Indigestion and heartburn are something that should be infrequent problems (and for us they are, thankfully). Occasionally though, we are all susceptible to overindulgence at dinner, or a stressful day that leads to an upset stomach. Anyone who’s experienced it knows that when heartburn happens, it isn’t fun, but finding a fast, reliable and above all else healthy remedy isn’t always easy. Most people end up depending on a remedy like Tums or another over the counter supplement.

The problem with most of these “main stream” products is that they are usually full of unnatural ingredients that are doing plenty of damage behind the scenes while they alleviate your heartburn. We actually use a product called Stomach Balance from  a company called Aboca. Stomach Balance is a 100% organic supplement that does exactly what the name implies: balances the acid in your stomach to alleviate heartburn and indigestion.

Now, the big question is, “Why use a product like Stomach Balance when something like Tums is so much more readily available?” And the answer that jumps to my mind it “Why wouldn’t you?” Let’s break out the important differences by looking at the ingredients.

Stomach Balance Ingredients

• Calcium (as natural calcium carbonate from Limenstone)
• Sodium (as natural sodium carbonate from Nahcolite)
• Aloe
• Barley
• Licorice
• Chamomile
• Cane Sugar
• Sweet Mint Natural Flavor

Note: all of these ingredients are 100% organic.

Tums Ingredients

• Calcium Carbonate
• Sucrose
• Corn Starch
• Talc
• Mineral Oil
• Natural & Artificial Flavors
• Adipic Acid
• Sodium Polyphosphate
• Red 40 Lake
• Yellow 6 Lake
• FD&C Yellow 5 Lake (Tartrazine)
• Blue 1 Lake

Just at first glance, which one of those would YOU rather swallow? Here’s some more important notes… First off, the ingredient of “Natural & Artificial Flavors” is a pretty scary loophole in the ingredient labeling system. That term can cover hundreds of different ingredients, some of which are pretty scary if you take the time to look them up. Another thing to notice is how many artificial dyes are used.

A lot could be written about the different ingredients in both products, but Stomach Balance is by far more natural and less risky. If you are curious about any of the specific ingredients, just do a simple “what is” search in Google. Personally, we’d choose a product that is made of organic herbs over one with artificial chemicals, colors and flavors every single time.

We usually purchase Stomach Balance from our naturopathic doctor’s office, but we did find it online at Natruramart.com.

For us, Stomach Balance works great for the occasional heartburn or upset stomach… we obviously aren’t doctors or nutritionists, so this is all our opinion based on our personal experiences… you should do your own research before making any of your own decisions.