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(Actual) publications 2006 Wolfberry
New Discovered Berries Pack a Powerful Health Punch
2006/11/30 - Ligonberry, Wolfberry and Acai berry may not be household names in North America, but the health benefits linked to these new superfoods are picking up momentum because of their rich antioxidant.
Vancouver, British Columbia (PRWEB) November 30, 2006 -- Lingonberry, Wolfberry ("Goji") and açaí berry. They're not household names in North America, but the health benefits linked to these new "superfoods" are picking up momentum.
The lingonberry is a member of the cranberry family, and has a tart taste that's more popular in Europe as a jam or tea. The Wolfberry has been described as having exceptional nutritional qualities that make it one of the most nutrient-rich plant foods on Earth. And the açaí berry, a dark purple fruit common in areas of the Amazon River, have been praised for their potential cancer-fighting effects.
While these berries have shown promising results in health studies, will they ever rival the Big 3 -cranberries, blueberries strawberries -- in popularity? "It's not likely," said Dr. Paul Gross, founder of Berry Health Inc., which produces supplement drinks that include a multitude of nutritious berries. "I believe the berry market will remain about the same as it is now. … The steps for economic infrastructure -- from refined cultivating and automated harvesting methods to varied product expansion and public appeal -- are so efficient for the 'Big 3' that it's difficult to foresee them being challenged by rarer berries."
The lesser-known berries do face distribution and cultivation challenges, but their antioxidant potency and potential as cancer-fighting agents will make the lingonberry, Wolfberry and açaí berry major players in the health-food market. The açaí berry, in fact, was part of a recent University of Florida study that showed the fruit's antioxidants destroyed cultured human cancer cells.
"Açaí berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants," wrote Dr. Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with the University's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. "This study was an important first step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with berries."
The Wolfberry, meanwhile, has played a major role in traditional Chinese medicine, with reported benefits of improved eyesight, protection of the liver and boosting the immune system.
"The Wolfberry has potential for worldwide distribution," said Dr. Gross. "Its reputation as a whole health food is growing, and it is farmed mainly in China, whose export economy is rapidly improving and scientific interest is increasing. Two inhibiting factors against its acceptance in large western markets, however, are that it is uncommon enough that many will ignore it and that it has a unique tomato plus nut flavor and orange-red color considered by some as too odd for a berry."
And Dr. Gross knows about berries. As one of the co-founders of the International Berry Health Association, Dr. Gross used his expertise to create berry-based products that pack the goodness of berries into two great-tasting supplements. The daily supplement, which can be purchased in the United States and Canada at www.Berrywiseinc.com, has nine berries, 12 essential vitamins, nine minerals, four fibers and is an outstanding source of antioxidants. Dr. Gross's free CD on antioxidants and health can also be found at www.Berrywiseonline.com.
FROM:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/11/prweb485387.htm
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Superfruits may be your superfriends
2006/10/16 - THEY are called superfruits.
One is scientifically proven to have 70 times more lycopene than tomatoes and 10 times more beta-carotene than carrots. Another has 40 times more zeaxanthin than corn and 60 times more Vitamin C than oranges. Combined together, they make a potent drink to optimize body performance.
Scientists behind Pharmanex, a line of nutritional supplementation distributed by Nu Skin Enterprises, know one does not have to look farther than nature for things to boost human health. The company's philosophy is that the delicate combination of nature, wisdom and science can change people's lives.
For its new product, g3, Pharmanex combined four superfruits from Southeast Asia to Northern Europe to give consumers the ultimate nutritional drink. Tests indicate it can help rejuvenate cellular function, strengthen the antioxidant network, fortify antioxidant defense against cellular damage and address the common affects of aging by DNA protection. (Antioxidants are substances that help fight disease-causing oxygen free radicals.)
The name g3 comes from the first letter of the product's star superfruit, gac, and the number of other superfruits used-cili (chestnut rose), Chinese lycium (Wolfberry) and sea buckthorn (Siberian pineapple).
Gac, though less known worldwide, is prized by the Vietnamese for being able to promote longevity, vitality and health. Available only three months of the year, it is called the "fruit from heaven."
