Vital All-In-One Review (Vital Greens)

 

Vital All-In-One is a powdered comprehensive multi-nutrient supplement originally developed by two Sydney-based Naturopaths in 2000 under the name Vital Greens.

 

This product was created around the need for consumers to take charge of their health and to help them avoid having to swallow multiple tablets and capsules every day.

 

Vital All-In-One (Vital Greens) Contains

1. Greens, Vegetables and High Nutrient Fruits
2. Antioxidants and Immune Support
3. Probiotics, Prebiotics and Digestive Enzymes
4. Stress and Mood Supportive Herbs
5. A Range of Vitamins and Minerals
6. Liver Support
7. Alkaline Vegetable Protein
8. Natural Sweeteners Thaumatin, Stevia and Monk Fruit

 

Time for Fresh Produce?

What could be simpler than not eating enough fruits and vegetables?

This certainly isn’t a recommendation. However, the stark reality is that fresh produce can be expensive, take time to incorporate into meals and can go flimsy and mushy far too quickly.

 

We all know the feeling of finally getting around to doing something with that bunch or spinach or sweet potato only to find that it's now holding some less than desirable qualities.

 

Compost if you can.

 

These days, it doesn’t take long for fresh bought lettuce to shrivel up and start creating a cold lettuce soup in the bottom of the bag.

 

And there are reasons for this low shelf life of fresh produce beyond the scope of this article. Farming methods, storage time and plant health are believed to be some of the culprits.

 

Growing a small amount of your own fresh herbs and greens is actually quite simple and can be a valuable investment in time and money. There’s nothing like fresh picked. The flavour and texture are unparalleled.

 

Nutrition Australia recommends adults consume 5-6 servings of vegetables per day, with 2 pieces of fruit. How close do you get each day?

 

 

The health benefits of fruits and vegetables are in abundance. They offer vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fibre and even help to keep us hydrated.

 

Low on Vitality, High on Fatigue

There are tonnes of essential nutrients in fruits and vegetables that help to us energised. Some even believe that the energetic life-force of the plant helps to sustain us on another level beyond the ability of scientific methods to prove or disprove.

 

Low vitality and fatigue are something typically remedied by a cup of strong coffee. And though there’s nothing wrong with your daily cuppa, there may be a great deal more to low energy levels than a deficiency of caffeine (which doesn’t actually exit [as far as we know!])

 

 

Let’s take a closer look at one single nutrient.

 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is found in high levels in the brain and adrenal glands. We human beings are one of the few species that can’t synthesize our own Vitamin C, as we lack a single enzyme to convert glucose to this vitamin.

 

Vitamin C acts as an important antioxidant in the brain and may assist in the prevention of cognitive decline as we age (1).

 

Within the adrenal glands, Vitamin C is believed to help regulate the stress response and reduce excessive cortisol levels (2). This vitamin has countless other uses in the body, such as supporting immune responses and collagen synthesis.

 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, some of the best sources of Vitamin C are broccoli, red capsicum and citrus fruits.

 

 

This is just one of the many important nutrients found in fresh produce, which Australian’s aren’t getting enough of.

 

Vital All-In-One contains 333mg of Vitamin C per serve, which is over ten time more than the Recommended Dietary Intake. However, therapeutic dosages are often a lot higher and these days can come in liposomal form for enhanced absorption.

 

Vital All-In-One Benefits

This product certainly does pack a lot in! The ingredients list is perhaps one of the longest on the market.

 

But when it comes to supplementation, we want to make sure that we get the right dosage of an ingredient. And the right form too. Quantity and quality are both important factors, though synergism also comes into play here too.

 

An argument could be made that when it comes to Vital Greens (Vital All-In-One, that is), the health benefits are derived from the cumulative effect of the broad range of nutrients found in each serving.

 

Antioxidants

For instance, Goji Berries are a rich source of antioxidants. However, there is only 33mg of this ingredient in each serve. Compare this to a standard serve of dried Goji Berries, which deliver about 20,000mg or 20 grams.

 

 

However, Vital All-In-One contains other antioxidant rich ingredients, such as Grapeseed Extract, Green Tea, Resveratrol and added nutrients like lipoic acid and vitamin C. These all enhance the overall antioxidant power of the powder.

 

So when it comes to nutrient dosing, this product certainly delivers it nutrients from a broad range of ingredients. And because antioxidants work better as a team than they do on their own, this product does pack some free-radical scavenging punch.

 

Phytochemicals

An important part of consuming fruits and vegetables is their phytochemical content.

 

Phyto literally means plant. And when it comes to a phytochemical, the chemical is actually a natural compound. So phytochemical really means the same thing as plant-compound or natural plant-chemicals.

 

There are a very long list of phytochemicals that have been discovered and mostly studied (to a limited degree), with many of them possessing proven health benefits.

