Black Garlic Gold

General Questions about Black Garlic

What is Black Garlic?

The medicinal use of garlic dates back to the beginning of recorded history. Garlic is referenced in biblical texts and ancient medical texts from Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and India. Black garlic is created by aging regular garlic (Allium sativum L.) under mild heat which results in a natural enzymatic fermentation process. Fermented black garlic is known for having a higher antioxidant (ORAC) value than regular garlic and for this reason, may offer enhanced immune-supportive activity and other unique health benefits. 

What benefits does black garlic provide?

The fermentation of garlic into black garlic creates S-allyl cysteine (SAC), a powerful antioxidant. Black garlic, and the SAC that it contains, has more than double the antioxidant activity of regular garlic and may offer enhanced immune support. Overall, black garlic supports antioxidant defense, detoxification as well as heart, brain, immune, and digestive health*.

What are some factors to consider when choosing a black garlic supplement?

Depending on your reason(s) for supplementing with ashwagandha and your personal preferences, it may be helpful to consider one or more of the following factors when making a purchasing decision—

• Does the product contain just black garlic powder, an extract, or a full-spectrum extract?
• Does the product provide a consistent and guaranteed amount of S-allyl-cysteine in each serving?
• What is the amount or percentage of S-allyl-cysteine per serving of the product? 
• Is the product independently verified to meet identity, potency & purity standards?
• What assurance, if any, is available that what’s on the product label is, in fact, in the bottle?
• Is the project Non-GMO Project Verified?
• Does the product contain any chemical additives or preservatives?

Can I take black garlic if I have an intolerance to regular garlic?

While black garlic is generally well-tolerated, in the interest of your health and safety, we encourage you to discuss any concerns you may have regarding the suitability of black garlic for your particular needs with your healthcare provider before beginning supplementation.

Can black garlic supplements be taken with OTC or prescription medications?

If you are taking or planning to take an OTC or prescription medication or planning a medical procedure, please consult a licensed pharmacist or your healthcare provider before beginning supplementation to minimize risk of side effects associated with potential supplement-drug interactions. 

Still have questions?

• For general information about garlic, check out the resources below—
• Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects
• Garlic — NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
• Potential Health Benefit of Garlic Based on Human Intervention Studies: A Brief Overview
• Garlic and Organosulfur Compounds  — Linus Pauling Institute
• For specific guidance on the suitability of black garlic to support your particular health goals, please talk to your healthcare provider.

Questions about Black Garlic Gold

How does Black Garlic Gold compare with other garlic supplements?

Many of garlic’s health benefits are attributed to its sulfur-containing compounds like allicin and S-allyl cysteine (SAC). Research has demonstrated, however, that the compound allicin is highly unstable and can degrade rather quickly. Allicin may also suffer from poor bioavailability in the human body.  The fermentation of garlic into black garlic increases levels of the more stable nutrient S-allyl cysteine (SAC), a powerful antioxidant. In fact, the fermentation of garlic double’s garlic's ORAC (antioxidant) potential and may improve garlic's immune supportive activity. Black Garlic Gold provides organic fermented garlic in a natural, whole-food matrix and is guaranteed to contain .15% SAC.

How does Black Garlic Gold compare with aged garlic extracts?

Supplements with aged garlic extract:

• The garlic is harvested, cleaned, sliced and stored in stainless steel tanks under carefully controlled conditions without the use of a heating process.
• The garlic is stored in the stainless steel tanks for up to 20 months in an aqueous ethanol solution, which helps to extract and age the garlic compounds.
• May include S-allyl-cysteine (SAC), but generally no SAC content is claimed on the label.
• The finished product may contain chemical additives or preservatives.

Black Garlic Gold

• Made using fermented whole-food black garlic—natural phytonutrient profile is retained.
• Natural matrix ensures greater stability of marker compounds, including S-allyl cysteine.
• The whole-food concentrate is produced by aging regular garlic using mild heat, which activates the natural enzymatic fermentation process.
• No chemical solvents used in the aging or fermentation process of the black garlic concentrate.
• Guaranteed S-Allyl cysteine content.
• Manufactured without chemical additives or preservatives.

Does Black Garlic Gold contain allicin?

The allicin commonly found in most garlic supplements is highly unstable and can degrade rather quickly, which means most garlic supplements may not be reliable sources of allicin. Black Garlic Gold provides S-allyl cysteine (SAC), a powerful and more stable antioxidant primarily found only in black or aged garlic. 

Does Black Garlic Gold have a strong smell or aftertaste?

While not odorless, black garlic typically does not have the same repeat effect that pungent, raw garlic can sometimes have. Black garlic is unique in that it has been bio-transformed through the process of fermentation, which not only improves garlic's immune-supporting activity but also shifts the flavor profile from pungent and spicy to a more sweet and savory flavor. Black garlic tends to be well-tolerated and gentle on the digestive system.

What is the best time of day to take Black Garlic Gold?

