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The Willner Window Product Reference Catalog, Jan-Feb, 2013
since 1911
• Willner Chemists •
the nutritional supplement professionals
Stevia: New Flavors Now Available
Extracts of leaves from Stevia rebaudiana have been used for many years in traditional treatment of diabetes in South America. Various compounds in stevia has been
concentrated, and used as natural sweeteners. These compounds possess up to 250 times the sweetness intensity of sucrose, and they are noncaloric and noncariogenic.
Stevioside, a natural plant glycoside isolated from the plant Stevia rebaudiana, has been commercialized as a noncaloric sweetener in Japan for more than 20 years.
Some studies have shown that stevia may be beneficial to those with hypertension, and those with type-2 diabetes. Dosage: Add 2-8 drops, as needed. Each ml is equiv-
alent to 300 mg of Stevia. Willner Chemists has offered stevia as a liquid herbal concentrate, providing Stevia Leaf Extract, standardized to 90% Steviosides, in 1, 2 and 4
oz sizes:
Phyto-Tech™ Stevia Extract 90
1 fl oz, prod code: 56943. List Price: $8.30 - Disc Price: $6.64 ~ 4 fl oz, prod code: 56942. List Price: $22.90 - Disc Price: $18.32
2 fl oz, prod code: 56940. List Price: $12.80 - Disc Price: $10.24
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, Willner Chemists is pleased to offer six new stevia leaf extracts, in flavored form:
Phyto-Tech™ Stevia Extract - Chocolate, 2 oz, Alcohol Free (#60140)
Phyto-Tech™ Stevia Extract - Cinnamon, 2 oz, Alcohol Free (#60139)
Phyto-Tech™ Stevia Extract - Lemon, 2 oz, Alcohol Free (#60141)
Phyto-Tech™ Stevia Extract - Orange, 2 oz, Alcohol Free (#60144)
Phyto-Tech™ Stevia Extract - Peppermint, 2 oz, Alcohol Free (#60143)
Phyto-Tech™ Stevia Extract - Vanilla, 2 oz, Alcohol Free (#60142)
These new Stevia liquids are 100% Gluten Free, and contain only organic stevia leaf extract, veg-
etable glycerin, purified water and natural flavors/essential oils. The list price on the new, flavored
versions is $12.80 and the Willner discount price is $10.24.
Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, add 5-8 drops to a beverage or food. Shake well before
using.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To listen to an interview on stevia and other therapeutic herbal supplements, go to www.willner.com and look up the May 22, 2011
Willner Window Radio Program
magnesium through these processes, adding
to a troublesome dietary calcium overload
that we will discuss shortly.
Fluoride in drinking water binds with mag-
nesium, creating a nearly insoluble mineral
compound that ends up deposited in the
bones, where its brittleness increases the risk
of fractures. Water, in fact, could be an
excellent source of magnesium—if it comes
from deep wells that have magnesium at
their source, or from mineral-rich glacial
runoff. Urban sources of drinking water are
usually from surface water, such as rivers and
streams, which are low in magnesium. Even
many bottled mineral waters are quite low in
magnesium, or have a very high concentra-
tion of calcium, or both.
A diet of processed, synthetic foods, high
sugar content, alcohol and soda drinks all
“waste” magnesium, as a lot of it is required
for the metabolism and detoxification of
these largely fake foods. According to Dr.
Natasha Campbell-McBride, the body
requires at least twenty-eight molecules of
magnesium to metabolize a single molecule
of glucose. Phosphates in carbonated drinks
and processed meats (so-called “luncheon
meats” and hot dogs) bind with magnesium
to create the insoluble magnesium phos-
phate, which is unusable by the body.
Tannins, oxalates, and phytic acid all bind
with magnesium, making it unavailable to the
body unless extra care is taken to neutralize
some of these compounds during food
preparation. It is interesting to note that
foods commonly containing magnesium (pro-
vided they were grown in mineral-rich soil)
also contain lots of these anti-nutrients, such
as spinach (oxalates) and whole grains (phy-
tates).
Many commonly prescribed pharmaceuti-
cal drugs cause the body to lose magnesium
via the urine, such as diuretics for hyperten-
sion; birth control pills; insulin; digitalis;
tetracycline and some other antibiotics; and
corticosteroids and bronchodilators for asth-
ma. With the loss of magnesium, all of the
symptoms being “treated” by these drugs
over time inevitably become worse.
