our product. All packaging materials are also fully recyclable (i.e. shipping boxes/satchels).
At BeHumane, sustainability is at the core of everything we do and we have extensively researched the various packaging options available.
- Our ideal form of packaging would be something that can be re-used (i.e. returned to us and re-filled); however, this does not comply with the food standards legislation we are required to adhere to due to hygiene reasons.
- We have also considered glass bottles; however, the glass would need to be imported from China, and large glass bottles would require additional padding and packaging for safety in transit, which would mean additional materials and ultimately waste.
- We have considered paper bottles; however, the only paper bottles currently available on the market contain a soft plastic lining. Soft plastic is only recyclable at specific locations in Australia and is generally recycled less than hard plastic which can be placed straight into the home recycling bin.
- We have considered compostable packaging; however, the compostable options currently available on the market are in fact more environmentally damaging than plastic if they are not properly composted and end up in landfill (due to the methane gas emissions). This was of concern to us as a large portion of Australians do not have the access or knowledge for proper compost.
In light of this, the best available option at this time is for us to package our product in 100% recyclable plastic containers. This is an area that we are keenly interested in and we certainly hope that more options will become available in the future as the demand increases. We are also hoping to have BeHumane Smoothie Boosters stocked in bulk food stores in the future.
Keep your bottle full of nutritional delights in a cool, dry place, under 30 degrees celsius and out of direct sunlight. Cupboards and pantries are fine after opening but the ideal place is in the fridge.
Research shows that 26% of Australians have sub optimal levels of B12 and up to 58% of have sub optimal levels of vitamin D. Given the vegan population of Australia is only 2%, nutrient deficiencies are common regardless of diet. I would therefore recommend that this supplement is suitable for all diets.
This is an interesting question. The National Health and Medical Research Council states that the recommended daily intake of B12 is only 2.4mcg. However, in order to achieve this, you need to consume high enough doses since only a very small fraction of B12 is absorbed. The Intrinsic Factor mediated absorption of vitamin B12 is very limited to approximately 1-2mcg. Approximately 56% of a 1mcg oral dose of vitamin B12 is absorbed, but absorption decreases significantly when the capacity of the intrinsic factor is exceeded. Studies show that you only absorb a very small fraction of B12 when taking doses in the range of 5mcg/day - 25mcg/day.
Whilst the evidence is only limited at best, to achieve a daily dose of 2.4mcg of Vitamin B12, you can do this one of three ways:
Consume small, regular doses of vitamin B12 from fortified foods which is tricky to calculate.
Take a single daily dose of 50-100mcg of vitamin B12.
Take a weekly dose of 1000mcg of vitamin B12.
Research has shown absolutely no difference in sublingual absorption versus oral absorption and I therefore like to supplement daily since I have a smoothie every day which I can pack full of nutrients including B12. The best form of B12 is cyanocobalamin since it is the most stable form of B12 and most commonly studied in the literature. Research has shown there is no harm in supplementing at doses up to 1000mcg, but there is evidence that vitamin B12 deficiency causes significant harm, so my philosophy is why not supplement with doses high enough to ensure you meet the recommended daily intake of B12 and put your mind at ease?!
I look at it this way, back when B12 producing bacteria were abundant in the soil and water streams, we would have been consuming a constant supply of B12 in small doses throughout the day. Since this is not the case anymore, we need to take a large, single dose to get our daily requirements.
Ref:
https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients/vitamin-b12
Klee G.G. (2000). Cobalamin and folate evaluation: measurement of methylmalonic acid and homocysteine vs vitamin B(12) and folate. Clinical Chemistry, 46, 1277-1283.
Carmel R. (2008). How I treat cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency. Blood,112, 2214-2221.
Mollin D.L. (1959). Radioactive vitamin B12 in the study of blood diseases. British Medical Bulletin,15, 8-13.
Sharabi A., Cohen E., Sulkes J. & Garty M. (2003). Replacement therapy for vitamin B12 deficiency: comparison between the sublingual and oral route. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 56, 635-638.
There is very limited research in this field and I have searched far and wide. A study by Sharabi et al. (2003) supplemented 30 participants with a daily dose of 500mcg of vitamin B12 via the oral or sublingual route. The results showed that sublingual B12 was no better than oral B12 at raising serum B12 levels.
Ref:
Sharabi A., Cohen E., Sulkes J. & Garty M. (2003). Replacement therapy for vitamin B12 deficiency: comparison between the sublingual and oral route. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 56, 635-638.
Yes, this is true. However, studies have shown that the tiny amount of cyanide in 1000mcg of cyanocobalamin are considered toxicologically insignificant. Cyanocobalamin is the most commonly studied form of human B12 supplements since it is the most stable form used for supplementation. It is the recommended type of B12 as it has been shown to significantly improve serum B12 levels in multiple studies.
Cyanide is also found in many fruits and vegetables which we are continually ingesting on a daily basis, however the levels are physiologically insignificant. According to the European Food Safety Authority, "Data from a Norwegian dietary survey show that the average and high (97.5th percentile) daily intake of [cyanide] among consumers amounts to respectively 95 and 372 micrograms/person". The amount of cyanide in a 100 microgram supplement of cyanocobalamin is 2 micrograms.
Ref:
Hathcock J.N. & Troendle G.J. (1991). Oral cobalamin for treatment of pernicious anaemia? JAMA, 265, 96-97.
Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC) on hydrocyanic acid in flavourings and other food ingredients with flavouring properties. The EFSA Journal (2004), 105.