 

For instance, you may have heard of Resveratrol before. This phytochemical is naturally found in grapes and red wine.

 

Resveratrol boosts mitochondrial health, which is the energy-producing powerhouse of the cell (3).

 

Preliminary evidence shows that resveratrol may increase ATP levels, which is the energy-currency of the human body (4). More ATP means more energy and increased vitality.

 

There are lot more benefits associated with resveratrol too, such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity and a whole lot more (5).

 

 

Resveratrol is just one of the many natural plant-chemicals found in fruits and vegetables that fight to keep us healthy and prevent chronic disease.

 

Vital All-In-One contains a range of phytochemicals in whole foods powder form, such as Chlorophyll, Beta Carotene and Indole-3-Carbinol. It also contains added resveratrol.

 

Herbal Ingredients

Vital All-In-One contains a range of herbs, such as Siberian Ginseng, Gotu Kola and Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha).

 

Herbal Medicines are pretty much plants that we deem to be strong enough to have medicinal value.

 

It’s important to note that the herbs used in Vital All-In-One are not standardised, nor are they in therapeutic dosages.

 

Standardisation is important when it comes to quality herbs. This process ensures that the herb is of a high enough quality so as to offer proper benefits.

 

Though non-standardised Siberian Ginseng is delivered at a decent dosage of 1,000mg per serve, with Globe Artichoke at 500mg, most herbal ingredients are under the 100mg level.

 

This leaves a lot to be desired.

 

Fresh Produce is Unbeatable

You simply can’t beat fresh fruits and vegetables. And if you’re getting locally grown and organic, then even better.

 

No powder, pill or potion can ever make up for a low intake of fruits and vegetables. However, if your diet is lacking in fresh produce and you’re not going to rectify it, then you are better off with a product like Vital All-In-One to cover some of your nutritional bases.

 

These products can also come in handy when holidaying or if you are more time-poor than usual, ensuring that your micronutrient intake does not fall too low.

 

Vital All-In-One does provide a broad range of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and alkalising ingredients to make up for some of the losses of a poor diet.

 

Vital All-In-One Calorie Content

At only 37Kcal per serve (155 KJ), Vital All-In-One contains a minimal amount of calories, most of which are in the form of protein and carbohydrates.

 

To put this energy value into perspective, 37Kcal is also found in one small apple or about 5 almonds. One serve of Vital All-In-One makes up a small amount of your daily energy or caloric needs.

 

Protein: Quality vs Quantity

Each serve of Vital All-In-One (Vital Greens) contains 1,000mg or 1 gram of Vital Pea Protein. This plant-based protein contains the 9 essential amino acids in an alkaline form.

 

1 Serve delivers a total protein content of 2.3g, with the remainder of the protein delivered by other ingredients, such as Spirulina and Chlorella.

 

Despite the fact that the quality of pea protein is unquestionable, 2.3g is not a significant amount of protein if you need to increase your intake.

 

Quantity is just as important as quality when it comes to protein. Protein powder dosages typically start at around the 20 grams of protein mark.

 

Conclusion

Vital All-In-One can offer many benefits, drawing much of its power from the synergism of a broad range of ingredients that work together. This long list of ingredients offers an even greater quantity of phytochemicals and antioxidants, which tend to work well as a team.

 

However, some of the nutrient dosages do fall short. And quantity of each herb, and the protein content, are less than ideal. If you need to increase your protein intake, you would be better suited to Vital Protein (pea protein isolate).

 

Fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly organic and locally grown, are unbeatable when it comes to getting your daily quota of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fibre.

 

 

So if you think that this product means you can forget about the fresh produce section of the supermarket, well, it might be worth thinking again.

 

In saying this, there are certainly times when the benefits of Vital All-In-One will shine for you, such as during holiday periods or if you lack the time to cook and shop.

 

If you know your diet is not up to scratch and probably won’t be any time soon, this product is certainly worth your consideration as it will cover some of the lack that your diet is creating.

 

References

1. Harrison FE and May JM. Vitamin C function in the brain: vital role of the ascorbate transporter SVCT2. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 2009 Vol 46;6 p.719-730

2. Peter E.M., et al. Vitamin C supplementation attenuates the increases in circulating cortisol, adrenaline and anti-inflammatory polypeptides following ultramarathon running. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2001 Vol 22;7 p.537-543

3. Jardim FR et al. Resveratrol and brain mitochondria: a review. Molecular neurobiology. 2018 Vol 55;3 p.2085-2101

4. Ferretta A et al. Effect of resveratrol on mitochondrial function: implications in parkin-associated familiar Parkinson's disease. Molecular Basis of Disease. 2014 Vol 1842;7 p.902-915

5. Kim YJ et al. Recent studies on resveratrol and its biological and pharmacological activity. EXCLI Journal. 2017 Vol 16 p.602-608

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