7 replies to this topic

[RemiDav]

Hi all,

 

 

I am a bit new to this but feel we can greatly learn from each others.
I noticed it is a bit hard to find some products in Canada compared to the US.
It would be great if everyone shared what products they took and where they got them (Canada / US Import).

 

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I will start with myself. Having been on a Keto diet for a while, these are the only things I take so far:

-Green Tea Extract (with ECGC) to lower fat absorption.

After having looked at several brands, I ended up settling with "Botanica Green Tea Extract" on Amazon Canada since it has 500mg of extract per capsule, with at least 45% ECGC (=225mg).
Being sold currently at $28 for 120 capsules ($0.23 / 500mg capsule), it felt like a good deal compared to other brands.

-Caffeine pills (100mg):
I either buy the Wake Up brand or the Life equivalent from Shoppers. I find that the Life brand version dissolves faster (if you want to mix it).
 

[RemiDav]

After doing some research, I found out that the brand I purchased (Botanica) was actually one of the less valuable ones because the lab measured content of EGCg is only around 170mg.

Using Labdoor and ConsumerLab reports on the real contents of EGCg supplements, and getting prices from amazon, I found out that there are other more valuable brands.
I made a google spreadsheet but I cannot post links yet (I'm too new). Here are parts of the results:
 

Brand : EGCg (mg) / Num capsules / Price / Cost per 100mg EGCg

• Buddha's Herbs Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract: 
  204.21 / 200 / $19.00 / $0.047
• NOW Foods EGCG Green Tea Extract (x4):
  200 / 720 / $78.00 / $0.054
• Best Naturals Green Tea Extract:
  201.95 / 240 / $28.20 / $0.058
• Source Naturals Green Tea Extract 500mg (x3):
  183.38 / 360 / $48.00 / $0.073
• NOW Foods EGCG Green Tea Extract:
  200 / 180 / $27.30 / $0.076
• Life Extension Mega Green Tea Extract (x3):
  353.26 / 300 / $81.31 / $0.077

Attached Files

•  EGCg-amazon.png   43.2KB   0 downloads

[YOLF]

Have you thought about just buying bulk powder? Alot of extracts actually have a tea like taste, just find an appropriately sized scoop and you could probably save 75% or more compared to the lowest priced capsule.

 

 

[RemiDav]

Have you thought about just buying bulk powder? Alot of extracts actually have a tea like taste, just find an appropriately sized scoop and you could probably save 75% or more compared to the lowest priced capsule.

I see that in the US you have great options for bulk buying. Unfortunately, in Canada it seems very limited and I didn't find any brand that are either in the Labdoor or ConsumerLab reports (aka certified in some way).
If some members know good US sources that export to Canada with affordable shipping, I am all ears !

[YOLF]

 

Have you thought about just buying bulk powder? Alot of extracts actually have a tea like taste, just find an appropriately sized scoop and you could probably save 75% or more compared to the lowest priced capsule.

I see that in the US you have great options for bulk buying. Unfortunately, in Canada it seems very limited and I didn't find any brand that are either in the Labdoor or ConsumerLab reports (aka certified in some way).
If some members know good US sources that export to Canada with affordable shipping, I am all ears !

 

Labdoor and ConsumerLab very likely ignore the bulk powder market because it doesn't need to be policed (at least in the US). They can generally provide you with certificates of analysis that are very thorough at all vendors, even if they don't provide them. The key is to find someone in the US with in-house testing. Also, I take alot of supps, and bottling is where most of the mistakes I've seen in the supplement industry come from. It's the wrong high quality extract being put in the wrong bottle at that point. But mostly, I think it's WalMart's braind that is raising most of the red flags. They have lots of toxic and allergenic excipients, they're still using talc in products and it causes heartburn and probably isn't good for cancer prospects either. So simple powders in capsules are best. 

 

Otherwise, Life Extension, Vitacost and Swanson Vitamins, and the brands you see on their sites are all very good and will most likely have what they are supposed to have in them as far as pill supplements go.

[YOLF]

Actually, I've bulk powders to be the best... most brands do use allergens for excipients in some of their products, but it's usually just one allergen so the brand as a whole won't be be overly disappointing. But you never have to worry about that with bulk supplements, you'll just get pure green tea extract of the quality specified with no fillers. It makes everything so much simpler! Though it is perhaps less convenient as you have to spoon it out and keep big bags around. 

Edited by YOLF, 07 November 2017 - 02:52 AM.

[RemiDav]

Thank you very much for all the details ! I'll try to see what I find in Canada for bulk products and post an update if I find anything relevant.

[YOLF]

Here's some more advice:

Once in a while you'll get a bag where the zip lock breaks. Keep some ziplock bags around and put the ziplock back into the original to protect iti from light, it doesn't happen often

If the bag won't seal, the powder got into the zip, just flick it from the outside

Be careful with the powder when squeezing the air out, it can fluff out of the bag when it's light and fluffy.

Don't put supps in coffee cans until they don't smell like coffee, it destroys them.

 

I've bought from Canadian Protein., but I don't think they have tea exts... Do you have to pay a tariff or something?