There are 4 different forms of vitamin B12 which are formed depending on the different functional groups attached to the B12 basic structure. The human body has the ability to convert any form of B12 to an active form.
Cyanocobalamin has a cyano group (-CN) attached to it. It is typically used as a supplement in foods due to its extended half life and it is the most commonly studied form of B12 in the literature. It is therefore the form of B12 most recommended by nutritionists and doctors.
Adenosylcobalamin and Methylcobalamin are the most commonly found forms of B12 within the body. These are not the preferred form of B12 for supplements given that they don't have a long half life like cyanocobalamin.
Hydroxycobalamin has a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to it and is not normally present in the human body.
In a random sample of 1085 men and 1125 women aged 20-97, researchers found that vitamin B12 deficiency was prevalent in 3.6% and subclinical low-normal levels were found in 26% of the sample. Vitamin B12 levels decline with age and have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline.
Ref:
Moore E.M., Pasco J, A., Mander A., Sanders K.M., Carne R., Jenkins N., Black M., Schneider H.G., Ames D. & Watters D.A. (2014). The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in a random sample from the Australian population. Journal of Investigational Biochemistry, 3, 95-100.
The body can store approximately 4 years worth of vitamin B12, thus it may be some time before your blood panel shows you as being deficient in vitamin B12 after starting on a plant based diet. This is why I recommend taking a vitamin B12 supplement.
There is only one vitamin that cannot be sourced naturally from plants - vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is made by bacteria in the ground, however B12 is only produced if the soil contains cobalt (hence the name cobalamin). It would normally have been found in fresh water streams that we drank from or it would be found on our vegetables after we pull them from the ground, thus someone consuming a plant-based diet would have obtained all the B12 they needed from these sources. However, thanks to modern farming practices such as pesticide use, the fact that we wash our vegetables and sanitisation of water, these B12 producing bacteria are destoryed and therefore we do not receive sufficient B12 to supplement a plant-based diet in the modern era.
This B12 producing bacteria is found in the guts of animals that consume food directly from the soil, however due to declining soil quality from intensive over farming, the soil is becoming increasingly deficient in cobalt and thus B12 deficiency is a concern for cattle as well. Also, cattle are fed large quantities of antibiotics which again destroy some of the bacteria in their guts responsible for production of B12.
Humans also contain the bacteria necessary to synthesise B12 in their guts but they are too far down the digestive tract and thus B12 is unable to be absorbed by the digestive system, rather they are excreted in our faeces. So don't be fooled into thinking you can get your B12 requirements naturally from meat. The irony is, most cattle are B12 deficient since they are now grain fed or due to declining soil integrity and thus a majority of the worlds vitamin B12 supplements are given directly to farmed animals. Therefore, whether you eat meat or plants, you are still most likely getting your B12 requirements through a supplement.
One of Australia's largest vitamin D studies conducted on 24,000 people over the age of 2 years, found that up to 58% of Australians are deficient in the vitamin, and not 23% to 31% as other reports suggest. If you are getting about 30 minutes of sunlight each day then it is more than likely that you do not need a Vitamin D supplement. However, there is absolutely no harm in supplementing with a small amount of vitamin D, which is why we have included it in our product.
Ref:
Boyages S & Bilinski K (2012). Seasonal reduction in vitamin D level persists into spring in NSW Australia: implications for monitoring and replacement. Clinical Endocrinology, 77, 515-523.
Daly R.M., Gagnon C., Lu Z.X., Magliano D.J., Dunstan D.W., Sikaris K.A., Zimmet P.Z., Ebeling P.R. & Shaw J.E (2012). Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its determinants in Australian adults aged 25 years and older: a national, population-based study. Clinical Endocrinology, 77, 26-35.
A majority of studies have shown that vitamin D3 is superior to vitamin D2 in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. A study by Trang et al. (1998) showed vitamin D3 supplementation increased vitamin D stores in the body 1.7 times more than vitamin D2 supplementation. Another study by Armas et al. (2004) showed vitamin D2 potency is less than one third that of vitamin D3.
A systematic review by Tripkovic et al. (2012) looked at all studies of vitamin D supplementation from January 1950 - November 2011. They found a total of 3,030 studies that matched their search criteria, of which only 7 were deemed eligible and met the inclusion criteria. Their conclusions were that vitamin D3 supplementation is more efficacious at raising serum vitamin D levels than vitamin D2 supplements.
On the other hand, I can only find two studies that show vitamin D2 is equivalent to vitamin D3. A study published by Holicket al. (2008) and another by Biancuzzo et al. (2010)found that a 1000IU daily dose of vitamin D2 was equally as effective as a 1000IU daily dose of vitamin D3 in maintaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels.
Ref:
Trang H.M., Cole D.E., Rubin L.A., Pierratos A., Siu S. & Vieth R. (1998). Evidence that vitamin D3 increases serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D more efficiently than does vitamin D2. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 68, 854-858.
Armas L.A., Hollis B.W. & Heaney R.P. (2004). Vitamin D2 is much less effective than vitamin D3 in humans. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 98, 5387-5391.
Tripkovic L., Lambert H. Hart K. et al. (2012). Comparison of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Nutrition, 95, 1357-1364.
Holick M.F., Biancuzzo R.M., Chen T.C., Klein E.K., Young A., Bibuld D., Reitz R., Salameh W., Ameri A. & Tannenbaum A. D. (2008). Vitamin D2 Is as Effective as Vitamin D3 in Maintaining Circulating Concentrations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 93, 677-681.