The seeds of the large, bright-red fruit are traditionally used for liver and spleen disorders, wounds, hemorrhoids, bruises, swelling, dry eyes and night blindness.
Pharmanex scientists discovered gac to be especially high in beta-carotene and lycopene, a substance that has been found to lower the risk of prostate cancer and protect the eyes from age-related muscular degeneration and cataracts.
Zeaxanthin in Wolfberry has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for 2,000 years for longevity, vision, wellness and headaches. Believed to protect the eye's retina from sun damage, zeaxanthin is one of two carotenoids that the retina accumulates selectively.
"Zeaxanthin actually travels through the microvessels behind the eyeballs," said Vincent Cheng, director of business development-Southeast Asia, Nu Skin Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Oxidation stress, known to increase with aging, is also addressed by zeaxanthin. Studies conducted by Pharmanex found that consumption of Wolfberry dramatically decreased dizziness, fatigue, chest pains, sleep disorders and anorexia among the elderly.
Chestnut rose, a wild plant found in southwest China, has many components with antioxidant activity. It is rich in Vitamin C and E, biotin, polyphenols, zinc, polysaccharides and strontium.
Studies showed the fruit had restorative antioxidants, cardiovascular and mental benefits. It strengthened cells and aided in the conversion of sunlight into Vitamin D.
The Siberian pineapple, native to China, Mongolia, Russia and Northern Europe, is found to increase energy levels, protect the skin against nerve damage, help prevent heart disease and strokes, aid in stabilizing blood pressure and strengthen overall vascular health.
It contains powerful antioxidants that reduce oxidation stress in everyday situations such as exhaustive exercise, driving in heavy traffic, smoking, and weight-loss.
Overall, studies have concluded that gac, Wolfberry, chestnut rose and Siberian pineapple were highly nutritious fruits that, individually or in combination, can greatly enhance a healthy diet. According to studies, regular consumption of g3 improves the antioxidant defense of the body.
"G3 is consistent with our 6S Quality Process, the basis of our pharmaceutical approach to product development. Our products are slightly expensive, but they come with the Pharmanex guarantee that what consumers get are of superior quality," said Cheng.
He said the 6S Quality Process consisted of: selection, getting the specific effect of a source; sourcing, independent evaluation of raw materials; structure, identifying active as well as any unsafe compounds; standardization, chemical fingerprinting to ensure that each capsule contained the same amount of active ingredients; safety, pharmaceutical-grade testing for presence of microbes, pesticides and heavy metals throughout the manufacturing process; and substantiation, product claims backed by documented proofs from pre-clinical and clinical studies instead of anecdotes.
FROM:
http://showbizandstyle.inq7.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=27023
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Exploring Exotic Antioxidant Superfruits
2006/10/16 - In a global quest for novel sources of nutrients, health-promoting phytochemicals, and exotic tastes or colorants, the functional food industry is searching for exceptional plants in geographical niches like the Asian or South American tropics and mainland China.
Among exotic species in development for new food or beverage products and nutritional additives are three berries-açaí, sea buckthorn and Wolfberry-and three tree fruits-noni, mangosteen and pomegranate.
As potential functional dietary agents, these fruits have at least four characteristics in common: 1) each is being developed primarily as a juice product; 2) each is already recognized as a significant source of antioxidant phytochemicals; 3) in ongoing laboratory research, each is revealing evidence for anti-disease properties; 4) no uses or products from any have conclusively demonstrated efficacy against human disease. Consequently, none has received scientific validation or regulatory approval for health claim statements.
Noni juice did receive approval status in late 2005 as a "novel food" in Europe. By contrast, the same year, France issued warnings that consumption of 30 ml/day of noni juice could increase the risk of contracting hepatitis,1 a finding now disputed.2
This brief review will summarize available nutritional information for these fruits, including a look at peer-reviewed research, and provide a numerical measure of antioxidant strength-the oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC. Data for ORAC are presented as micromoles (µmol) of Trolox equivalents (TE) per 100 grams.
