Taking One for the Team: Safi - The Blood Purifier

I was recently in a local Indian grocery with some friends, looking for some food inspiration, when I came across a product that was recommended by the lovely owner of the shop. The product, Safi - The Blood Purifier - is an herbal product manufactured in India (and some batches in Pakistan) for the purpose of relieving many conditions, including acne.

The beautiful package states that:

The herbal remedy for skin diseases such as acne vulgaris, boils, skin rashes, blemishes, urticaria etc. Checks nose bleeding, cures constipation, corrects indigestion, improves complexion and helps you to stay slim and smart.

Well, heck, then I just had to try it!

Before I decided to give it a go, I thought I should probably look up any other reviews or information online. First, I tried to search out the herbs that were listed on the package, but had a difficult time as many of them were listed by their Indian names, rather than the botanical name that we use regularly here in the U.S.

After giving up on that, I searched for any other information I could find. Turns out the Safi product is actually quite controversial.

It has been banned in Canada, as a certain study showed that it contains arsenic. Some other information I found questioned the purity of the water source of the product, as some batches were manufactured in an area with unclean water. Some reviewers thought that Safi caused them to develop food allergies and flu-like symptoms.

On the flip side, I found several reviews claiming that Safi cleared their acne completely after a few months of use. It seems like this product has been used by several generations and is often recommended by elders in the family. I also found information that disputed the arsenic issue, claiming that the metals in the product are by design and are therapeutic in the ayurvedic tradition. Some even commented that the studies were probably performed by the big pharmaceutical companies, afraid of losing their market share to a holistic product in the prescription drug market.

One thing that seemed resoundingly agreed upon - Safi tastes terrible!!!

At this point, I almost felt compelled to take a dose of this controversial product, readily available on Amazon. So, taking one for the team, I did just that. Holding the spoonful of the thick, brown syrup in front of my mouth, ready for whatever might happen, I quickly gulped it down. Surprisingly, I did not find the taste offensive at all. The best way I can describe it is "herbal prune juice." While I did not take any additional doses, I report no ill effects at all from a single dose. Perhaps I am slimmer and smarter? Probably not.

I guess my final thoughts on this product are this. It is always important to do your research and consult with a professional before taking any type of herbal supplement for your own health and safety. Supplements are not currently regulated in the United States so you need to be smart. I find the controversy over Safi containing arsenic personally interesting. I grew up, and still live, in an area that has naturally high levels of arsenic in the water. Many people are still on wells and drink this water on a daily basis. I'm not saying that is good (although my understanding is that "they" really don't know what a "safe" level of ingested arsenic is). I'm just saying it is interesting. No one is out here banning us from drinking our own water (should they be?).

Another thought - aren't there a lot of things that we can readily buy and ingest at our local grocery stores that are slowly killing us? I'm just sayin.