‘Natural’ is a term very widely used in food and nutrition and can its definition can vary, but essentially it means ‘existing in or derived from nature’. More specifically, food and products labelled as natural do not contain artificial ingredients or preservatives. So, what are the benefits of ‘natural’ and how do we apply it to sports nutrition?
What are the real benefits of ‘natural’?
Firstly, it is important to understand what we are trying to achieve both as athletes and in our every day lives. It is possible to survive on packaged and processed foods; however, it is impossible to thrive, particularly with the increased demands of athletic pursuits.
The quality of fuel and food you use as an athlete is incredibly important and is key to optimal performance. Put simply, it is garbage in, garbage out.
Asking your body to process petroleum-based dyes which make up synthetic colours means it simply cannot possibly perform at its best. Add in potential health risks such as cancers, allergies and hypersensitivities with these synthetic products, and the benefit of seeking out natural products alongside a simple, wholesome diet becomes clear. The aim then turns to optimising nutrition, which allows you to thrive and perform at your best.
Why is ‘natural’ important in nutrition?
Nutrition and the science around it is complex and ever changing. Add in a hyped-up and big budget marketing campaign promising to make you a champion, and it is easy to become overwhelmed and unsure of which approach to take. Just remember, your nutrition can become a real weapon to be used to your advantage, giving you the edge in both sport and in life.
“Regardless of diet, preference or theme, what separates a good diet from a great diet are the ingredients one starts with” – Allen Lim, The Feed Zone
What is our definition of ‘natural’ here at Bindi?
Of course, the definition of natural can vary depending on the products it describes, and so as a business we have a strong set of guiding principles for all the products we create. Firstly, this means starting out with the best raw ingredients, and we don’t include any artificial, synthetic or or superfluous ingredients. An example is how we use beetroot powder to create the pink colour for our sports drinks, or fruit powders such as strawberries for the flavours. All this is done in our strictly quality assured, Australian factory.
We also minimise the number of overall ingredients, including just what is required for your optimal performance and nothing else. Our protein powders are perfect example of this – 97% organic pea protein with a touch of cacao or vanilla flavour and a plant-based sweetener. You definitely won’t find any added chemicals which are common in other protein powders.
And just to have complete confidence in our products, we voluntarily sent them for independent batch testing by HASTA to ensure they are free of over 200 WADA prohibited substances. We understand just how important it is for so many of our athletes to have confidence in the supplements they consume.
A final word on natural…
The word natural extends beyond our products to the Bindi brand as a whole – we genuinely care about you as athletes, about your best performances and we want to see you thrive in not only sport but in life in general. It’s not flashy, we may not end up being a multi-national corporation because of it… but, we are passionate about providing you with the best natural products as you set out to achieve your goals.
Belinda x
