Photo by Raimond Klavins
“Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.” — Winston Churchill (side eye)
I love a good health food store.
Please know this about me.
I’ve written about my long-time love affair with Salud Mediterránea where I share my most recent haul from, from what I consider to be the best health food store in Madrid. This information isn’t new: I love this store, but this post goes specifically into their unique in-house brand and the products I have both tried and can recommend!
Why do I love Salud Mediterránea?
They have their own label, “Árbol Verde” which has been around since 1997.
The sheer variety of their products. They offer supplements, vitamins, and the usual herbolario fare; but they also sell spices, teas, cleaning products, hygiene products and make up!
They have 3 locations (Chueca, Atocha, Manuel Becerra) and although Chueca is my go-to, I get the impression that this is true for all their staff: they hire really knowledgable people to work in their stores. There’s a difference between a shop assistant, and a shop assistant who understands the products they’re selling.
Top 5 Árbol Verde Products at Salud Meditrránea
Nutriger: Hair, Skin + Nail Supplement with Biotin + Zinc
At 10€ for 120 pearls, it’s certainly gives you the bang for your buck you deserve. It’s made in Spain and GMO free.
Melatonin Plus
The way my anxiety is set up, falling asleep can be tricky.
When that happens, I turn to melatonin, a hormone naturally produced in our bodies, and conveniently packaged by my friends at Salud Mediterránea. It’s 8€ for 60 capsules, and has valerian root and chamomile. Also GMO free, made in Spain and apt for vegans + vegetarians.
Chlorella
This super-supplement is rich in betacarotene and contains 18 amino acids (including the 9 essential ones). It’s got chlorophyll, which is a natural internal deodorant, helps detox heavy metals from the body, and this powerful algae has existed for over 500 million years! You can pick some up today! It’s 11€ for 120 capsules!
I use it because I switched to natural deodorant, and honestly I believe this really helped with the transition and aluminum detox.
B-Complex
Have you ever been asked the question: “But where do you get your vitamin B12 from?” No? Then you’re probably not plant-based. Either way, finding this one-stop-shop was a huge help to this vegan. It’s got folic acid and biotin, so you know it’s good. And honestly, for 7€ it’s a steal!
Iron with B12 + Folic Acid
Again, as a plant-based woman, making sure my iron levels are adequate is important to me. I also want to point out that you should always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement routine. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it right?
While these are all Àrbol Verde products I’ve tried and enjoyed, I listen to my body and the doctor, of course, and rotate, add, make changes, etc. when necessary. I hope you all all do the same! If you can do it all while also supporting a local business, then even better!
