Chew My Supplements?!?!?

Whole food supplements, in particular the Standard Process Lab, are concentrated food sources. As such, like any food, it should be chewed to gain the greatest benefits. Now, if you have ever tasted them, they do not taste good and that is being kind. Even to the most hardened naturalist, you really have to talk to yourself to believe they taste good. Even though I know how good they are for me, they still taste bad. The only redeeming factor is, I know how nourishing they are to my cells, tissues, organs and systems.

Additional thoughts on this subject from the Compiled Notes on Clinical Nutritional Products, Walter H. Schmitt, Jr., D.C.

All nutritional supplements discussed above and below in these notes should be chewed by the patient. The only exceptions are those products containing hydrochloric acid, which, when chewed or sucked upon, will cause an erosion of the enamel of the teeth in a relatively short time.

The only patients who should not be made to chew these supplements are those who become nauseous and vomit when tasting them. There are no other exceptions. All of the substances discussed in these notes are actually foods, and although the good tasting part of the foods may have been removed in order to concentrate the nutrients, they are still foods and should be treated as such and chewed. It is alright for a patient to drink water (or fruit juice) after chewing the pills, but they are foods and as such, they must be chewed to activate the oral stages of digestion and thereby produce the full benefits of the substances. Patients will still derive much benefit from the substances if they are sucked upon for a minute of so before swallowing. Tasting the substances is the critical factor, and although chewing is the best, sucking them for a minute or so is a reasonably good alternative, but should be reserved for only the most resistant patients. In the impossible case (which should be only about 1 out of 100) the patient will still get some help from the nutrients if they are merely swallowed. But the effectiveness is diminished so devastatingly that this procedure is vehemently discouraged." Compiled notes on Clinical Nutritional Products by Walter H. Schmitt, Jr, D.C.

Well, vehemently is a bit much and drinking fruit juice, by many nutritionists is a no-no, because of the high sugar content. I would also add that if it comes in a capsules, don't chew them. So, in this case, I am just the messenger however, it makes a lot of sense. There have been studies on patients that have swallowed a caustic substance that so damaged the oesophagus that the patient could not chew. The doctors would emulsify the food and feed the patient directly via a tube into the stomach. These patients did not fair well in utilising the food. They next had the patients chew the food and then took the food out of the mouth and feed it into the stomach with significantly better results. Bottom line is the biochemical aspect of saliva, with its' digestive enzymes begins the digestive phase of the food along with the neurological messages sent out to the rest of the digestive system to get ready for the particular food coming its way.