Nutrition Now’s Calcium Soft Chews Assorted Fruit Variety Is Free of All Animal Products
by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director
A reader recently asked us to look into the sources of calcium and vitamin D in Nutrition Now’s Calcium Soft Chews listed in a VRG article on vitamin D (Vegetarian Journal 2009 Issue 2). She had been told by the company some information that she wanted us to confirm as true or not.
We spoke to Holly, a customer service representative at Nutrition Now, and Kirshing, a Process Control Analyst. Holly told us that the Calcium Soft Chews contained calcium carbonate derived from mineral deposits. The vitamin D2 in this product is yeast-derived.
Calcium Soft Chews comes in two flavors: Assorted Fruit and Chocolate. The company's own "vegetarian approved" label is only on the Assorted Fruit variety. The chocolate flavor Calcium Soft Chews does not carry this label because, according to Kirshing, "the product contains dairy." Nutrition Now does not use a "vegan approved" label, but the Assorted Fruit Calcium Soft Chews appears to be free of all animal products.
Nutrition Now manufactures a children's version of Calcium Soft Chews, also available in Assorted Fruit and Chocolate flavors, and known as Rhino Calcium Soft Chews. The company’s "vegetarian approved" label appears only on the assorted fruit variety. The chocolate flavor contains dairy but is otherwise free of all animal products.
Readers may note that some Nutrition Now vitamin products contain gelatin. Those that do, (and only those that do), are sprayed with coconut oil and beeswax to prevent sticking. Nutrition Now also makes similar products for both children and adults with pectin (instead of gelatin) and no beeswax spray. These product packages also carry the "vegetarian approved" label.
Readers should also be aware that some Nutrition Now products contain vitamin D3 from lanolin found in sheep's wool. The vitamin D3 is listed as such. Tricalcium phosphate may be used as the calcium source in some products. This is a mineral form of calcium, too. See www.nutritionnow.com for more information.