At Natural Products Expo West, ingredient supplier Vegan Minerals launched WholeCal, a source of bioavailable calcium, magnesium, several essential trace minerals, and 16 amino acids in a naturally occurring form.

Most calcium ingredients on the market are sourced from ground-up rocks, an inorganic material never intended for human consumption. However, WholeCal is sourced from a renewable deposit of calcified seaweed from the coast of Brazil.

The naturally-occurring honeycomb structure of the minerals also offers superior absorption to conventional mineral ingredients, the company reports, and, unlike organic seaweeds like kelp, WholeCal is derived from a seaweed called Lithothamnion, which provides a more uniform and predictable mineral content to reduce variability in formulations.

“Most people assume their calcium supplement is natural and effective, but they’d be shocked to learn where it comes from,” said Jordal Golshan, co-founder of Vegan Minerals. “With WholeCal, we’re proud to offer a natural, science-backed solution to close this nutritional gap.”

WholeCal is suitable for foods, supplements, and pet nutrition products as a clean-label, plant-derived alternative to traditional mineral sources.