Biancuzzo R.M., Young A., Bibuld D., Cau M.H., Winter M.R., Klein E.K., Ameri A., Reitz R., Salameh W., Chen T.C. et al. (2010).Fortification of orange juice with vitamin D(2) or vitamin D(3) is as effective as an oral supplement in maintaining vitamin D status in adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91, 1621-1626.
The vitamin D3 in our supplement comes from Lichen. Lichen is a symbiosis (mutualistic relationship) between two different organisms - a fungus and an algae. Lichen covers a large percentage of the earth and is often known as "reindeer moss" or "Iceland moss" as it grows mostly in mountainous regions of northern countries like Iceland and Arctic regions such as Alaska and is a main source of food for native animals such as Reindeer.
Lichen produces vitamin D3 to protect itself from the sun as do humans. Lichen provides a pure, toxin-free and clean way of supplementing vitamin D3.
The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia states that the daily recommended intake of Omega-3 (ALA) is 0.8 grams/day for women and 1.3 grams/day for men.
During the production of the supplement, we encountered many difficulties in finding a source of ground flaxseed that both high concentrations of omega-3's and a long shelf life.
Why doesn't flaxseed meal have high concentrations of omega-3's?
Most of the flaxseed meal that you buy in Australia has had the flax oil extracted from it prior to creating the flaxseed meal. Extracting the oil means the flaxseed meal has a longer shelf life and doesn't need to be kept refrigerated to stop it from degrading. However, this also decreases the Omega-3 content.
What about whole flaxseed?
Whole flaxseed certainly contains high levels of omega-3's (approximately 3grams per tablespoon); however, the body has a somewhat difficult time breaking down the seed and extracting the omega's.
Our supplement contains whole flaxseeds that have been ground down during the mixing process to ensure you get all your omega 3 requirements for the day. We have also included flaxseed meal to ensure the rest of the supplement mixes uniformly throughout the formula. You will still find some whole flaxseeds in the formula which are very easily ground up in a blender making the omega's easier to absorb in the body.
You can still certainly throw this supplement on your cereal or even into a glass of soy milk or water without putting it in a blender and you will still absorb your daily required omegas given a majority of flaxseeds are crushed, especially if consuming it with soy milk since soy is another great source of Omega-3's.
No. You can consume this formula however you like (in a glass of water or soy milk or almond milk) since a majority of the flaxseed is ground during the mixing process and we use some flaxseed meal to ensure the product mixes uniformly. I would recommend consuming it with a glass of soy milk since soy milk is high in Omega-3's as well. Each 250ml of soy milk contains about 200-300mg of ALA.
However, if you want to be 100% sure you are optimising omega-3 absoption then I would recommend using this formula in a blender with your smoothie. Most of the research on omega-3's absorption with flaxseed has shown that it is highest when the flaxseed has been blended or ground.
There are only 2 fatty acids that are considered essential to the human diet: ALA (Alpha-linolenic acid - omega-3 fatty acid) and LA (Linolenic acid - omega-6 fatty acid). Now here's the important part, DHA (Docosahexanaenoic acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) are not considered essential since they can be synthesised in the body.
ALA is a long chain, polyunsaturated fatty acid consisting of an 18-carbon chain which can be converted to DHA (22-carbon chain) and EPA (20-carbon chain), which are also long chain fatty acids. Sanders (2009) showed that vegans and vegetarians typically have lower levels of DHA and EPA but this has never been shown to be detrimental to their health. On the other hand, Saunders et al. (2013) showed absolutely no difference in the DHA and EPA levels between vegans and those who consume meat.
Whilst it is highly debatable, the best way to increase your DHA and EPA levels without taking a supplement is to increase your ALA (best source is flaxseed and chia seeds) intake and decrease your LA (the most common source of LA is in vegetable oils) intake. This is because the enzyme that converts ALA to DHA and EPA also converts LA to other molecules and there is competition between ALA and LA. Ezaki et al. (1999) showed that a diet rich in ALA intake will significantly increase your EPA and DHA levels in the blood over a period of months. Brenna et al. (2009) provides a very thorough summary on ALA supplementation showing that the data consistently reports increases in EPA and DPAn-3 (a precursor to DHA) with short-term ALA supplementation and long-term effects showed significant increases in DHA. However, what effect this has on health is still debatable. A Cochrane review showed that increasing DHA and EPA levels has little or no effect on mortality or cardiovascular health. However low-quality studies suggest ALA may slightly reduce cardiovascular event risk and coronary heart disease mortality.
My recommendation is to consume a small amount of ground flaxseed daily to meet your omega-3 needs. The World Health Organisation recommends we should get 0.5% of our calories from long chain omega-3 ALA which can then be converted to DHA and EPA in the body. However, there is no known harm is supplementing with an algae-based DHA/EPA supplement if you are at all concerned.
Ref:
Sanders T. (2009). DHA status of vegetarians. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 81, 137-141.
Saunders A.V., Davis B.C., & Garg M.L. (2013) Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vegetarian diets. Medical Journal of Australia, 199, 5-45.
Brenna J.T., Salem Jr N., Sinclair A.J. & Cunnane S.C. (2009). Alpha-linolenic acid supplementation and conversion to n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in humans. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 80, 85-91.
Ezaki O., Takahashi M., Shigematsu T., Shimamura K., Kimura J., Ezaki H. & Gotoh T. (1999). Long-term effects of dietary alpha-linloenic acid from perilla oil on serum fatty acid composition and on the risk factors of coronary heart disease in Japanese elderly subjects. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, 45, 759-772.
