New brands, new opportunities – BeeSun, Aduna and BetterYou

As soon as the clocks go back and the evenings turn dark early, many people notice it right away. Energy drops, the motivation to go outside shrinks and the daily routine feels heavier than in summer. It is exactly the moment to take a critical look at your habits: what you eat, how you sleep, how you move and which supplements might fit into that picture.

At Dutch Health Store we carry three brands that each support a healthy lifestyle from a different angle. BeeSun brings traditional herbs from the Ayurvedic world, Aduna brings nutritious superfoods from Africa into your kitchen and BetterYou makes vitamins and minerals you can take in a smart way. In this blog we take a close look at all three: where they come from, what makes them special, how to use them and what to look out for.

BeeSun: the power of single herbs

What is BeeSun?

BeeSun is a brand built around simplicity. Instead of long ingredient lists full of additives, BeeSun chooses single herbs: powders and capsules in which one plant takes centre stage. You know exactly what you are getting. That suits a growing group of people who would rather understand what is in a supplement than pick a product based on a big promise on the packaging.

On our website BeeSun is listed in the Superfoods and Herbals category, under Single Herbs. The range now includes seven herbs and mushrooms in different variants. We start with a detailed look at Brahmi, then move on to the rest of the range.

Brahmi: a water plant with a long history

Brahmi is the common name for Bacopa monnieri, a creeping water plant that grows naturally in damp areas, mainly in South and Southeast Asia. The leaves are thick, round and fleshy, a little like coins. To make the powder, the leaves are dried and finely ground.

The plant has a place in Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine from India. The name Brahmi refers to Brahmā, the god of creation in Hinduism, which says a lot about the status the plant has held for centuries. In tradition, Brahmi is often mentioned in the context of focus, study and mental calm. Please note that this describes traditional use. Research into Bacopa is ongoing, but the results vary and a supplement is never a guarantee of a particular effect.

What is in BeeSun Brahmi?

The formula is deliberately simple. Each vegetarian capsule contains 450 mg of pure Brahmi powder, and that is all. The capsule itself is entirely plant based, which makes the product suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It is free from allergens and lactose.

How to use it

Adults take 1 to 2 capsules per day, all at once or spread over two moments, with a meal and a glass of water. Do not exceed the recommended dose. If you find capsules hard to swallow, you can open them and mix the powder into fruit juice, a smoothie or yoghurt. Keep in mind that the powder has an earthy, slightly bitter taste, so a fruity smoothie often works best.

Store the capsules in a cool, dry place. Because this is a natural product, the colour of the powder can differ from batch to batch. That is normal and says nothing about quality.

Who is it suitable for?

Do you use blood thinners such as warfarin or aspirin, or medicines from the group of Cox 2 inhibitors? Then caution is advised. There may also be an interaction with certain tranquilisers. The same caution applies during pregnancy, breastfeeding and illness.

The full BeeSun range at a glance

Brahmi is just one of the herbs BeeSun makes. The brand brings together familiar herbs from Ayurveda and other traditional practices in one range. Each capsule contains 450 mg of finely ground plant powder in a fully plant based capsule, so it is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The capsules come in a resealable pouch. These are food supplements, and the colour can vary per batch, which is normal for natural products.

Below is an introduction to the other herbs. Everything we describe concerns traditional use. These are not promises of a particular effect.

Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is also called Indian ginseng or winter cherry. The root is one of the best known herbs from Ayurveda and is traditionally used for fatigue and a busy lifestyle.

Amla. Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry, is a small green fruit that is widely eaten in India. The fruit is known for its vitamin C.

Triphala. Triphala literally means three fruits. It is a classic Ayurvedic blend of amla, bibhitaki and haritaki and is traditionally used to support digestion.

Tulsi. Tulsi, also called holy basil, is a beloved plant in India that is often drunk as tea and has a place in homes and temples. If you do not make a cup of tea, you can choose the capsule.

Rhodiola Extra Forte. Rhodiola rosea, or roseroot, grows in cold mountain regions and has long been used in places such as Scandinavia and Russia. It is traditionally associated with resilience to stress and fatigue.

