Our Policies
Our Editorial Policy
Our ethos is simple: To help you make empowered health decisions by equipping you with clear, comprehensive, accurate, trustworthy content informed by rigorous scientific research.
Health is a lifelong journey made up of small daily decisions—and once you start digging deeper into the literature, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. The way we see it? Information can be a source of profound power—but it’s only valuable when expertly-vetted, and presented in an understandable, digestible, accessible way that prioritizes the reader.
That’s where we come in. Think of us as your trusted ally, an authoritative source of credible, Ritual expert-reviewed health content. From breaking down complex industry jargon to scouring peer-reviewed studies for the most up-to-date data, we promise to distill and demystify our findings into the most unambiguous terms possible, so you can feel confident in your choices.
After all, traceability extends far beyond knowing where our ingredients come from—it also means sharing our work, citing our sources, and lifting the curtain to our decision-making process as a company. To that end, when it comes to The Journal, we’d like to outline our meticulous process and editorial standards—along with the guiding principles behind every single piece of content we publish. So go on, take a closer look. We want you to.
Principles
Each piece is created with three pillars in mind.
- Trust isn’t given, it’s earned. When it comes to matters of health, it’s great to be a skeptic. As skeptics ourselves, we understand firsthand the importance of feeling confident in your decisions—and in the content that helps you make them. We’d never advise you to “just trust us” (nor should any ethical company, for that matter), which is why we lead with experience and evidence—not blind faith or pseudoscience. In other words, we’re more than well-read; we’re also an open book. Whether you’re learning about macronutrients or micronutrients, gut or immune support, you can rest assured that we’ll cite our sources and show you the receipts, right where you can see them.
- Sound science speaks for itself. Speaking of sources—we look to science for ours, relying on renowned experts and high-quality, peer-reviewed evidence to inform our content. Not all studies are equal, so our Science Team filters through sources and citations, poring through the literature to assess the strength of consensus and the credibility of the publication (and study design). When we include quotes specifically pertaining to health coverage, you can rest assured we’re featuring authorities in their respective fields. As a health company, we recognize accuracy is paramount—and we take that responsibility seriously, as you’ll see reflected in our stringent review process.
- Our readers always come first. Even though we’re a company that makes science-backed vitamins and other targeted nutrition products, we don’t actually talk like one—and that’s intentional. All too often, health information is presented in a sterile way, shrouded in mystery and complicated jargon that, however unintentionally, ends up sparking more confusion than clarity or comfort. From our POV, trustworthy information is for everyone, hence why we write stories with real people in mind—not just those in ivory towers. Access to quality health knowledge shouldn’t be an insider’s club, and we’ve made it our mission to deliver warm, actionable, judgment-free content that emphasizes readability, empathy, and inclusivity.
Process
How we ensure everything we publish meets our standards.
- ✓ Ritual’s Scientific Advisory Board As a science-backed health company, we’re delighted to say our team includes a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) composed of the industry’s leading experts, ranging from fields like medicine and nutrition to biochemistry. Featuring a roster of acclaimed physicians, academic professors, and certified dietitians, each member is thoroughly vetted, and selected for their proven track record and demonstrated expertise. In addition to playing an integral role in guiding our thinking around the latest research and product innovation, whenever necessary, they also help ensure relevant content reflects the most up-to-date information available. Our aim is to be the most trusted destination for everyday health—and our Scientific Advisory Board is a crucial element of the process. Meet the board members here.
- ✓ Fact-Checking Before a piece goes live, our writers, editors, regulators, and in-house Science Team—which is made up of nutrition and health experts—take extensive care to assess it against the highest standards of journalistic integrity. This includes a triple-check review process, during which all facts and citations are individually substantiated; appropriate use of medical, nutrition, or other health language is confirmed; and proper characterization of the data or findings is corroborated. No stone (or sentence, or statistic) is left unturned—and no story makes it to The Journal without passing all checkpoints. Only then do we hit publish.
- ✓ References, Studies, Sources, and Citations We prioritize accuracy and evidence, not clickbait or clout. To us, doing our due diligence is simply due process; we’ve got the data to back up our stories. But you don’t just have to take our word for it—we want you to poke around under the hood, which is why you’ll see each of our qualified sources listed in clear and visible citations that you can reference for a deeper dive.
- ✓ Authors Our editorial team, which includes contributing authors, is carefully selected for their top-notch journalism training, relevant life experience, and/or subject matter expertise. In other words, we only work with those who have established authority to speak on such topics, whether through a clear track record of quality reporting, a meaningful career in the health industry, or extensive field knowledge and education, including professional certifications. Additionally, all of our writers are trained on quality sourcing methods, research best practices, and receive consistent, ongoing feedback and training. (Even with these standards in place, we prefer going above and beyond when it comes to ensuring accuracy; all health and nutrition information is reviewed by scientific experts with considerable, varied experience.)
- ✓ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion We want to make our community feel safe, heard, seen, and respected on the journey of navigating their wellbeing—and that starts with the words we use. The nuances of language play a big part in fostering respect, empathy, and inclusivity, and we take great care to ensure our content is not only coherent and understandable, but also free of stereotypes, subtle discrimination, and negative stigmas of all kinds. We deal in the field of personal health, which we realize can be especially vulnerable—so when you land on The Journal, know that it’s a safe space, regardless of age, religion, race, body type, gender identity, sexual orientation, lifestyle or dietary preference, or any other factor. Read Ritual’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion to learn more about how we keep ourselves accountable in this sphere.
We’re listening
Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Ritual was built on asking questions and digging deeper—so if there’s something you see that needs clarification (or correction!), please don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
When it comes to making decisions about medical conditions or general health, always seek the advice of your physician or a trusted healthcare provider. Our content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should not be read as such.