Açaí
A palm tree native to tropical Central and South America, açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) is a relatively new fruit (commercial since 2000) to the current global market for functional foods. Long used among Brazilian Amazon peasants as a staple mixed with tapioca or sugar, açaí gained popularity in the United States first as a juice "energy" drink and additive to smoothies. Now, its pulp powder is being applied in a variety of other consumer products and has great potential for expansion into numerous food and beverage products. Growing in panicles of several hundred individual fruits per tree, the açaí berry is dark blue and similar in size to a grape containing a large seed.
There is only limited nutrient information available. Freeze-dried pulp powder contains 9-percent protein, 33-percent carbohydrates, 12-percent dietary fiber, and 50-percent fats comprised of 38-percent mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Its antioxidant compounds include anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside), procyanidins, protocatechuic acid, epicatechin, gallic acid and vitamin C. At an ORAC of 34,000 µmol TE per 100 g in freeze-dried pulp powder, it appears to be among the most antioxidant-rich edible plants.
Clinical studies are scarce, primarily limited to chemical isolation of phenolic antioxidants. There was a report with evidence the berry can inhibit leukemia cell development in vitro.3 Its potential health benefits have been unexamined at present; however, demonstration of rich phenolic content indicates potential benefits for all diseases that are purportedly also affected by blueberries and black raspberries, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic inflammation, cognitive disorders, aging and age-related visual decline and bacterial infections, among others.
Açaí's delicious taste, sometimes described as the marriage of blueberries with chocolate, combined with what appears to be exceptional nutrient density and antioxidant strength, assures that açaí will remain a focus of research and product development for years to come.
Sea Buckthorn
An ancient Asian herbal remedy for many disorders in traditional Asian medicine, sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) has only recently attracted attention of Western scientists. This yellow-orange berry grows on large vines dense with sharp, long thorns, making it a desirable protective hedgerow but very challenging to harvest. Sea buckthorn also has very aggressive and deep roots, making the bush valuable in China for wildlife habitat, farmstead shelter belts, land reclamation and riverbank erosion control.
Research in the past few years has begun to identify characteristics which yield one of the most complex and highest nutrient densities known. There are some reports that it may contain up to 190 bioactive phytochemicals including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fiber and more. Sea buckthorn berries are rich in lipidsoluble carotenoids and water-soluble phenolics, including high vitamin C content, and there is a high content of unsaturated fats within both the berry pulp and its seed. The juice from pressing this berry separates into three phases: a fat-rich top layer, a turbid opalescent middle, and a bottom sediment of solids.
Preliminary clinical trial results show sea buckthorn may improve blood cholesterol levels and increase resistance to oxidative stress.4 Sea buckthorn impresses as a multi-nutrient berry particularly rich in antioxidant phytochemicals and vitamins C and E. The unusual berry pulp and seed content of multiple fatty acids further indicates a plant unexploited in the West for nutrient richness and manufacturing potential. Its avid pigmentation yields high astringency and strong potential for an industrial colorant, "sea buckthorn yellow."
Wolfberry
As a member of the plant family Solanaceae, Wolfberries are related to the tomato, potato and eggplant. At maturity, the fruit is a bright red, ellipsoid berry between 1 and 2 cm in length, grows on vines, and has high juice and sugar content (brix 26). Although dozens of Lycium species exist around the world, about 90 percent of the available Wolfberry commercial resource is Lycium barbarum L. from the north-central regions of China, primarily the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.The berries are often called "Goji", an apparent English contraction of the Mandarin name. One of the oldest medicinal plants known, Wolfberries have been a staple in the diets of Chinese peasants throughout recorded time (at least 2,000 years).
Acclaimed by some as one of the world's most nutrientrich plant foods, Wolfberries contain 22 trace and 11 essential minerals, at least six essential vitamins, 18 amino acids, five unsaturated fats and at least one phytosterol, five carotenoids (including lycopene, rare among berries), six mono- and eight polysaccharides identified to date (a topic of considerable current research), and numerous additional phytochemicals. Its levels of zeaxanthin, betacarotene, riboflavin (vitamin B2), selenium and iron are among the richest concentrations per gram in the plant kingdom. One non-peerreviewed report on ORAC has Wolfberry as one of the strongest antioxidant edible plants yet analyzed (30,300 µmol TE per 100 g).