Shilajit. Shilajit is a dark, resin like substance that seeps out of rocks in mountainous regions such as the Himalayas in summer and has been used in Ayurveda for centuries.

Tremella Extra Forte. Tremella, also called snow fungus or silver ear, is a gelatinous mushroom used in Chinese cooking and traditional Chinese medicine. It is known for its ability to hold a lot of water, and some people associate it with skin and beauty.

Dragonblood Extra Forte. Dragon’s blood comes from Croton lechleri, a tree from the Amazon region. The red sap of the tree has traditionally been used in South America.

Which herb suits you?

The choice of herb depends on what you are looking for and on your personal situation. Start with one herb at a time, so you can notice how your body responds, and follow the dose on the packaging.

Aduna: superfoods with a story

A social business with a clear mission

Aduna was founded in 2012 by Andrew Hunt and his team. The idea took shape during a stay in The Gambia, where Hunt got to know nutritious plants that had been eaten in Africa for centuries but were hardly known in the rest of the world. The company calls itself a social business. The thinking is simple: if worldwide demand grows for undervalued African ingredients, a stable income grows for the people who collect and process them.

The first product reached the market in 2013, the baobab superfruit powder. Moringa followed in 2015. Since then the range has grown to include bars, herbal teas, powder blends and capsules. The brand has recognisable packaging inspired by African wax print fabrics.

Baobab: the fruit of the monkey bread tree

The baobab is one of the most iconic trees in Africa. A fruit only appears after many years of growth and the tree cannot be grown on plantations. Everything Aduna uses is therefore collected in the wild. In northern Ghana, where Aduna sources its baobab, the trees are owned by the local communities. According to trade publications, the brand already worked with more than a thousand farmers in 2018 and bought 170 tonnes of baobab fruit that year.

Inside the fruit is a dry, powdery pulp. It is ground into a light cream coloured powder with a sweet and sour, fresh taste that is often compared to a healthy version of sherbet sweets. Baobab is known for its fibre and its vitamin C content. That makes it an interesting addition to breakfast, snacks and drinks.

A few ways to use baobab:

1. Stir a teaspoon into oatmeal or yoghurt, together with some fresh fruit.
2. Blend it into a smoothie with banana, mango or berries. The tangy notes balance nicely with sweet fruit.
3. Dissolve it in water or juice for a quick, fresh drink.
4. Use it in baking, for example in muffins or energy balls.

Moringa: the miracle tree leaf

Moringa is also known in Africa and Asia as the miracle tree. It is a fast growing, drought resistant tree, which makes it a reliable source of income for farmers in warm, dry regions. The leaves contain, among other things, vitamins A, E and K and antioxidants. Aduna says it harvests the leaves before sunrise to protect nutrients from sunlight, washes them and dries them, and then grinds them finely into a green powder.

The taste is earthy and green, a bit like spinach, and many people find it more pleasant than other green superfoods such as spirulina or chlorella. If you do not like the powder, you can choose the capsules. Each capsule contains 500 mg of organic moringa leaf powder.

Ideas for moringa in the kitchen:

1. A moringa latte: stir a teaspoon of powder smooth with a few tablespoons of hot water and top up with warm plant milk.
2. In a green smoothie with apple, cucumber and lemon.
3. Over a salad, in a dressing or stirred into a soup just before serving.
4. In hummus or pesto, for an extra green colour.

More than powder

Aduna is not only about loose powders. The brand also makes herbal tea with baobab, cacao, hibiscus and moringa, energy bars based on fruit and nuts and powder blends that combine several superfoods. Most of the range is certified organic, vegan and free from artificial additives. That makes the brand accessible to anyone following a plant based or allergen free diet.

An honest note belongs here. Superfoods are foods, not miracle cures. They work best as a complement to a plate full of vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grain products. Start with small amounts, especially if your stomach is not used to a lot of fibre, and build up slowly.

BetterYou: smart ways to top up vitamins and minerals

The idea behind the brand

BetterYou is a British brand that has specialised in how nutrients reach the body. Many people would rather not swallow tablets, or have difficulty with good absorption through the digestive tract. BetterYou therefore came up with alternatives: sprays for the mouth, oil and flakes for the skin. The brand calls itself the leading transdermal magnesium brand in the United Kingdom and has built more than twenty years of experience on it.