Black Garlic Gold can generally be taken anytime. However, for those with a sensitive GI tract, Black Garlic Gold is often best taken with food. As a matter of principle and in the interest of your health and safety, we encourage you to consult your healthcare provider prior to supplementation to determine what use, if any, is best for your individual needs.

Can I take more than what is suggested on the label?

Because we are not licensed medical professionals and individual needs can vary, we regret that we cannot recommend a dosage beyond what is suggested on the product label. Please consult your healthcare provider prior to supplementation to determine what dosage, if any, is best for your individual needs.

How does NutriGold ensure the purity of the ingredients used in its Black Garlic Gold product?

At NutriGold, our first priority is consumer safety, which is why we verify that raw materials used in our products as well as the finished products themselves meet industry-defining quality and purity standards. Depending on the complexity of the testing involved, including determining what needs to be tested, what methods are fit-for-purpose, and which lab is most qualified to perform the testing, we sometimes have results from as many as 4 or 5 different independent, ISO-accredited labs for each product. We take these results from third-party labs and summarize them in lot-specific Certificates of Analysis that are  freely available in the spirit of authentic transparency on the product pages on our website so consumers can make informed purchasing decisions.

What assurance can you provide that the amount of S-allyl-cysteine listed on the label is actually in the product?

All of our products are verified by independent third-party labs to meet identity, purity, and potency label claims. We take these results from third-party labs and summarize them in lot-specific Certificates of Analysis (C of A) that are  freely available in the spirit of authentic transparency on the product pages on our website so consumers can make informed purchasing decisions. The C of A provides assurance that the claims made on the label accurately reflect the contents of the product inside the bottle. If interested, more information on our our commitment to independent, third party quality testing can be found at this link - https://nutrigold.com/pages/accountability 

Can I break apart the capsule and add the contents to liquid/food to consume?

All of our products are formulated to be taken as capsules and our purity and potency claims are based on the product being taken as recommended. We generally do not recommend breaking apart the capsules because it can introduce contaminants or otherwise compromise product potency and effectiveness.

Is Black Garlic Gold suitable for children (under 18 years of age)?

Black Garlic Gold is formulated for individuals over 18 years. Because children are considered a vulnerable population, we regret we cannot make any recommendations regarding the use of our products by or for children under the age of 18. We ask that you talk to your pediatrician or family practitioner about whether or not Black Garlic Gold is suitable and safe for your child’s particular healthcare needs prior to supplementation.

Questions about capsule shell

What is in the capsules used by NutriGold to encapsulate its products?

Depending on the formulation, NutriGold products are encapsulated using cellulose, pullulan, organic pullulan, or soft gel capsules. Information regarding the composition of the capsule shell is provided in the “Informed Purchasing Decision Checklist” and is accurate to the best of our knowledge based on information available in the public domain as well as supply-chain documentation provided by the capsule and soft gel manufacturers/vendors.

Are any processing aids used in the production of the empty vegetarian capsule?

Yes. Minor amounts (~ 3%) of processing aids are used in the production of the empty vegetarian (cellulose) capsule shell. The processing aids used in the manufacturing of the capsule shell have been identified as proprietary by the capsule manufacturer and protected by intellectual property and confidentiality agreements between the capsule manufacturer/vendor and NutriGold. As such, we are legally bound to maintain this information strictly confidential and regret that we cannot provide this information to consumers. We can, however, assure you that the processing aids are non-toxic, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), compliant with both the United States Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia, and do not pose an allergen risk.  

Are the processing aids used in the production of the empty capsule shells present in the finished product?

Processing aids that are used in the production of the capsule shell may be present in the finished empty capsule shell. We regret we cannot provide precise information on the type of processing aid(s) or the approximate residual amount of the processing aid(s) in the finished capsule shell because it would require us to divulge information proprietary to the capsule manufacturer. We can, however, assure you that the processing aids used in the production of the empty capsule shell are non-toxic, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), compliant with both the United States Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia, and do not pose an allergen risk.

I am concerned about a possible allergy to the processing aid(s) used in the production of the capsule shells. How can I find out what processing aids are used so I can determine whether the product is safe for me to take?

Although we make every effort to provide as much information as we can about the ingredients in our products to help consumers make educated purchasing decisions, there may be times when we cannot provide the requested information or clarification because it is proprietary to the manufacturer, as in the case of the processing aids. Disclosing protected information to unauthorized individuals, within and outside our organization, is not just unethical, but also unlawful. If you are concerned about a potential allergy to the processing aid(s) that may have been used in the production of the capsule shell, we encourage you to discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider prior to making a purchasing decision. 

Why does NutriGold® sometimes use soft gelatin capsules to encapsulate its products?