While clinical trials are limited to those interpreted from Chinese abstracts with insufficient details of trial design and peer-review, there are numerous animal studies and in vitro work on phytochemical analysis. Considerable Chinese literature has been constructed around Wolfberry's potential health benefits through its diversity of phytochemicals and known nutrients.
Noni
Native to Southeast Asia but cultivated throughout the tropics, noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) is a green-to-white fruit that, when near ripening, has a foul odor and pungent taste sometimes earning its alternate names cheese fruit or even vomit fruit. Nevertheless, noni has been used for hundreds of years in Polynesia as a medicinal plant with a variety of supposed healing benefits and dietary applications.
Several references in the literature describe essential macronutrients (carbohydrates, dietary fiber), micronutrients including vitamins C and E, numerous minerals (particularly high in potassium), amino acids, omega-3 and -6 fatty acids and a number of phytochemicals including polysaccharides and carotenoids.
Its research status at this point has been relatively limited to in vitro laboratory analyses of antioxidant phytochemicals and polysaccharides. However, there is increasing focus on its potential anti-cancer mechanisms, including anti-angiogenic and apoptotic mechanisms.5
Mangosteen
The mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is a tropical evergreen tree bearing dark purple fruit with a delicious white interior giving it the name "Queen of Fruits," possibly named after Queen Victoria's famous desire to have the exotic fruit imported as a personal staple. It is grown mainly in the Asian, African and Pacific tropics, but is not related to the mango fruit. The two primary mangosteen components-pericarp and flesh-have different purposes in the functional food industry. The purple pericarp, not considered edible, is a rich source for extracting antioxidant phytochemicals, whereas the interior flesh is valued as a juice or pulp product.
A report from Nutritiondata.com shows the interior pulp is rich in carbohydrates and moderate in dietary fiber, fat and protein, with measured contents of beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, vitamin C, trace B vitamins, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc and potassium. Research has primarily focused on the pericarp for its mechanisms of antioxidant xanthones on cancer models and appetite suppression. Garcinol appears to be a potent inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme (COX-2) involved in inflammation and nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme responsible for nitric oxide production.6
Pomegranate
A deciduous fruit-bearing tree native to the Mediterranean Middle East, but now cultivated in many subtropical regions of the world, the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has been favored for centuries as a healthgiving plant, especially its brilliant red seed pulp. Juice pressed from the many seeds of each fruit has become popular for its delicious taste and rich content of antioxidant phenolics shown in an increasing number of medical studies to have powerful anti-disease potential.
Pomegranate seed pulp is primarily carbohydrate, with small amounts of fat and protein and low levels of dietary fiber. Nutrients include vitamins A (from alpha- and beta-carotene), C, E and K, folic acid, niacin (B3) and pantothenic acid, with high levels of potassium and phosphorus. Specialty antioxidant phytochemicals include punicalagin (ellagitannin), ellagic acid, gallocatechins, prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin and pelargonidin. ORAC measurements of the juice have been reported at 10,500 µmol TE/100 g.
A time-honored fruit over centuries now identified with a rich complement of antioxidant phenolics, pomegranate juice has a diversity of potential health benefits under active study. In particular, there has been a great deal of research interest in the potential role of pomegranate extracts or whole juice specifically on preventing cancer, especially prostate cancer.7 It also appears to help improve cardiovascular function, with application in blood pressure management and cholesterol.
Paul M. Gross, Ph.D., received his doctorate in physiology from the University of Glasgow and was trained in neuroscience at the Laboratory of Cerebral Metabolism, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md. He was a Research Scholar for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and recipient of the Karger Memorial Award, Switzerland, for publications on brain capillaries.
FROM:
http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/06oct16feat03b.html#
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Boksdoorn [Lycium spp]
2006/10/02 - De boksdoorn, een struik die tot vier meter hoog kan worden is een lid van de familie van de nachtschade. Lycium Barbarum en de Chinese boksdoorn Lycium Chinensis zijn twee planten uit dat geslacht die vergelijkbare bessen leveren. Door de scherpe doornen worden ze wel eens als haag aangeplant. De boksdoorn is inheems, maar tamelijk zeldzaam. De Chinese boksdoorn is hier plaatselijk verwilderd. De soorten uit mekaar houden is alleen iets voor zeer ervaren plantenkenners.
