Update January 14 2024. The Zeal Wellness Drink by Zurvita is said to be an “all in one formula” that “combines core vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables,” which can”boost energy,” “optimize health,” and help people “maintain a healthy weight.” I got interested in the Zeal Wellness Blend after looking at its ingredients and noticing that it contained something that I had not seen in a long time. So, in this review, we'll look at the ingredients and try to find human research for them in the hopes of helping you decide if this supplement is right for you.
Zeal Wellness Nutrition Information
For this review, I'll look at the Tropic Dream flavor. A serving size is 1 scoop which equals 14 grams (1 half ounce). A container of the Tropic Dream flavor has 30 servings per container and contains the following nutrition information.
| Nutrient | Amount Per Serving | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 45 | |
| Calories From Fat | 15 | |
| Total Fat | 1.5 g | 3% DV |
| Saturated Fat | 0.26 g | |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0.0% DV |
| Total Carbohydrates | 11 g | 4% DV |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g | 16% DV |
| Sugars | 4 g | N/A |
| Protein | 1% DV | |
| Key Nutrients | ||
| Tocotrienols & Tocopherols | 192 micrograms | N/A |
| Inositol | 3 mg | N/A |
| Phytosterols | 5 mg | N/A |
| Gamma Oryzano | 14 mg | N/A |
| Polyphenols | 840 mg | N/A |
| Polysaccharides | 2016 mg | N/A |
Looking at the table above, overall, it looks pretty normal to me as far as the protein, fat, and carbs listed. The highest percentage appears to come from fiber (4 grams per serving) which provides 16% of the amount of fiber that's recommended per day.
If the Zeal Wellness drink does anything, I think that answer lies mostly in its “Key Ingredients.” From the table above, we can see that there are 6 different key ingredients listed. They are:
- Tocotrienols & Tocopherols
- Inositol
- Gamma oryzanol
- Phytosterols
- Polyphenols
- Polysaccharides
Let's take a closer look at these now and try to make sense of them.
Tocotrienols & Tocopherols
Both of these words refer to vitamin E. Because both are mentioned, I take that to mean that the Zeal Wellness Drink contains all of the different types of vitamin E. Depending on who you talk to, there are between 8 – 10 different types of vitamin E. If I'm right, then this might be a good thing, considering that most vitamin E supplements only provide one type – alpha-tocopherol. Providing all the different types might be better than only one type.
The Zeal Wellness Formula contains 192 micrograms of Tocotrienols & Tocopherols (vitamin E). While that's not much (the RDA for vitamin E is about 15 milligrams per day), I'm personally ok with this as I think vitamin E is overhyped.
Inositol
Inositol is sometimes said to be one of the B vitamins but since the body can make it, it's really not a vitamin. Some may have heard of a similar compound called inositol hexaphosphate (also called “IP-6”), which is found in many different foods, such as nuts and citrus fruits. When we consume IP-6, it releases inositol into our bodies.
There are many different types of inositol. Of those, myo-inositol is one of the main types in the body. While I can't know for sure, my guess is this may be the form of inositol in the Zeal Wellness Drink.
Some research shows inositol might help PCOS and there is some interest in depression and anxiety too. There is not much inositol in the Zeal Wellness Drink. Each serving only provides 3 mg. This is less than studies tend to use.
Inositol is found in many foods. According to this study of inositol in foods, 1 serving of grapefruit juice can have as much as 468 mg of inositol per serving.
Phytosterols
Phyto means plant, and sterols refer to compounds that “look” like cholesterol. As such, there is evidence that they can reduce cholesterol levels. As mentioned on this page of the Clevland Clinic website, the FDA has approved a heart disease reduction health claim for phytosterols if the food provides at least 1.3 grams per day. Each serving of the Zeal Wellness Formula provides just 5 milligrams of phytosterols.
The Linus Pauling Institute has a list of foods rich in phytosterols. At the top of this list is wheat germ – and right below it is rice bran oil, which is where we get gamma oryzanol – the next ingredient in the Zeal Wellness Formula.