Abdelhamid A.S., Brown T.J., Brainard J.S., Biswas P., Thorpe G.C., Moore H.J., Deane K.H., AlAbdulghafoor F.K., Summerbell C.D., Worthington H.V., Song F. & Hooper L. (2018). Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 4. CD003177.
Again, the evidence is scarce at best. Long chain omega-3' fatty acids are thought to be responsible for the development of the foetal brain since the adult brain is composed of approximately 60% fat. Burdge et al. (2017) showed that vegetarians and vegans have lower levels of DHA and EPA in their breast milk but the significance of this is questionable - there have been no studies to suggest this has any adverse affects on children.
I personally recommend taking an algae-derived preformed DHA and EPA supplement for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers and also for children as there has not been shown to be any harm in doing so. However, the science is still lacking. I do not believe that supplementing DHA and EPA is necessary for adults who are not pregnant/breastfeeding as long as you consume a diet rich in ALA. However, again, there has not been shown to be any harm in doing so should you feel it necessary.
Ref:
Burdge G.C., Tan S. & Henry C.J. (2017). Long-chain n-3 PUFA in vegetarian women: a metabolic perspective. Journal of Nutritional Science, 58, 1-8.
The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia states that the recommended daily intake for iodine is 150mcg/day. Iodine toxicity is important to be aware of an can occur when iodine intake exceeds > 1000mcg/day.
The recommended daily intake of Iodine is 150mcg. We have only included 100mcg of Iodine in our formula as there are many other dietary sources of Iodine available such as bread, salt, and some fruit and vegetables (apples, oranges, grapes, potatoes, bananas, etc.).
It is important to be aware of iodine toxicity when consuming >1000mcg/day, hence we have opted for a lower amount of Iodine to help mitigate this potential risk.
We use organic Ascophyllum Nodosum which is a specific species of kelp that contains smaller doses of iodine compared to other species. This species contains approximately 700-1000mcg of iodine per gram which is much safer to consume compared to other species of kelp containing up to 5000mcg of iodine per gram.
There has been some criticism of kelp as a source of Iodine given that the Iodine levels can fluctuate, which can increase the potential risk of iodine toxicity. However, our product is tested every 12 months for both Iodine content and heavy metals and meets all compliance requirements of the Food Standards Australia & New Zealand (FSANZ).
The World Health Organisation suggests that daily iodine consumption should not exceed 1000mcg/day. In order to consume 1000mcg of Iodine, you would need to consume the entire 450g (30 day supply) of our Smoothie Booster in 3 days, as each 450g tub contains 3,000mcg of Iodine.
It is interesting to note that the Japanese are considered one of the world's longest living people, with an extraordinarily low rate of certain types of cancer. A major dietary difference that sets Japan apart from other countries is high iodine intake, with seaweed being the most common source. In a study by Zava & Zava (2011) it was estimated that the Japanese consume anywhere from 1000-3000mcg of iodine every day and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan suggest a maximal intake of iodine of 3000mcg/day.
Ref:
Zava T. T. & Zava D. T. (2011). Assessment of Japanese iodine intake based on seaweed consumption in Japan: A literature-based analysis. Thyroid Research, 4, 1-7.
There has been some speculation about Kelp in regards to the high levels of iodine. However, we have used a specific species of Kelp which contains relatively lower levels of Iodine than other species, and have also formulated our Smoothie Booster with a specifically calculated dose of 100mcg of Iodine per serve. This is well below the levels required for iodine toxicity (1000 micrograms per day).
There has also been some concern about the levels of arsenic and heavy metals in seaweeds. However, our product has been tested to make sure that it complies with the acceptable levels as dictated by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). FSANZ claim that "In general, arsenic is present in the vast majority of foods, at extremely low levels" and they advise that "people eat a mixed diet with a variety of foods to minimize risks associated with eating a more limited diet".
Our product is tested for Iodine and heavy metals content every 12 months.
Iodine is essential for thyroid function which has a number of roles including regulation of metabolism and the regulation of bone growth and neural development. Most people get their Iodine from seafood because the oceans are a rich source of Iodine. Interestingly, cow's milk has also previously been a source of Iodine due to the fact that during the sanitisation of the milk vats, Iodine was used to kill bacteria in the tank which was then transferred into the milk during production. This practice is no longer common and therefore dairy is no longer a reliable source of Iodine.
Iodine is a trace mineral found in the soil, but given our soils have been severely affected by over-farming, this mineral is often lacking in our diet. Vegetables that contain iodine include bananas, potatoes, apples, oranges and grapes.
However, the best source of iodine is sea vegetables; the dark green leafy’s of the sea. Sea vegetables are packed with trace minerals as they soak them up straight out of the sea water. Our supplement includes iodine from kelp which is sourced organically from Canada.
There has been some concern about kelp supplements with regard to iodine toxicity. Our supplement contains very small amounts of kelp with highly calculated doses of only 100 micrograms of iodine per serve. The maximum recommended intake of iodine is 1000 micrograms per day so you do not have to be concerned about iodine toxicity taking our supplement.
If this were true then where do mature cows get their calcium from? If cows milk is so rich in calcium and all they eat is grass, then where does all the calcium in cows milk come from? Simple! Calcium comes from green leafy vegetables like kale and broccoli so if you want to increase your calcium intake then throw some kale in your smoothie! Plants get their minerals from the soil which are then eaten by humans or animals so either way you are getting essential minerals from plants.
