Nutrition and Immune Health: Why Real Food

Nowadays, everyone is looking to support their immune system, and the supplement aisle is often the first place we turn. Vitamin C capsules, zinc lozenges, and more, many of us could spend hours—and our whole paycheck—shopping for vitamins and supplements.

However, in our quest for health, we often miss what’s right under our nose (and in our refrigerator). One word, four letters, and we need it to survive. Any guesses?

That’s right: it’s food.

Nutrition is essential for a healthy immune system, and malnutrition—even if it’s mild—is the most prevalent cause of immunodeficiency (1). A well-oiled immune system is an indicator of good health and will help your body fight off nasty disease and infection.

As the age-old adage goes, “you are what you eat,” and while no food (or supplement) technically “boosts” the immune system, a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients can help keep your immune system running properly.

So in the quest for health, why turn to food over supplements with our immune vitamin bites? It’s simple: our bodies were designed to eat food, and GEM delivers your daily essentials in real-food form.

A More Efficient Format

Our bodies are able to absorb and metabolize nutrients from whole foods much more efficiently than capsules and pills. Known as “food synergy,” nutrients from food are absorbed together, and work synergistically with the other nutrients present in the whole plant.

While vitamins and minerals are often in the limelight, there is a lesser-known category of non-essential nutrients found in plants, called phytochemicals. Phytochemicals might not be necessary for survival (hence “non-essential”), but they do boast an array of impressive benefits, such as cancer and Type 2 Diabetes prevention, and reduction in stroke risk (2).

There are thousands of phytochemicals—some known and others unknown—that will never make it into a pill; yet, it’s the combination of phytochemicals that produce the antioxidative and preventative benefits of a whole foods diet (3). GEM is made from whole foods only, meaning you consume those phytochemical superstars with each daily bite.

Only What You Need

Take a look at the GEM nutrition label, and you’ll notice that none of the daily essentials found in our bites exceed 100% DV, simply because our body can’t absorb, or thrive on, a megadose of vitamins.

If you’ve ever taken a Nutrition 101 course, you might remember that there are two types of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Our body excretes excess water-soluble vitamins, but stores excess fat-soluble vitamins, which can lead to toxicity over time. Additionally, evidence suggests that overnutrition can cause more harm than good (1). In a recent study, researchers found that excess calcium intake—specifically from conventional supplements—was associated with increased mortality risk (4).

So don’t let those high percentages found on most supplement labels fool you, and let’s get back to the basics by focusing on whole-food nutrition. GEM fills in the gaps in our diet by providing everyday essentials in real food form, leading to optimized absorption and a healthier and happier you.