At Ritual, it’s our mission to help everyone support their foundational health. We’re proud to have built a product world that acknowledges different ages and life stages, and formulas that can help bridge certain nutrient gaps no matter how we identify. But we also acknowledge that there is still much work to be done on the road to true inclusivity. That’s why we’d like to provide a little insight into our product nomenclature and how we hope to evolve, as well as some guidance on choosing a multivitamin from our current lineup.
Our product philosophy has always been to firmly root everything we do in science. It’s why, when developing our multivitamins, we believe it is important and necessary to adhere to the largest and most respected reference for the needs of the population—the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES. NHANES is a highly comprehensive nutritional database, allowing a representative evaluation of what Americans eat versus what they actually need. To get a more accurate picture of the American population’s requirements, we also utilize the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) and Estimated Average Requirements (EARs). The information presented and reviewed from these organizations and scientific consortiums has greatly advanced our understanding of the population’s requirements but is limited to the surveying and references of infants, children, males, females, pregnancy and lactation, across various specific age-ranges.
Our brand nomenclature is very much tied to the organization of this data provided at this overarching level and is what we, at this stage, deem to be most reliable when it comes to evaluating nutrient intakes.
But while we believe this approach is the most responsible approach to formulation, we also know that it’s inherently limiting. There shouldn’t be a choice between abiding by the most respected scientific literature and ensuring that everyone feels seen and represented by our brand. We’re committed to challenging ourselves to do better. The science and data must evolve, and so will our thinking, and so should our products.