Here's something else interesting to think about, if cows milk is so important for bone health, then why does Western society have some of the highest rates of osteoporosis even when compared to other age-matched cultures that don't drink cows milk?
Cows milk needs to be pasteurized, a process of removing harmful bacteria and pathogens prior to human consumption - does this sound like a natural source of calcium to you?
Most plant based milks are now fortified and soy products such as tofu are often set in calcium. A study by Tang et al. (2010) showed no difference in absorption of calcium from cows milk versus soy milk.
Ref:
Tang A.L., Walker K.Z., Wilcox G., Strauss B.J., Ashton J.F. & Stojanovska L. (2010). Calcium absorption in Australian osteopenic post-menopausal women: an acute comparative study of fortified soymilk to cows' milk. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 19, 243-249.
Iron is the 4th most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust so it is quite ironic that it is one of the main nutrient deficiencies in our culture. Iron is an essential mineral that is used to make a number of proteins including haemoglobin, myoglobin and a number of enzymes within our body. Almost two-thirds of the body's iron is found in haemoglobin in our red blood cells. One-quarter of the body's iron is found in readily metabolised stores as ferritin or haemosiderin in the liver and the reticulo-endothelial system (part of the immune system). And the remaining iron is in myoglobin of muscle tissue which helps to carry oxygen from the blood and into the mitochondria of the cell to help make energy for the cell.
Iron deficiency usually presents as iron-deficient anaemia, which is low haemoglobin in our blood. This usually manifests as fatigue, shortness of breath and general lethargy. It severe cases it can cause delayed development in infants, impaired cognitive function and impaired immunity.
Iron from food comes in two general forms - haem iron and non-haem iron. Iron from animal food sources such as red meat are usually in the form of haem iron, whereas the iron in plant sources such as grains and vegetables in non-haem iron. Haem iron is more bioavailable to humans than non-haem iron but the body absorbs non-haem iron just fine. You can increase the absorption of non-haem iron by adding other nutrients such as vitamin C or citric acid (citrus fruits) to your diet. Interestingly, about 80% of all iron from our diet is supplied by non-haem iron since it is in stacks of foods we eat.
You most certainly can! Iron is the 4th most abundant mineral in the earths crust. Iron is in plenty of foods and again, if cows are packed full of iron then where do they get it from? They get it from the soil just like we can by following a plant based diet.
To increase your iron absorption, try the following:
Add plenty of green leafy vegetables to your smoothie. I use frozen organic spinach and kale
Add pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to your diet or blend them up in your smoothie
Not only can you survive on a plant-based diet, but you can absolutely thrive on a plant-based diet. In fact, one of the largest prospective cohort studies to date, the EPIC-Oxford Study (2009), followed 63,550 men and women living in the UK and looked at the incidence of cancer in this population through national registries. They found that the incidence of ALL cancers combined was lower among vegetarians than meat eaters. One study by Singh et al. (2003) analysed 6 prospective cohort studies and concluded that long-term vegetarians live an average of 3.6 years longer than omnivores. A more recent study by Kim et al. followed 11,879 participants and showed that people consuming a healthy plant-based diet (based on a whole-food plant-based diet) had a 5% less chance of dying from any cause. Further, a recent meta-analysis published in the Lancet by Reynolds et al. (2019) showed that people eating a diet high in fibre and good carbohydrates (i.e. whole grains) had up to a 30% reduction in all cause mortality.
I can present you articles that show a plant based diet can reverse prostate cancer (Ornish et al. 2005), reverse coronary artery disease and prevent heart attacks (Esselstyn et al. 2014), reverse diabetes in just 12 days (Anderson and Ward, 1979), cure rheumatoid arthritis (Kjeldsen-Kragh et al. 1991) and the list goes on and on. Even the World Health Organisation, the global leaders in public health, performed an independent review of the literature and their conclusions were that red and processed meats were both significant risk factors for bowel cancer. They concluded that for every 50 gram portion of processed meat, your risk of colorectal cancer increases by 18% compared to someone who doesn't eat meat.
Telomeres play a very important role in the ageing process. They protect our DNA by acting as tiny buffers at the end of our chromosomes. They are analogous to the small plastic caps on the end of our shoe laces to keep them from fraying. The average cell divides 50-70 times in its lifetime and each time it divides these telomeres shorten. A study published in the Lancet proved that people with longer telomeres live longer than those with short telomeres. A recent study by Ornish et al. (2013) published in The Lancet Oncology also noted that putting people on a plant based diet actually increased telomere length!
Ref:
Key, T.J., Appleby P.N., Spencer E.A., Travis R.C., Roddam A.W. & Allen N.E. (2009). Cancer incidence in vegetarians: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89, 1620-1626.
Singh P.N., Sabate J. & Fraser G.E. (2003). Does low meat consumption increase life expectancy in humans? The American Jounral of Clinical Nutrition, 78, 526-532.
Kim H., Caulfied L.E. & Rebholz C.M. (2018). Healthy plant-based diets are associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality in US adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 148, 624-631.
Reynolds A., Mann J., Cummings J., Winter N., Mete E. & Te Morenga L. (2019). Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of sytematic reviews and meta-analyses. The Lancet, 393, 434-445.
Ornish D., Weidner G., Fair W.R., Marlin R., et al. (2005). Intensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer. The Journal of Urology, 174, 1065-1070.
