The best-selling books of 2020, and why

I love lists of the most consumed products; they offer a very interesting view of the life of a community, and I read them every year-end.

For several years we've compiled top-selling lists for our herbalist shop, but this year I wanted to go further and try to explain why each of these products is on the list. Let's begin...

Red Yeast Rice + Q10: By far our star product. If you've been following us this year, you know we've sold out of it several times. It's a product that works very well to lower "bad" cholesterol levels and balance "good" cholesterol.

On our website it has a 5-star rating, with several reviews indicating the good effect the product has had on the customer's cholesterol levels, and how doctors and cardiologists recommend it. 

This is one of the most recent reviews 

“I’ve been taking it for a few months now and I’ve managed to lower my cholesterol to a level I’ve never had before, while also increasing the proportion of good cholesterol (HDL). Of all the herbal remedies I take, this is the one my cardiologist specifically told me to keep taking, and it really works.”

Besides the fact that it works very well, we know that high cholesterol is a very common health problem in our country. According to the ENRICA study—conducted between 2008 and 2010—slightly more than half of the Spanish population has hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol ≥ 200 mg/dL or is receiving pharmacological treatment). You can see the study here.

D-Fense: It surprised no one in our store that almost from the beginning of the year, but especially since the end of February, our D-Fense product began selling more than in previous months. D-Fense is a product made with echinacea, vitamin C, and propolis, three ingredients traditionally used to support the immune system. 

I believe the increase in sales of this product is very significant given the current pandemic. We never believe, recommend, or claim that any of these three ingredients, or this product specifically, prevents COVID, but we do think that facing life with a strong immune system—now and always—is important, and it seems our customers agree.

Melatonin Plus, our product to help you fall asleep and stay asleep, has also been one of our star products, ranking third. Lack of sleep is another problem we face in Spain. According to the Spanish Society of Neurology, 10% of the population suffers from serious or chronic sleep disorders. And between 20% and 48% of the adult population experiences difficulty falling or staying asleep at some point in their lives. 

This data is from 2018, and as a company, we're often surprised by the number of people who shop on our website during their natural sleep hours—obviously, this is just an observation. This year, in addition, the anxiety, fear, and stress created by the pandemic may have contributed to more people having difficulty sleeping well. 

Flora 9 This product is our general-purpose probiotic. Probiotic supplements have been on the market for some time, and more and more doctors are recommending them to improve a variety of medical problems, not just digestive disorders. 

Furthermore, there is a great deal of scientific research studying how different strains of probiotics—also known as the microbiota—are present in different parts of our body and are essential for their health. A very interesting and, in my opinion, hopeful topic. 

In this year of COVID, we know that many of our customers are taking probiotics like Flora 9 to strengthen their digestive and immune systems. With 9 probiotic strains, 660 million bacteria per capsule, and a prebiotic, it's a comprehensive probiotic that works. This is one of the most recent reviews of this product.

“I’m happy, I’ve stopped taking a drug!!! Now I’ll rest for a few months and then I’ll go back.”

Astaxanthin Plus: This powerful antioxidant has always seemed like a summer product to me, for when we spend more time in the sun and want to prevent damage caused by oxidation and free radicals. However, screen light also causes oxidative damage, harming both the skin and the eyes. 

Astaxanthin Plus, made with astaxanthin extracted from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis , and lutein, is an ideal product to protect both the skin and the eyes, something very necessary in this year in which many of us have spent more time in front of screens to do things that we used to do in person.

Omega 3TG is always one of our best-selling products, and this year it's nearly tied with Astaxanthin Plus. Árbol Verde's Omega 3 TG is fish oil in triglyceride form, containing 34% EPA and 24% DHA, compounds that help maintain a healthy heart, brain, and vision. 

Omega 3 is one of the herbal products that has already become part of the mainstream, and more and more conventional doctors are recommending and prescribing it to treat hypercholesterolemia, improve dermatitis and help prevent and treat mild depression. 

Green Tree Omega 3TG is made with oil from small fish, to minimize the possibility of heavy metals, and it also goes through a filtration and purification process to ensure that it contains levels of heavy metals well below those permitted by regulations.

These 6 supplements are what we consider basics - with some others not listed here as best-selling products - but when clients, friends and family ask us what we recommend to increase well-being, we always recommend starting with a lifestyle change - more real food, more exercise, more activities that bring us connection.

Here you can see our entire collection of best-selling products in our herbalist shop in 2021.

I'd love to know if you take any of these supplements, or if there are any others that you consider essential for your well-being.