Gamma Oryzanol
This ingredient comes from rice bran oil and refers to a diverse group of individual ingredients. I remember gamma oryzanol being popular with weightlifters in the 1990s. Back then, people thought it might help make weightlifters bigger and stronger. Unfortunately, what research I could locate on exercise, doesn't seem to show it helps. This 2014 exercise study also shows it doesn't help exercise either, even when as much as 600 mg per day is used. Each serving of the Zeal Wellness Formula provides 14 mg of Gamma Oryzanol.
The bran is the hard, outer shell of some foods, in this case rice. Rice bran oil refers to to the fatty oil derived from rice bran. It's from the oil of rice bran that gamma oryzanol comes from. For more on this, see the Rice Bran Oil Wikipedia page.
There is some evidence that gamma oryzanol might lower cholesterol although most of the research involves lab animals.
I noticed that gamma oryzanol is spelled wrong on the Zeal Wellness Formula PDF 
Polyphenols
This is a class of phytonutrients that are antioxidants which are found in a variety of foods including coffee, fruits and vegetables, red wine and even chocolate. Each serving of the Zeal Wellness Formula contains 840 mg of polyphenols. While this is nice, it's still not clear how much is best for us. My guess is that most fruit/veggie smoothies contain more than this. Here's my smoothie if you want to try to make one.
For an in-depth review of polyphenols, see this paper from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Polysaccharides
This is the scientific name for carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are made of many sugar molecules linked together. There are many types of polysaccharides such as cellulose and glycogen.
The prefix mono means one while the prefix poly means many. So polysaccharides are made up of many monosaccharides (sugars) linked together.
Carbohydrates do provide us with energy. During exercise, carbs are one of the main types of fuels our muscles use.
Wikipedia has a nice review of polysaccharides for those who want to learn more.
Each serving of the Zeal drink provides 2016 mg (just over 2 grams) of polysaccharides, which makes this the most abundant of the “key ingredients” in the product. In the grand scheme of things, 2 grams of carbs is not much, especially if we are talking about exercise. Remember 28 grams = 1 ounce.
Zeal Wellness Blend Ingredients
Here, in order, as they appear on the product label, are all the ingredients in the Tropic Dream flavor of Zeal Wellness Blend.
| Soluble stabolized rice and bran germ | fructooligosaccharide from chicory root | crystalline fructose |
| natural orange flavor | citric acid | natural pineapple flavor |
| natural lemon flavor | natural lime flavor | stevia (leaf) |
| guarana seed powder w/ natural caffeine | aloe vera powder w/ aloe polysaccharides | moringa oleifera powder |
| chlorella powder | broccoli powder | cranberry powder |
| milk thistle powder | bacopa powder | ashwagandha powder |
| green tea powder | wild blueberry powder | red ginseng powder |
| grape seed powder | yerba mate powder | kudzu powder |
| fennel seed powder | gogi berry powder | acai berry powder |
| noni juice powder | natural color from tumeric and beta carotene |
Read the table above from left to right. This gives you an idea of the ingredients present the most and those present the least. For example, since beta carotene is the last ingredient listed, it's probably present in the lowest concentration.
The ingredients list includes quite a few things I've looked at before, including:
Personally, I'm not too impressed with any of these ingredients. I'll refer you to the reviews above for more information on them.
Let's now look at a few other ingredients I noticed that were listed.
Ashwagandha
The scientific name for this herb is Withania somnifera. In some supplements, it may also be called “Indian ginseng.” This herb has been in a few products Ive looked at previously, including:
- Shakeology (click to read review)
- Avesil (click to read review)
- 1 Db Goddess (click to read review)
While I can't say the specific reason why this herb is in the product, given that a few other ingredients contain caffeine, I wonder if the reason might be due to claims that this herb can increase thyroid hormone levels. More thyroid hormone might mean more energy to get through the day. I looked into this but, unfortunately, only found lab animal research.
One study of ashwagandha did appear to show it might help cartilage in people with osteoarthritis, but I believe better research needs to be done. Another study noted that ashwagandha might reduce anxiety levels in people. This anxiety study used 600 mg of ashwagandha per day.
Ashwagandha And Insomnia
Watch on my YouTube channel
Yerba Mate
Yerba mate contains caffeine and is sometimes found in products to boost energy. Some studies suggest yerba mate is associated with several different types of cancers. However, many of these studies involved people who consumed hot liquids that contained herba mate. Because of this, is it possible the temperature of the liquid plays a role.