Anderson J.W. & Ward K. (1979). High-carbohydrate, high-fiber diets for insulin-treated men with diabetes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 32, 2312-2321.
Kjeldsen-Kragh J., Borchgrevink C.F., Laerum E., Haugen M., Eek M., Frre O. et al. (1991). Controlled trial of fasting and one-year vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis. The Lancet, 338, 899-902.
Esselstyn Jr C.B., Gendy, G., Doyle J., Golubic M. & Roizen M.F. (2014). A way to reduce CAD? The Journal of Family Practice, 63, 356-364.
Cawthon R.M., Smith K.R., O'Brien E., Sivatchenko A. & Kerber R.A. (2003). Association between telomere length in blood and mortality in people aged 60 years or older. The Lancet, 361, 393-395.
Ornish D., Lin J., Chan J.M., Epel E., Kemp C., Weidner G et al. (2013). Effect of comprehensive lifestyle changes on telemorase activity and telomere length in men with biopsy-proven low-risk prostate cancer: 5-year follow-up of a descriptive pilot study. The Lancet Oncology, 14, 1112-1120.
If protein is so important for development of the human brain then why can the brain ONLY use carbohydrate as an energy source? The only source of fuel the brain uses for energy is carbohydrate. Not protein, nor fat. And the brain is in fact composed of no less than 60% fat. The neurotransmitters in the brain are composed of partly fat and partly protein, but as I said before, you get all the protein you need from plants (just ask a rhinocerus). Ever wondered why soy based protein supplements have equal, if not more protein in them per 100g when compared to animal-based protein supplements? In fact, soy beans have the highest protein content per gram of all foods.
And yes, I can hear some of you saying “well the brain can use ketone bodies” for energy. For those who don't know, ketones are produced when the body is so starved of fuel that it can no longer increase the amount of glucose in the blood to supply fuel to the brain. So the body must breakdown fats to produce energy. The only problem is, fats can't cross the blood-brain-barrier and be used as a fuel source, so the body must produce Ketone bodies which can cross the blood-brain-barrier and be used as a fuel source by the brain during periods of intense starvation. It is a survival mechanism to keep the brain alive during such dire and desperate times, and Ketones produce far less energy than carbohydrates do per molecule. Now does this sound like a preferred source of fuel to you?! I'm sorry to all of the people who follow the ketogenic diet but I don't see how starving the brain of its preferred and primary source of energy is a good idea. In fact, a recent meta-analysis published in the Lancet by Reynolds et al. (2019) showed that people eating a diet high in fibre and in good carbohydrates (i.e. whole grains) had up to a 30% reduction in all cause mortality. In other words, good carbs are good for our health!
If we need so much protein then why does human breast milk contain the lowest concentration of protein compared to any other mammal on the planet? A neonates brain undergoes the most radical phase of brain growth and research has shown that the most crucial age for brain development is from birth to 6 years old. Yet the perfect food source that has been designed for babies over the millions of years of evolution has the lowest amount of protein content compared to any other mammal on the planet (Human breast milk = 1.2% vs Cow breast milk = 3.2%) . Human breast milk also has the highest amount of carbohydrates of any mammal.
Ref:
Reynolds A., Mann J., Cummings J., Winter N., Mete E. & Te Morenga L. (2019). Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of sytematic reviews and meta-analyses. The Lancet, 393, 434-445.
Whether or not we ate meat which led to the evolution of the human brain is an irrelevant discussion. The fact is, our goals as a human species have changed since thousands of years ago. Back in the caveman era, our goal was to stay alive long enough so that we could reproduce before dying in our early 20's. Nowadays, our goals are to eat a calorie restricted diet so we can live to a ripe old age. And cavemen certainly did not have access to the food that we have access to in our modern society, and they most certainly did not push a shopping trolley around a supermarket to get their food. Now I have no doubt in my mind that as a species, humans certainly did start eating meat in their diet at some stage. But to say that it was meat that made our brains evolve is certainly an outrageous claim with zero evidence.
People say that it was the fact that we ate meat that allowed the brain to grow to the size it is today. Whilst brain size and structure is important, it is certainly not the only factor that makes humans an intelligent species. If this were the case then a Pilot Whale would be the smartest animal in the world as it has the highest number of neocortical neurons - twice that of humans! What separates us from pilot whales is the ability of our brains to utilise energy, in other words, our cerebral metabolic rate. The metabolic costs of the brain are thought to explain the evolution of humans and the primary energy source that the brain utilises is carbohydrates. It can use ketone bodies in periods of starvation, but these are certainly not the brains preferred source of fuel since they do not release as much energy as carbs - sorry to all my keto-diet friends.
A key concept to the theory of evolution is that a species will have a better chance of survival if it can obtain its energy from the most efficient means i.e. doing the least amount of work for the most reward, and the simple fact is that the body will preferentially utilise carbohydrates first, then fats and then protein for energy. Carbohydrates are by far the most efficient means of producing energy. The basal energy unit is Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), and Oxygen is used to produce ATP at the cellular level – this is the basis for life to exist. Efficiency can be measured by how many ATP molecules can be produced per molecule of Oxygen consumed.