At NutriGold®, we are committed to offering sustainable products using non-GMO, organic, and/or vegan ingredients, and this includes the capsule shell we use to encapsulate those ingredients. In fact, many of our products are certified vegan by Vegan Action®, helping provide unbiased assurance that the product (and the ingredients it contains) comply with both dietary and ethical vegan standards. However, there are some ingredients (e.g. fish oil, ubiquinol, astaxanthin) that are more sensitive to oxygen and can, consequently, oxidize or degrade. For ingredients like these, bovine gelatin soft gelatin capsule shells offer better protection and help ensure finished product integrity until the end of the shelf-life of the product. That being said, we are hopeful that growing consumer awareness of and demand for vegan options will continue to drive innovation in dietary supplement delivery systems and we are committed to replacing the gelatin soft gels in our products with a clean-label, vegan capsule shell that offers the same protection from the elements as the gelatin capsule when such an option becomes available.

Questions about the ‘Best By’ date and ‘Consume by’ recommendation

What does the “Best by” date printed on the bottom of the bottle mean?

The “Best By” date printed on the bottle is the date until which a product will meet label claims as long as the product is sealed or, once opened, stored and handled as recommended on the product label.

Is the product safe to take after the “Best by” date printed on the bottle?

As long as the product is stored and handled under conditions that will not cause it to become contaminated, the product should be safe to take past the “Best By” date printed on the bottom of the bottle. However, we do not guarantee that the product will meet stated label claims past the “Best By” date printed on the bottle.

Why does the product I purchased have a recommendation on the label to consume the product within a certain number of days after opening the bottle?

The “consume by” recommendation is included on products that are formulated using ingredients that are sensitive to environmental factors (e.g. heat, light, humidity). Although exposure to these environmental factors does not adversely impact or compromise product safety, it can degrade the potency of these eco-sensitive ingredients and, consequently, make the product less effective. So, to ensure that you get the most out of products that are made using eco-sensitive ingredients, please consume the product within the timeframe recommended on the label.

What is the difference between the “Best by” date and the “Consume by” recommendation on your products?

The “Best By” date printed on the bottle is the date until which a product will meet label claims as long as the product is sealed or, once opened, stored and handled as recommended on the product label.

The “Consume by” recommendation is included only on products that are formulated using ingredients that are sensitive to environmental factors (e.g. heat, light, humidity). Although exposure to these environmental factors does not adversely impact or compromise product safety, it can degrade the potency of these eco-sensitive ingredients and, consequently, make the product less effective. So, to ensure that you get the most out of products that are made using eco-sensitive ingredients, it is important to consume the product within the timeframe recommended on the label.

If the product I purchased contains ingredients that can degrade once the bottle is opened, how can I be confident that I am still getting the declared amounts of the nutrients on the label?

To ensure that our products provide the nutrients in the amounts declared on the label, we intentionally include higher amounts of eco-sensitive ingredients than what is declared on the label to compensate for degradation that may occur once the bottle is opened. The amount of an ingredient that is added above what is declared on the label is referred to as an intentional “overage” and it is added for the precise purpose of compensating for possible potency degradation during routine product storage and handling. That being said, we would like to assure you that we take great care to ensure that the amount of the overage does not exceed established tolerable upper limits and there is no risk of toxicity when the product is taken as directed.

Because there are practical and regulatory considerations on how much of an overage we can include in our different formulations, the most effective option we have available to ensure that consumers get the most out of our products is to provide the “consume by” guidance on products that contain eco-sensitive ingredients. You can be confident that you are getting the declared amounts of the nutrients as long as you store and consume the product within the recommended time frame.

Why do you recommend consuming the product within a certain number of days after opening the bottle even though the “Best by” date is months (or years) away?

NutriGold products are made with natural ingredients and without chemical preservatives. While the vast majority of ingredients we use in our products are stable and remain potent even after the product is opened, there are some ingredients that are particularly sensitive to environmental factors and must be handled with care from source to shelf, and beyond.

If the product you purchased includes a recommendation to finish the product within a prescribed time, it is important that you follow this guidance (unless it conflicts with instructions from your healthcare provider), so you can enjoy the health benefits that can only be realized when the product is taken consistently as recommended.

Will the product still provide benefits past the “consume by” recommendation on the bottle?

If the product you purchased includes a recommendation to finish the product within a prescribed time, it is important that you follow this guidance so you can enjoy the health benefits that can only be realized when the product is taken consistently as recommended. Although not consuming the product within the recommended time frame once the bottle is opened will not cause the product to “spoil” or become “unsafe,” the potency of some of the more eco-sensitive ingredients may start to degrade and this can diminish the product’s potential to support your health goals.

What is the best way to store NutriGold products?

NutriGold products are made with natural ingredients and without the use of any chemical stabilizers or preservatives. So, the best way to store them is in their original container away from direct sunlight and humidity. It is not recommended to empty the capsules or soft gels from their original container and store them in pill boxes or plastic bags because it could not only cause some of the more eco-sensitive ingredients to lose potency, but may also increase the risk of cross-contamination with other products or environmental pathogens.

Follow these simple guidelines to get the most out of NutriGold supplements —