The supplement industry is scamming you

Good morning Healthy Mail family!

Walk into any health store and you'll see walls of bottles promising everything from "instant energy" to "miraculous weight loss" to "immune system support."

The supplement industry is worth $140+ billion annually. That's bigger than the entire movie industry.

But here's what they don't want you to know:

Most of it is completely unregulated snake oil.

I've been digging into this lately because I keep getting questions like "What supplements should I take?" and "Do I need a greens powder?"

The uncomfortable truth:

Supplements aren't FDA regulated like medications. Companies can literally put anything in a bottle, make wild health claims, and sell it to you. No proof required.

Most people are peeing out expensive urine. Your body can only absorb so much of any vitamin. That $50 vitamin C supplement? You're probably absorbing $2 worth and flushing the rest down the toilet.

The "clinical studies" are often garbage. Tiny sample sizes, conflicts of interest, or studies done on rats that somehow apply to humans. Real science doesn't work that way.

Fear-based marketing is their specialty. "Are you getting enough antioxidants?" "Is your immune system strong enough?" They create anxiety about problems you probably don't have, then sell you the "solution."

What nutrition experts actually recommend:

Most registered dietitians will tell you the same thing: Get your nutrients from food first. Your body recognizes and absorbs nutrients from real food way better than synthetic vitamins.

The few supplements that might actually be worth it:

• Vitamin D (if you live somewhere with limited sun)

• B12 (if you're vegetarian/vegan)

• Omega-3s (if you don't eat fish)

• Iron (if you're diagnosed with deficiency)

Everything else? You can probably get from food.

The real kicker? Some supplements can actually be harmful. Mega-doses of vitamins can interfere with absorption of other nutrients or cause toxicity.

Here's what I've observed:

People who focus on eating a variety of real foods feel better and spend way less money than people who pop handfuls of supplements while eating processed food.

You don't need a $40 greens powder if you eat actual greens. You don't need a $60 probiotic if you eat yogurt and fermented foods. You don't need a $35 protein powder if you eat enough actual protein.

The supplement industry thrives on people feeling like their regular food isn't "enough." But here's the thing - it usually is.

Instead of spending hundreds on supplements, invest in:

• Higher quality real food

• Learning to cook simple, nutrient-dense meals

• Building sustainable eating habits

My complete recipe collection - all 6 books with 180 recipes designed around getting maximum nutrition from real, whole foods.

Get the Complete Collection - $29.99 instead of $99.99 - Save $70!

Every recipe packs in more vitamins and minerals than most supplement bottles, but from sources your body can actually absorb and use.

What supplements are you currently taking? Have you noticed any real difference? Hit reply and tell me - I'm genuinely curious about people's experiences!

Here's to real nutrition from real food! Sarah

P.S. - The best "supplement" I ever took? A daily smoothie with spinach, berries, and nuts. Cost me $2, gave me energy for hours, and I actually felt the difference. Sometimes the simplest solutions work best.