Fats produce 2.8 molecules of ATP for every Oxygen molecule where is carbohydrates produce 3.2 molecules of ATP for every molecule of Oxygen. And proteins produce even less ATP per molecule of Oxygen since they enter the Krebs cycle even lower down the chain. Ketones can also produce energy for the brain to utilise but again, they yield less ATP than carbohydrates, hence they are not the brain's primary or preferred source of fuel. The brain will always utilise carbohydrates well before any other fuel source, ketones included. Additionally, the specific dynamic action is the amount of energy expenditure above the basal metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for use and storage. Carbohydrates and fats are easiest to process at 5-15% of energy consumed, whereas proteins are very difficult to process at 20-30% of energy consumption. So why would the body evolve over thousands of years to preferentially use carbohydrates as a primary fuel source for the brain and the entire human body if meat were the preferred energy source?!
Here's another point to consider: an animal that is able to construct weapons to be used for hunting and also develop a highly intelligent language to coordinate the hunt, would arguably already be a highly evolved and well adapted species in order to do so. I'm still yet to find convincing evidence that meat led to the development of the human brain.
See FAQ Was it the fact that we ate meat that led to the evolution of the human brain? for more information.
It was Raymond Dart Who postulated the idea that humans ate meat which lead to the development of the human brain. Dart was building a hypothesis of how our ape like ancestors became human. He studied fossilised bone fragments of early hominins and other animals and he noted that these bones were broken in a special way and he became convinced they were weapons made by our ancestors and he postulated that these weapons were used to kill other animals and then eventually used to turn on each other.
Dart had been a young medic in WW1, he had seen first hand the barbarity that humans are capable of and this exposure may have coloured his interpretation of what the fragments of bones meant - that the dawn of humanity was steeped in blood. But whether or not we were killer apes, can be seen in what we ate, and the first direct evidence comes from their teeth. At the Max Planck Insitute in Germany they have studied fossilised teeth of early primates/humans. Phytoliths were found - microscopic remains of many different plants, fruits, grasses and bark. This is the first direct evidence we have that completely disproves Darts theory that we ate meat. Not one fossil has shown that our early ancestors ate a meat based diet. The have even studied our ancestors fossilised faeces and found not one trace of meat, only plants.
There are multiple species on this planet that have been around longer than us consuming meat, so why hasn't their brains evolved? The ONLY difference between us and EVERY single other species on this planet is the fact that we cook our food - this is something that is not done by a single species other than humans. Cooking helps to break down the cellular structure of food which means it is easier to extract the nutrients and thus we obtain energy more efficiently. It is postulated that the reason humans evolved is due to the fact that we learnt to control fire and cook our food. This meant we could extract more energy and nutrients from food and thus spent less time eating throughout the day and more time developing as a species. The evidence is scarce at best, but this sounds much more convincing to me. The fact is, there are multiple species on this planet that only eat meat and have been around far longer than us but they're brains have not evolved the way that a humans has. Now this might sound like a weak argument to many, but this is their exact argument - that meat made the human brain evolve, so why hasn't it done the same for other species that have been around much longer than us, like crocodiles for example?
Another fact to consider is that the human brain has actually decreased in size over the past 20,000 years. Our brain volume has decreased by the size of a tennis ball compared to our ancestors who lived 10,000 - 20,000 years ago. Yet in that time, I would argue that humans have made the most advancements in human history like performing life saving surgeries, flying planes all over the world and even landing a spaceship on the moon. So its a very weak argument to say that meat made our brains bigger which enabled us to evolve.
Another theory to explain our evolution revolves around the premise that we developed a complex voice box which allowed us to form an intelligent language which we then used to pass on information to subsequent generations - thus expanding on our knowledge and favouring our evolution.
The first question to ask yourself is where does protein come from? ALL proteins originally come from plants! Yes that's right, ALL protein comes from plants! Protein is made from Amino Acids which have both an “Amine” group (-NH2) and a “Carboxyl” group (-COOH) which is an acid - hence the term amino acid. Amines are compounds that contain a nitrogen atom in its chemical structure. And the largest source of nitrogen on the planet is in the air we breathe. And the ONLY species in the world that is capable of extracting this nitrogen from the atmosphere and incorporating it into its carbon structure to create an amino acid, is plants! Fancy that!
A complete protein is a food source that contains adequate amounts of all of the 9 essential amino acids necessary for the human body. Essential amino acids must be supplied by the diet and cannot be synthesised in the body. There are loads of plants that are considered a complete protein including soy, quinoa, beans, rice, peanut butter, and the list goes on! And you don’t need to consume a complete protein food source with every meal, eat enough plants and you will be more than fine! People eating a plant-based diet can get ALL the protein they need from plants. Ever asked a rhinoceros, an elephant or a silver-back gorilla where they get their protein from? The truth is they only eat grass or leaves and they would absolutely crush a human (and yes, gorillas do eat some insects but seriously, how much protein is in an insect?).
The fact is, plants have all the protein you need and ALL proteins come from plants initially. Non-essential amino acids can be synthesised by humans, but this is done through recycled plant protein. Certain bacteria in the body are capable of recycling the nitrogen from previously consumed amino acids and converting them into other amino acids. The fundamental problem for any biological system to synthesise amino acids is to obtain nitrogen and the body obtains the much needed nitrogen through initially consuming plant protein.
This is a difficult debate to have since the evidence is limited at best. There really isn't much evidence on either side of the argument but I have to say the evidence for consuming plants is far more convincing then the evidence for eating meat. I have no doubt that humans did start eating meat at some stage in our history, but that does not mean that we are designed to eat meat. I truly believe the best way to decipher what we are designed to eat is to look at our physiology and anatomical make-up.
