The Natural Way

If everyone knows how important it is to eat right to maintain proper health, why don’t they do it? Because it is inconvenient, and quite often even expensive. People prefer to munch on junk, and lack the required amount of protein in their daily intake. This leads to the development of various lifestyle diseases which can be quite tedious. Protein supplements too make consumers confused with a list of unrecognisable ingredients. Taking all this into consideration, the company Oziva was founded, offering clean protein blends, plant-based micronutrients and plant nutrition for special dietary needs. Aarti Gill, co-founder of OZiva, says, “We always wanted to enable people to a healthier and better life. Consumers are getting smarter and more informed , they have started realising what to buy and what not to buy. We want to cater to these well informed consumers by giving them a range of healthy clean food that consists of botanical extracts, plant and whole food-based nutrition. It is something which can be consumed for a long time without having to worry about any side effects,” she says. 

The philosophy behind OZiva is to help people be better and healthier. “We have always believed that there is more to everyone - there is no such thing as the best; rather, it’s about getting better as each day passes. It’s about evolution — the brightness and the radiance within is the most important thing in the journey of evolution,” she adds, explaining that ‘ziva’ in Hebrew means radiance, brilliance, or brightness while the ‘O’ denotes originality. “Hence, OZiva is the perfect choice for a name to represent the philosophy of the brand.”

The products offered span across categories including everyday fitness, skin, hair and many more upcoming ones. “Our products are formulated by combining modern food science with the very basic concepts of ayurveda. We combine different clean nutrients along with powerful botanical extracts to bring the benefit of both the sciences to human body,” she says.
 
Consumers in India are generally skeptical about picking up supplements because they are unaware of the ingredients. There are many prejudices against protein supplements like these products make one put on a lot of weight, or that these products should be consumed only by those who workout extensively at the gym. Busting these myths, Gill says, “Dietary supplements vary from protein, vitamins to minerals etc. What many people often miss is that dietary supplements are just a part of an overall diet. They are usually taken if you are unable to get required macro or micronutrients from the food (which often is the case given the kind of daily routine most of us in India have). Hence, diet plays a crucial role along with supplementation. For instance, weight loss or gain depends on the overall calorie intake. It’s impossible for any supplement to help you lose or gain weight if your overall diet is not in sync with the goal that you want to achieve.”

Major problems these days among millennials include high blood sugar levels. Diabetes, type 1 and type 2, is a big problem in India right now due to the popularity of high-sugar foods and a rather sedentary lifestyle. “We launched our Superfood Greens & Herbs for Diabetes & Prediabetes product a few months back and are really happy with the response it has received. It is an alkalising greens blend with sugar-control herbal extracts. It helps control blood sugar with herbal extracts like fenugreek seeds, jamun seeds, gymnema sylvestre, and so on. Standardised herbal extracts are far more powerful than herbs as they have a particular phytochemical that plays a key role in controlling sugar levels,” says Gill, adding, “However, it goes without saying that the overall diet is an absolute must watch when it comes to any health goal. Hence, we provide free diet consultation via chat to all our customers to ensure that their diet is in sync with their health goals.”

Another concerning issue is weight loss. “Your metabolism plays a key role when it comes to weight loss. So we have a Protein & Herbs product which helps improve metabolism. Besides protein, which helps in improving lean muscle mass, it has ingredients like guduchi, green tea, cinnamon plant extracts which are quite  effective for improved metabolism. It also helps in improving skin and hair as it has multivitamins like biotin, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, and so on.” she says.

Another bestseller from the brand is the Plant-based Collagen Builder. “Besides fitness, we are also focusing on skin and hair health. Currently, our products in this category include the Collagen Builder, Plant-based Biotin, and Superfood Greens & Herbs. We are also planning to come up with other products in the same category which combines best of modern science and ayurveda,” says Gill.

Consumer reviews
“I have not take protein supplement before, but decided to try OZiva’s Protein &Herbs. I usually have it in the form of a smoothie after my exercise session everyday. I have noticed significant changes since I have been taking this. I feel healthier. I also love the taste, it is chocolatey, so it makes me feel refreshed.
— Pranoti Patil, amateur runner

I am used to taking whey proteins. I have been consuming their Organic Plant Protein for a while now and I feel that the effect is as good as whey proteins. Though, I prefer the taste of whey proteins. 
— Nutan Desai, marathoner

I rarely consume any supplements until suggested by a doctor. However, OZiva’s plant-based Biotin has changed my opinion. Since I have started using the product, I have noticed a significant change in the quality of my hair and skin. It feels revitalised. Though the powder initially smells funny, once you mix it in water, it has a citrus flavour. 
— Alisha Shinde, beginner-level fitness enthusiast