Struggling to get your daily dose of fruits and veggies? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. But you don’t want to miss out on all the health benefits these foods offer, right? That’s where Balance of Nature comes in – they’ve got supplements made from whole fruits and veggies that are easy to take and convenient. Check out this review to see if they’re worth a shot.
Table of Contents
- 1 What Is Balance of Nature?
- 2 Does Balance of Nature Supplements Live Up to the Hype? A Breakdown of the Claims
- 3 Red Lights
- 4 Supplement Facts
- 5 Balance of Nature Products: Prices and Subscription Options
- 6 How Other Whole Food Supplements Compare to Balance of Nature
- 7 Pros and Cons of Balance of Nature
- 8 Return and Exchange Policy
- 9 Customer Reviews and Service
- 10 Balance of Nature Review: Final Verdict
What Is Balance of Nature?
Balance of Nature is a dietary supplement company that offers three products – Fruits, Veggies, and Fiber & Spice. These products were developed by Dr. Douglas Howard, a chiropractor and physician.
The supplements contain whole food powders and extracts from fruits, veggies, seeds, herbs, spices and grains, and don’t have any added sugars or synthetic ingredients. Plus, Balance of Nature says that all their ingredients are tested by third-parties for quality and purity.
These types of products are often claimed to improve overall health and provide an extra boost of nutrients, especially for those who don’t eat enough fruits and veggies. But, reviews for Balance of Nature are pretty mixed. Some people are happy with the results, while others say they didn’t notice a difference.
Does Balance of Nature Supplements Live Up to the Hype? A Breakdown of the Claims
Balance of Nature doesn’t make many claims about their products on their website. The only promises they make are that their products give you nutrients, may help with gut health, and contain phytochemicals. So, do they actually deliver? Let’s examine the claims.
Getting More Nutrients
Balance of Nature supplements claim to be an easy way to boost your essential nutrient intake. Their products contain powdered fruits and veggies, or extracts from them, so they do provide some vitamins and minerals.
However, the exact amounts are not listed on the Supplement Facts label, so it’s difficult to know exactly what nutrients you’re getting and in what quantities. But, the supplement will likely give you at least a slight nutrient boost.
Better Gut Health?
Balance of Nature’s website says that their products may improve your digestive health. The Fiber & Spice supplement is the one most likely to help with digestion. It contains dietary fiber, which is an indigestible material that draws in water and softens the stool, helping with constipation. But it may also cause gas. Fiber can also serve as food for the healthy bacteria in your large intestine, which helps with digestion, blood sugar management, brain function, and immune health.
Phytochemicals: Good or Not?
Phytochemicals are compounds in plants that have health benefits, but aren’t essential nutrients. Antioxidants are one type of phytochemical. All Balance of Nature products contain phytochemicals and antioxidants because they are made from whole food sources.
For example, the Fruits supplement has blueberries, which have been shown to improve heart health and memory due to the anthocyanin antioxidants. The Fiber & Spice supplement has turmeric, which contains the phytochemical curcumin that may have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Balance of Nature products provide some extra nutrients and antioxidants from the fruits and veggies they contain, and may help with gut health thanks to the fiber.
However, the company uses proprietary blends and the ingredients are not verified by third-party organizations like USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab. The studies on their website are also outdated and questionable, using animal models. So, while they may provide some benefits, there’s no guarantee they’ll live up to their claims.
Red Lights
Allergic Reactions
Check the label for any foods you’re allergic to before taking Balance of Nature products.
Mild Stomach Issues
Some folks may experience diarrhea or abdominal cramping from aloe vera in the product. However, the small amount of aloe vera in Balance of Nature Fruits is unlikely to have a major impact.
Drug Interactions
The Fruits capsules contain grapefruit, which is known to interact with several medications, including commonly-prescribed cholesterol, blood pressure, heart, and allergy meds.
Consult a Healthcare Provider
If you’re pregnant, nursing, have an underlying medical condition, or take prescription meds, talk to your healthcare provider before taking Balance of Nature products.
Regulatory Issues
In 2019, Balance of Nature received a warning letter from the FDA over disease-related claims they made on their website, product packaging, and video testimonials. At the time, they heavily promoted their products as being able to treat or prevent certain medical conditions. This is illegal.
Since then, they’ve taken steps to correct this, but it’s still something to consider when deciding to buy.
Membership Fees and Limited Return Policy
Balance of Nature has a membership fee and a limited return policy, which may indicate that they’re not the most transparent and honest company to do business with.
Supplement Facts
Fruits Supplement
What You Need to Know
- One serving size: 3 capsules per day
- Can be swallowed or chewed
- Ingredients include 3 blends: Maintain, Protect, and Repair
Fruits Ingredients Breakdown
- Maintain Blend: 731 mg (tomato, papaya, banana, apple, grape, wild blueberry, strawberry, aloe vera)
- Protect Blend: 719 mg (orange, tart cherry, cranberry, wild blueberry, grape, apple, grapefruit, aloe vera)
- Repair Blend: 561 mg (raspberry, pineapple, mango, sweet cherry, lemon, aloe vera)
Veggies Supplement
What You Need to Know
- One serving size: 3 capsules per day
- Can be swallowed, sprinkled over food, or stirred in water
- Ingredients include 3 blends: Maintain, Protect, and Repair
Veggies Ingredients Breakdown
- Maintain Blend: 720 mg (broccoli, spinach, soybean, green cabbage, wheatgrass, kale, cauliflower, celery, white onion, zucchini)
- Protect Blend: 713 mg (garlic, red cabbage, red onion, soybean, carrot, kale, cayenne pepper, shiitake mushroom, wheatgrass, sweet potato)
- Repair Blend: 576 mg (carrot, kale, green onion, soybean, spinach, cauliflower, celery, zucchini)
- Large and difficult to swallow? Try alternative methods listed on the website.