Kudzu Powder
In some supplements, kudzu is called “Pueraria.” This herb (pronounced “cud-zoo) contains phytohormone compounds called isoflavones.
Kudzo has been investigated to help menopause. It's also been investigated to help several conditions ranging from alcoholism to weight loss. However, more studies are needed to evaluate its effectiveness fully.
Turmeric
Turmeric is listed at the end of the list. The spice turmeric has been accumulating a lot of research that it's not only a natural anti-inflammatory but also that might help cancer too.
How Much Caffeine?
I'm not sure how much caffeine is in the Zeal Wellness Drink. The label does mention “natural caffeine,” but I can't find an amount listed. I did see references stating it contains a level of caffeine similar to a “cup of premium coffee.” This is similar to the vague caffeine claim for 5 hr Energy. See that review for more on that product.
Ingredients With Caffeine
While I do not know the amount of caffeine, here are the ingredients in the Zeal Wellness Drink that I believe might contain caffeine:
- Guarana
- Yerba Mate
- Green Tea
It is said the green tea in the product is considered decaffeinated. That means it probably has very little caffeine. Either way, I believe it's the caffeine content that's at the heart of the “boosts energy” claim for the product.
Zeal Sweeteners
Looking at the ingredients list above, I believe these are the sweeteners in Zeal Wellness Drink (Tropic Dream flavor):
- Crystalline Fructose
- Natural orange flavor
- Natural pineapple flavor
- Natural lemon flavor
- Natural lime flavor
- Stevia
Crystalline fructose is basically another name for the sugar, fructose. I noticed that this was also an ingredient in the Zeal Protein shake. When I reviewed Right Size Smoothies, I also saw this in the ingredients. Is crystalline fructose healthier than high fructose corn syrup?
Is Zeal Vegan?
The label states Zeal Wellness Formula is vegan and gluten-free.
Zurvita Company Information. Who Makes Zeal Supplements?
Zurvita Inc., also called Zurvita Holding, has been in operation since 2008. The company is located at 840 W Sam Houston Pkwy N Ste 300 Houston, TX 77024-4612.
The Better Business Bureau rated gives the company an F rating with 1 out of 5 stars. This low rating may be related to unproven and over-the-top health claims for their supplements. In July 2022, the Better Business Bureau of Central Texas requested that Zurvita modify and or stop making related to their supplements being clinically shown to
- improve mood, strength, and vitality
- reduce anxiety and stress, confusion, and anger
Other issues involved automatic rebilling for supplements and their “Made in the US” claims.
In spite of this, The Better Business Bureau did not report any customer complaints, which may indicate consumers are pleased with the supplements they purchase.
Zurvita Zeal Customer Support
To contact Zeal customer service, call 844-987-8482.
Zurvita corporate office: 713 464 5002
Email: HearForYou@zurvita.com
Zeal Clinical Research
In one clinical trial highlighted on the Zurvita website 99 healthy but moderately stressed men and women used two packs of the Zeal drink each day for 28 days. Compared to those not using the supplement, Zeal drinkers reported increased levels of vigor as well as reductions in anger, confusion, fatigue, and anxiety. 85% of those people also stated that they felt better too. Highly encouraging results; however, this clinical trial does not appear to be published in peer-reviewed medical journals.
Zeal Side Effects
Zeal is not known to be associated with any significant negative reactions. To reduce your downsides when using this here are some options to consider
- Begin by taking less than recommended for the first week.
- Stop taking the wellness drink at least 2 weeks before having surgery. This in case some of the ingredients have blood thinner properties.
- Speak to your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Zewal contains caffeine. Avoid drinking close to bedtime.
- Fructose might raise triglyceride levels.
- Gamma oryzanol might reduce TSH levels in humans. This may interfere with blood tests for hypothyroidism.
- Drinking yerba mate beverages may be associated with an increase in the risk cancer.
- Preliminary research hints that kudzu might interfere with estrogen levels. It is unknown if Kudzu with birth control pills.
Does The Zeal Drink Really Work?
The Zeal Wellness drink has a lot of ingredients; however, I think the jury is still out. While the company has commissioned some research that shows the supplement to be effective, that research has not been published in medical journals.
Here's the Zeal Wellness Drink on Amazon