Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from the plant Stevia rebaudiana. The plant compounds that provide sweetness are known as steviol glycosides. Rebaudioside A is a steviol glycoside that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Of all the steviol glycosides in the plant, Rebaudioside A has the least bitterness.

Oats are naturally gluten free. Oats come into contact with gluten due to cross contamination during harvest, storage, transport and manufacturing equipment. Oats have been found to have beneficial applications in areas such as cardiovascular health, glucose management and healthy digestion.

Certain USANA Food products contain refined sugars (carbohydrates), including fructose. Sugars and other carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are a key part of the overall macronutrient balance of USANA Food products. While excess sugars – or excesses of any macronutrient – can represent a potential health concern, appropriate amounts of carbohydrates are an important part of a mixed and varied diet.

To put the amount of dietary sugar into perspective, one small apple (3 ounces) contains approximately 23 grams of carbohydrates, more than half of which is simple sugar (primarily fructose). To summarize, the refined sugar content of a serving of some USANA foods is not drastically different from that of many fruits. It is, however, very different from the refined sugar content of something like a 44-ounce soda (140 grams of sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup, including ~70 grams of fructose).

As always, USANA scientists advocate variety and moderation in dietary choices. A healthy diet needs to include a moderate intake of a variety of simple sugars, other carbohydrates, fat, protein, fiber, water, and micronutrients.

We are unable to address questions concerning comparisons with other companies’ products. We are obviously aware of the many competing products on the market. However, since we do not have access to the proprietary details of other companies’ products, it is difficult to make valid comparisons. You can make content comparisons yourself by reviewing product labels. Utilize the information in USANA’s official literature and website regarding quality of manufacturing and science-based formulations. Again, it is generally just not possible to make fair comparisons to competitors without access to information regarding their suppliers, proprietary formulas, and manufacturing practices.

USANA is a large global organization. Products, dosages, and even sources of raw ingredients can vary by country. We do our very best to create content that is applicable to as many USANA customers as possible, but the focus of this website is on USANA products offered in the United States and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information for USANA products offered elsewhere.

Current scientific evidence shows that a healthy lifestyle, including sound dietary choices, regular exercise and nutritional supplementation where appropriate and advisable, plays an important role in reducing the risks associated with the development of certain chronic degenerative diseases. USANA does not promote its products for use in diagnosing, treating, curing or mitigating any disease, nor can we answer question concerning medications or other treatments and a potential for interactions with the USANA products. We strongly encourage individuals to seek the guidance of a licensed physician, pharmacist, or other health care professional in making decisions regarding nutritional supplementation. These health care professionals have the training and expertise necessary to help concerned individuals make an informed decision.

We further recommend that as a basis for such discussions, individuals provide copies of labels describing the contents of the USANA products in question. This will better enable health care providers to determine which USANA products may be appropriate.

USANA understands that each human being has a unique health profile and unique nutritional needs. Part of a lifelong program of good nutrition is recognizing that everyone has specific nutritional needs, and those needs may change as individuals move from one stage of life to the next. For each person, a unique combination of age, sex, lifestyle, and other considerations requires a nutritional program that is both flexible and customized.

USANA Nutritionals comprise both the CellSentials and the Optimizers to successfully meet this challenge. The CellSentials products provide the foundation of USANA’s Nutritional system. The Optimizers allow individuals to customize a nutritional system to meet individual needs.
To summarize: first, choose between the Usanimals for children, Body Rox for teens, and CellSentials or HealthPak for adults.

Next, choose Optimizers that suit individual needs. Optimizers are grouped into categories according to primary benefits. Colored labels help identify these benefits at-a-glance. Optimizers exist that support cardiovascular health, skeletal/structural health, eye health, and many more.

Depending on the definition used, nearly every food available for purchase is “processed” to one degree or another. (Even the vast majority of fruits and vegetables are harvested and sorted by machinery.) Taken literally, avoidance of all processed foods could not be considered reasonable, necessary, or even healthy for most individuals. Most nutrition experts advise reducing intake of non-nutritious processed foods, as well as trying to eat foods as close to fresh as possible.

Although they may seem similarly “processed,” there is a huge difference in nutrient content and health benefits between USANA’s shakes and something like a chips, soda, or cheap frozen dinner. Aside from some calories and carbohydrates for energy, a non-nutritive processed snack or soda provides little in the way of key nutrients. A USANA shake, on the other hand, provides substantial fiber, 15-20 grams of complete protein, healthy fats, and potassium (which can be difficult to supplement). It is certainly true that – in general – the less processed and more “whole” a food is, the greater the likelihood of better nutritional value. When it comes to manufactured foods, however, there needs to be a distinction between healthy processed foods and nutrient-poor processed foods.

USANA’s shakes and bars are intended to give people a convenient alternative to less-healthy choices. If someone is already eating a healthy, varied diet of nutritious foods, he or she should continue to do so.

USANA does not offer any individual amino acid products. All of the essential amino acids can be found in the USANA foods, but USANA does not offer products for those looking to supplement individual amino acids.

Not all fats are created equal. Not all unsaturated fat is healthy, and not all saturated fat is bad for you. Plant-based saturated fat, such as that found in coconut oil actually provides some health benefits. Coconut oil is primarily made up of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These types of fatty acids are processed differently by the body than their cousin the long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which are found primarily in animal fats. Because of their shorter chain length, MCT’s can be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and transported directly to the liver via the portal circulation without incorporation into chylomicrons in the lymphatic system, which are the body’s primary fatty acid transportation mechanism. As a result, MCTs are oxidized to a greater degree and more efficiently than are LCTs. Since MCT’s have less of an opportunity for deposition into adipose tissue, they have been used successfully to support healthy weight management programs.