Fiber & Spice Supplement
What You Need to Know
- Dosage: 2 heaping scoops (morning and evening)
- Mixed into a beverage (water or apple juice)
- Provides 8 grams of fiber
Fiber & Spice Ingredients
- Balanced Whole Fiber Blend: 10 grams (psyllium husk, apple, flax seed, monk fruit)
- Protect & Repair Whole Spice Blend: 3 grams (cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, fennel, cardamom, cumin, fenugreek, coriander, clove, allspice, mustard, nutmeg)
Balance of Nature Products: Prices and Subscription Options
Product Prices
- Fruits and Veggies: $89.95
- Fiber & Spice: $69.95
- Whole Health System: $159.95
Note: The prices are available for a one-time purchase only. The prices on Amazon are slightly higher.
Subscribing for Savings
Become a Preferred Customer and save 33% on your purchases. Here’s what you’ll pay:
- Fruits and Veggies: $69.95
- Fiber & Spice: $49.95
- Whole Health System: $109.95
Subscription Fees
There’s a one-time $24.95 fee when you sign up for the Preferred Customer subscription.
Health Coaching Program
By subscribing, you’ll get access to a personal health coach. However, there’s limited information about this program on the website.
Product Servings and Refills
Keep in mind, each Balance of Nature product has only 30 servings, so you’ll need to make monthly purchases to keep the product on hand.
One-time Purchase vs Subscription
Making a one-time purchase is only slightly more expensive than subscribing and paying the one-time fee for your first order.
But, if you’re not sure about the product, it might be a good idea to sign up for the subscription. You can cancel your membership on the Balance of Nature website before your next order is processed. If you don’t become a Preferred Customer, you won’t be able to return the product for a refund.
How Other Whole Food Supplements Compare to Balance of Nature
Texas Superfood Original
- A food supplement containing various powdered fruits, vegetables, and herbs plus probiotics and digestive enzymes.
- Claims to improve energy, confidence, sleep, and focus.
- 30 servings cost $89.85 (regularly on sale for $59.96) with a 30-day money-back guarantee (shipping not refunded).
Juice Plus+ Fruit, Vegetable, and Berry Blend
- Three blends containing various combinations of powdered fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
- Claims to support heart health, improve immune health, promote lung health, and support skin and gums health.
- The full set costs $320 for a 4-month supply with free delivery and a 100% money-back guarantee for 6 months (first order only).
KaraMD Pure Nature
- Contains powdered greens, fruits, and vegetables.
- Claims to support energy, immune health, and overall wellness.
- 30-day supply costs $39.95 with $8.95 shipping. A bundle of 4 bottles costs $127.84 with free shipping.
- Offers an unconditional 90-day money-back guarantee (return shipping not charged).
Pros and Cons of Balance of Nature
Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons to help you make an informed decision:
Pros:
- You’ll get a blend of fruit, veggie, and herb powders for a dose of nutrients and healthy plant compounds.
- Could help with digestive health, who doesn’t want that?
- Subscribing could save you some cash and you’ll also get a health coach.
Cons:
- More expensive than other options on the market.
- Not the best reputation for customer service.
- No info on exact nutrient content or ingredient amounts.
- You’ll have to pay an extra one-time fee for membership on top of the supplement cost.
Return and Exchange Policy
Balance of Nature offers exchanges for damaged products. But, they only offer returns to Preferred Customers on their initial order. Shipping cost will be subtracted from the refund, and the Preferred Customer fee is non-refundable.
Customer Reviews and Service
Balance of Nature has received negative reviews, with customers claiming that the customer service team is difficult to reach and unhelpful, and that the company is a scam.
Balance of Nature Review: Final Verdict
If you’re looking to improve your overall wellness and get that extra nutrient boost, Balance of Nature fruits, veggies, fiber & spice products might be worth checking out. They say their products provide nutrients and phytochemicals, and support digestive health.
But let’s be real, there’s no substitute for a healthy, balanced diet full of fresh fruits and veggies. And while Balance of Nature might be a good addition, keep in mind that they’ve got some negative customer service reviews and a membership fee.
So bottom line, these types of food-based supplements are best used to supplement a healthy diet, not replace it.
100% BS
Good information.On balance ,Balance of Nature is not as good as they claim.
There are lots of other fruit&vegie powders you can buy for less$$
They say their product is “All Natural.” I have contacted them and asked if it is organic or even certified organic. Three times I have done that and they have never responded.
I feel like they are hiding that it is grown with chemical fertilizers.
Balance of Nature has done nothing for me. I tested two bottles over three months and I found NO improvement in health. Then I ate the same fresh organic vegetables and fruits for three months. There was no comparison. Fresh veggies and fruits was without any doubt the best for my body. Plus it didn’t cost me an outrageous amount of my limited monthly income.