Magnesium absorption is impeded with the
use of supplemental iron. If you take calcium
supplements, your need for magnesium
increases, and in fact calcium will not be
properly absorbed or metabolized if ade-
quate magnesium is missing, and will mostly
end up dangerously deposited in soft tissues.
Magnesium is responsible for converting vita-
min D to the active form that allows calcium
to be absorbed, and also regulates calcium’s
transport to hard tissues where it belongs.
Lactose is another inhibitor of magnesium
absorption (and milk is not a good source of
the mineral to begin with), along with excess
potassium, phosphorus and sodium.
FOOD SOURCES OF MAGNESIUM
As we’ve mentioned, if farm soils are well-
mineralized, leafy green vegetables, seeds,
tree nuts and whole grains are fairly good
sources of magnesium. Certain wild-crafted
forage foods really stand out, however, such
as nettles (860 mg per 100 grams) and chick-
weed (529 mg per 100 grams), and add
many tonic and nutritive benefits to both
human and livestock diets largely due to their
high mineral content. Kelp, ancient denizen
of the sea, contains spectacular levels, as do
most sea vegetables. Remember that they are
continually bathed in a solution whose third
most abundant mineral is magnesium. And
authentic, unrefined sea salt is a very good
source of magnesium, along with trace min-
erals. Utilizing bone broths on a daily basis
will provide another excellent source of min-
erals, including magnesium, in a highly assim-
ilable form.
STRATEGIES FOR MAGNESIUM
SUPPLEMENTATION
Even with ideal digestive conditions, only a
percentage of magnesium in foods will be
absorbed—less when amounts in the body
are adequate and more if there is a deficien-
cy. This is also true of magnesium supple-
ments, and there are many of them on the
market to confuse you. For the average per-
son, magnesium supplementation is safe to
experiment with on your own, especially if
you know you have symptoms that could be
related to magnesium deficiency or are
under extra stress, and so on. Excess magne-
sium is excreted in urine and the stool, and
the most common response to too much
magnesium is loose stools. Those with renal
insufficiency or kidney disease, extremely
slow heart rate, or bowel obstruction should
avoid magnesium therapy.
General dosage recommendations range
from about 3 to 10 milligrams per pound of
body weight, depending upon physical con-
dition, requirements for growth (as in chil-
dren), and degree of symptoms.
Oral magnesium supplements are available
in organic salt chelates, such as magnesium
citrate and magnesium malate. These are
fairly well absorbed, especially in powder
forms to which you add water and can tailor
your dosage. It is important to divide your
dosage during the day so that you do not
load your body with too much magnesium in
any single dose. Carolyn Dean recommends
taking your first dose early in the morning
and another in the late afternoon—these cor-
respond to times when magnesium levels are
low in the body. Is it just a coincidence that
these times of low magnesium and low ener-
gy also correspond to the cultural rituals of
morning coffee and afternoon tea?
MAGNESIUM THE MISSING LINK?
It is likely safe to say that most people
would benefit from an increased supply of
magnesium in their diets, especially in these
times of so many dietary, environmental, and
social stressors. Of course no single nutrient
stands alone in relation to the body, and the
first priority is to eat a varied diet of whole
plant and animal foods from the best sources
near you. Adding extra magnesium, however,
might be the missing nutritional link to help
us guard against heart disease, stroke,
depression, osteoporosis and many other dis-
orders. In the prevention and alleviation of
these diseases, magnesium can be truly
miraculous.
Katherine Czapp was raised on a three-gener-
ation, self-sufficient mixed family farm in rural
Michigan. After studying Russian language and
literature at the University of Michigan, she is
gratified to discover that the skills and experi-
ences of her anachronistic upbringing are use-
ful tools in the 21st century. She works inde-
pendently as a three-season organic gardener
and WAPF staff editor. She and her husband
Garrick live the slow life in Ann Arbor,
Michigan. To learn more about authentic
sourdough bread recipes and to obtain a live
culture starter, visit www.realsourdoughbread-
recipe.com.
Nutritional Magnesium Association.
http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/