Del Monte Fit N' Right May Be Wrong For You

I stopped drinking Del Monte Fit N' Right. I'm afraid that it will put me at risk for hypertension.


There have been studies showing that L-Carnitine can pose a threat to our health.

Safeguard Derma Sense: Does it make sense?

Ingredients of Safeguard Derma Sense for Acne Prone Skin

Procter and Gamble released the Derma Sense variant of Safeguard with a price of about double of other Safeguard variants. One might ask, what is in the Derma Sense soap that is not in the other variants. I have listed the ingredients of two Safeguard soaps below, namely the Derma Sense for acne prone skin and the pink variant.

Safeguard Pink with Aloe (PhP 38 for 135g bar)	Safeguard Derma Sense For Acne Prone Skin (PhP 78 for 135g bar)
aloe barbadensis leaf extract	CI 42053
CI 14700	CI 47005
CI 45410	eucalyptus globulus leaf extract
citric acid	fragrance
fragrance	glycerin
glycerin	palm kernel acid
palm kernel acid	sodium chloride
pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate	sodium palm kernelate
sodium chloride	sodium palmate
sodium palm kernelate	tapioca starch
sodium palmate	titanium dioxide
talc	triclocarban
tapioca starch	zinc pyrithione
tetrasodium etidronate
titanium dioxide
water
zinc pyrithione
zinc sulfate

* Font color for the similar ingredients and the coloring agents are lighter to make the unique ingredients standout.

Two unique ingredients are present in the soap for acne prone skin, triclocarban and the eucalyptus extract. These are known antibacterial agents.

Older Safeguard soaps used to have triclosan and/or tricarban as their main ingredient to protect against germs. It is surprising that neither of the two is present in the pink soap yet there are claims that the pink soap can help protect against bacterial and now, some fungi, too!

Label and ingredients of the Pink Safeguard (with Aloe)

Now that both soap claims to protect against bacteria, is the high price of the Derma Sense soap cost effective? Does the pink soap lack protection against pimple causing bacteria? If so, is it more cost effective to buy the pink soap and buy another product for the pimple? Does it make sense to prefer the Derma Sense soap?

I tried both soaps (one whole month each) and both helped in the pimple reduction on my face. The thing is, I am also using  other products (those  with tea tree oil and/or salicylic acid) on my pimple while I used the two soaps. With my skin condition, I cannot rely on Safeguard soaps alone. My skin reacts well to salicyclic acid. So for me, it is really more cost effective to just pick the pink one. Also, if I'm going to rely on triclocarban alone for my pimple protection, I would use less expensive soaps (about half the price of the Derma Sense soap) that has triclocarban.

Del Monte Fit N' Right

L-Carnitine is a substance that is naturally occurring in the body. It helps convert fatty acids into energy needed by for a healthy heart, important body functions and physical activities. Supplementary L-Carnitine may contribute to optimal fat oxidation, and along with proper diet and regular exercise, may also promote a healthy body weight.

That is printed on the label of Del Monte Fit N' Right juice drink. With a number of beverages sold in the market as health drinks, this may actually be one. You get to choose from three flavors: apple, pineapple and four seasons. The brand boasts of its L-Carnitine content, saying that having 3 servings of the juice and with a proper diet and exercise, a high 16% body fat reduction can be achieved.

The key elements are proper diet and exercise; not L-Carnitine. There is no scientific evidence that it can improve weight loss.* Still it has a number of studies showing some health benefits especially for the cardiovascular system. The drink is reasonably priced so I'd rather buy it than other beverages that are mainly sugar dissolved in water. Speaking of sugar, maybe Del Monte can make a sugar-free version of the drink. Just a thought.

* from the University of Maryland Medical Center

14Aug2014 Update:
There has been research that L-carnitine can contribute to atherosclerosis.