Lets start from the
top, your jaw. People always say to me, "well if Im supposed to be a herbivore
then why do I have these K9 teeth?”. Those K9 teeth are barely able to bite through the tag left on a new item of clothing from Kmart let alone biting into
a thick cow hide. Silverback Gorillas, one of our closest relatives, have far
bigger K9’s than us and they dont
eat meat. I’ve seen these beautiful animals in person and all they eat is leaves and twigs. And yes, they do eat some insects that are on the plants but I'm pretty sure they don't have large K9's to tear into ants.
Lets look at our jaw structure. Herbivores jaws are
both a hinge joint and a sliding joint. This allows their jaws to open and
close and also move side to side for grinding food. Carnivores and omnivores
jaws are a single hinge joint meaning they can only open and close and they
have razor sharp teeth designed to tear into flesh. All you have to do is google human teeth vs lion teeth or bear teeth, they are polar opposites.
Moving on to the
structure of our gut. Our stomachs are incredibly small, compared to a
carnivore. Carnivores only eat once every 1-2 days and therefore their stomachs
contribute to 60-70% of the total volume of the digestive tract, whereas a
human stomach contributes to only 25% of the total volume. Having a large
stomach enables the carnivore to eat up to 30% of its own body weight in one
sitting. If humans were designed like a carnivore then for a normal 80kg human,
we would be able to consume 24kg of meat in one sitting. Meat has 140
calories/100g this means you would consume 33,000 calories in one sitting. Not
possible! Considering the recommended daily intake is 2000 calories.
A carnivores digestive tract is 3-4 times the length of its torso (measured from
head to tail bone), where is a herbivore is in 9-10 times its body length. The
human intestine averages about 10m in length which is exactly 10 times the
lengths of our torso. We need this long digestive tract because it takes longer
to absorb nutrients from plant based foods due to the structure of cellulose.
Plants don’t have bones so they use insoluble fibre to stiffen their tissues -
fibres such as cellulose which take a long time to break down and therefore we
need a long digestive tract. And as I said before, cooking our food is what helps to break down these fibres. Additionally, our stomachs only
reach a pH of about 1-2 whereas a carnivore can have a stomach pH of < 1. It
needs an incredibly acidic environment to kill the bacteria that comes with
eating meat. Hence the reason we can give rotting food to dogs that isn't suitable for human consumption since dogs have the ability to kill the bacteria in their stomach that comes with eating rotting meat.
Humans have this
obsession with protein and the idea is that we need to eat meat to get enough
protein. So here's my final point: if we need so much protein then why does human breast milk contain the
lowest concentration of protein compared to any other mammal on the planet. I
would argue that a neonates brain undergoes the most radical phase of brain
growth and research has shown that the most crucial age for brain development
is from birth to 6 years old. And the perfect fluid that has been designed for
babies over the millions of years of evolution, the perfect food source for
human babies has the lowest amount of protein content of any other mammal on
the planet. But human breast milk has the highest amount of carbohydrate of any
other mammal. The theory that we
are designed to eat meat is just not adding up.
This has seriously only just scratched the surface of the evidence for eating plants. For a more comprehensive look at our genetic make up and why we are designed to be herbivores, look at Dr Milton Mills' presentation titled "Are we designed to eat meat" on YouTube.
Now I could argue all night and day with another scientist about which diet is the healthiest diet to follow and we could both present scientific data to help back up our argument. In my opinion, a plant-based diet is the healthiest diet to consume for you, for the planet and for the animals. Some people would argue against a plant-based diet being the healthiest, but there are a number of facts about meat that are completely indisputable.
In my opinion, there are 4 major reasons to follow a plant-based diet or even a predominantly plant-based diet for all those people who are looking to start reducing their meat and dairy consumption:
Animal agriculture is the number 1 cause of deforestation of all the major rainforests in the world, the number 1 cause species extinction and the number 1 cause of ocean dead zones. We are currently facing our 6th mass extinction and animals are disappearing at an unprecedented rate. This is all due to the fact that 100,000 acres of land are cleared everyday, and the number 1 cause of land clearance is for livestock and to grow corn and soy to feed livestock.
Animal agriculture is the number 1 cause of antibiotic resistance. We are on the edge of an abyss when it comes to the antibiotic resistant microbe world. It will be a huge threat to global existence and as a doctor, I can certainly say that antibiotic resistant bacteria is becoming more and more prevalent. The FDA estimates that 80% of all antibiotics produced go to animal agriculture due to the fact that they are crammed into tiny spaces with thousands of others and also since the antibiotics are used to help promote growth. Whether this is an accurate statistic or not is irrelevant, what is relevant is that a large majority of the worlds antibiotics are still used on livestock.
Animal agriculture is responsible for the almost 1/3 of the worlds total fresh water supply. It takes 400 litres of water to produce 1kg of potatoes, and it takes 15,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef. We need 6 grams of soy protein to make 1 gram of animal protein. This is completely inefficient and not sustainable at all.
Animal agriculture is responsible for more CO2, methane, nitrous and ammonium emissions than the entire transport sector combined. It is a leading cause of climate change. This is indisputable!
People often say to me that we can make animal farming practices sustainable and we can stop pumping them full of antibiotics, but the reality is, we aren't. So it's all well and good to say that we "should" be farming in more sustainable ways, but we most definitely aren't. The only way to do something about the above issues is to stop or reduce our meat consumption, it's as simple as that. We certainly owe that to our children. When my little boy grows up, looks at me and asks me why the planet has been destroyed, I want to be able to look him in the eye with my hand on my heart and say "I did everything I possibly could to make this world habitable for you". I think that's the very least our children deserve.
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