Vegan demand: GHT launches animal-free supplement line

21 Mar 2018 --- The GHT Companies has launched a new product line of 100 percent vegan supplements, coined Vegan Life Nutrition (VLN). Whether consumers identify as vegan or simply want to decrease their intake of animal-derived products, VLN was created to meet the growing demand for vitamins that are plant-based and completely free of animal products. The product line includes a range of dosage forms, including sprays, gummies and soft capsules. 

There is an emerging trend toward a decreasing reliance on animal-based nutrition. The growing popularity of new product development on a vegan platform is substantiated by new product launch data from Innova Market Insights, with a 58 percent increase in product launches recorded with a vegan claim in 2015 from 2014, with a further 35 percent increase in 2016 from 2015. The rise of more plant-based diets – such as veganism – is indicative of mindful consumption, with respect to animal welfare and environmental concerns clear goals among the following of such a strict diet. Constant concern regarding sustainability and the global food chain has been the catalyst behind the surge in new product development based on plants. This in turn, has resulted in growth for products suitable for vegans and as such, an increase in products being positioned on a vegan platform. 

At the same time, the overconsumption of artificial ingredients and chemicals in the food supply is a major cause for concern to many consumers.

Although moving away from a meat-heavy diet may result in numerous health benefits such as weight loss and a decrease in blood cholesterol, research has also uncovered a prevalence of potential nutritional deficiencies associated with a plant-based diet. 

Vitamin B12 and D3 are both included in this category. According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, two thirds of people who ate a vegetarian diet and 92 percent of those who followed the stricter vegan guidelines were found to be deficient in Vitamin B12. This same publication reports that Vitamin D deficiency is now considered a pandemic, among people who follow all dietary regimens. 

VLN reports that its D3 products are derived from Lichen, an all-natural, unique plant source; and the B12 products use cyanocobalamin, the optimal source of Vitamin B12.

The VLN line is available online and through partnerships with medical providers and currently offers a number of B12 and D3 vegan supplements, including a combination of the two. Plans to expand the product line to offer more vital nutrients in vegan form are already in the works, according to The GHT Companies.

by Lucy Gunn