Magnesium: for muscles, nerves and energy

Magnesium is a mineral involved in hundreds of processes in the body. It contributes to normal muscle function, normal functioning of the nervous system, normal energy yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It is found in nuts, seeds, whole grain products, leafy greens and legumes, but not everyone gets enough from food.

BetterYou turns magnesium into a whole range of products:

1. Magnesium Oil Original Spray, a saturated solution of magnesium chloride from the ancient Zechstein seabed. You spray it on the skin and massage it in. A prickling or tingling feeling can occur the first few times. For sensitive skin there is a milder variant, Magnesium Oil Sensitive.
2. Magnesium Sleep Body Spray, with lavender, chamomile and bergamot for a calm evening ritual.
3. Magnesium Muscle Spray and Joint Spray, intended for after exercise or for stiff joints, with a warming or cooling effect among other things.
4. Magnesium flakes for the bath, for anyone who likes to take a long, relaxing moment.
5. Children’s variants, such as the Kids Magnesium Sleep Spray.

How well magnesium is absorbed through the skin is a subject on which researchers do not fully agree. The brand describes its products as highly absorbable, but the scientific evidence for absorption through the skin is still limited. Many users experience it as a pleasant and relaxing ritual, and that is valuable in itself.

Vitamin D: the sunshine vitamin in the winter months

Vitamin D has a special place, because the body makes it itself under the influence of sunlight on the skin. In the Netherlands the sun stands too low from roughly October to March for that production to get going properly. Vitamin D contributes to the absorption of calcium, to strong bones and teeth, to normal muscle function and to the normal functioning of the immune system.

Dutch health authorities advise an extra vitamin D supplement for certain groups, including young children, older people, pregnant women and people with dark skin or who spend little time outdoors.

BetterYou makes vitamin D as an oral spray with a fresh peppermint taste. You spray it into the mouth, where it can be absorbed through the lining of the mouth. There are several strengths, from a variant for babies and children from three years old to stronger variants for adults, and also a combination of vitamin D3 with K2. Always check the packaging to see which strength suits your situation and stay within the recommended amount.

More from the range

Besides magnesium and vitamin D, BetterYou also has a B complex spray, an iron spray and multivitamins. For people who struggle with tablets or simply forget them, a spray in your handbag or on your bedside table is a practical solution.

What do you do with three brands at once?

You do not have to try everything at once, and that would not be wise anyway. A calm approach works best. Below is an example of how the three brands can fit into a daily routine, offered as simple inspiration and not as medical advice.

1. In the morning: a smoothie or oatmeal with baobab or moringa from Aduna and, if it suits you, the vitamin D spray from BetterYou.
2. With a meal: a capsule of BeeSun Brahmi with a glass of water, following the recommended dose.
3. In the evening: a calm moment with a cup of herbal tea from Aduna and a few sprays of Magnesium Sleep on the legs or shoulders.

Keep paying attention to how you feel. Introduce one product at a time, so you notice what does and does not suit you, and give it a few weeks before forming an opinion.

Tips for responsible use

1. Always read the packaging and stick to the stated dose.
2. Do not simply combine several supplements containing the same substance, so you do not accidentally take too much.
3. Discuss use with your GP or pharmacist if you take medication, are pregnant, are breastfeeding or have a medical condition.
4. Store supplements in a cool, dry place and out of reach of small children.
5. See supplements as a complement to a varied diet, enough exercise and a good night’s sleep.

Discover the brands at Dutch Health Store

You can find BeeSun, Aduna and BetterYou in our Health and Nutrition category. Do you have a question about which product suits you, or how to combine them? Feel free to get in touch. We are happy to think along with you and help you on your way to a healthier winter.

Sources

BeeSun Brahmi at Dutch Health Store

Aduna at Healf

Aduna, baobab and moringa at NutraIngredients

Aduna sustainable sourcing in Ghana

Aduna Moringa capsules at Healf

BetterYou Magnesium Oil Body Spray

BetterYou product overview