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Boksdoorn in bloei |
De twee cm grote bessen zijn een gekende remedie uit de traditionele Chinese geneeskunde die zouden helpen tegen hoest en bij asthmatische klachten. Ook voor lever en nieren zouden ze stimulerend werken. Ook de bast en de wortel worden gebruikt in de Chinese geneeskunde. De bessen lijken qua smaak een beetje op zoethout.
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Boksdoorn bessen |
In de gewone fruithandel zul je ze niet tegenkomen, want de kweek ervan is zeer beperkt. Ook in China wordt de bes eerder als geneesmiddel aanzien dan als fruit. De supplementenhandel ziet er echter een vermageringsmiddel in, evenals een tonicum en verkoopt de bessen en het sap als een heel duur wondermiddel.
FROM: http://www.objectief.be/Boksdoorn-Lycium-spp.html?var_recherche=boksdoorn
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Tip me over, pour me out
2006/09/26 - I'VE walked out of Oriental Tea House with a Yixing Zisha clay teapot. This is no ordinary teapot. It's a sturdy russet mug with a side filter and a snug lid; the same as the one that earlier held my order of silver needle tea. The tea was subtle and delicate; its white-haired buds fragrant and invigorating. That, and the venue, provided a fleeting escape from a frantic day.
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An Oriental Tea House brew. Photo: Rebecca Hallas |
The tea at Oriental Tea House, one of Melbourne's leading tea sellers, is high quality, fresh and treated with such reverence by the staff that they play only mellow music in its presence.
Teapots, mugs, warmers, tins, spoons and paraphernalia are elegantly displayed in the Little Collins Street and Chapel Street stores, set against a backdrop of antique-white shelves and red and black accessories.
I prefer the mood of the South Yarra store: there's a smart, modern feel, but the apothecary-style tea dispensary, pallid fretwork and huge Chinese lanterns are nostalgic nods to old Shanghai. The corner store's shop is separated from the dining area by a couple of stairs, creating a sense of grandeur and space - in a distant memory it was the Black Prince Hotel. Restaurateur and tea merchant David Zhou opened it as his flagship store in January last year.
The city store, opened four years ago and refitted in April with a distinctive red, white and black interior, is surrounded by white-trimmed windows decorated repeatedly with a large red Chinese symbol. It's quite distracting. A member of the obliging staff tells me it's the symbol for longevity and the reason it's repeated so frequently is to ensure a long life. Fair enough, but it's louder than the music.
Outside, a view in one direction shows Melbourne's laneway precinct at its cosmopolitan best: shoe stores, jewellery stores, a cosmetics store and a chocolate boutique. Look down another laneway, though, and there's dumped milk crates and rubbish trolleys - suddenly it feels a lot more Shanghai.
Inside, on a weekday afternoon, a couple is talking travel plans: she orders a selection of dim sum that arrive in bamboo steamer baskets and a green tea, he orders a coffee. Two well-dressed women study teas and muse over pots. It's quiet and the waitress has plenty of time to chat about the tea. She talks me into a refreshing herbal infusion with chrysanthemum and wolfberry. It's sweetish, and pleasant with my tiny, plump crystal prawn dumplings.
FROM: http://www.theage.com.au/news/epicure/tip-me-over-pour-me-out/2006/09/25/1159036442161.html#
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Rich Nature launches wolfberry Bevesol
2006/09/08 - Rich Nature Nutraceutical Laboratories has launched proprietary Bevesol, a low-heat, spray-dried powder from wolfberry juice concentrate, for use in functional foods. Suitable for reconstituting wolfberry juice, the powder could save formulators shipping costs.
Also know as the Goji berry, the wolfberry is an antioxidant that has been associated with supporting immune system function, anti-aging and diabetes prevention. The Seattle-based ingredient-manufacturer says its patented technique for making Bevesol keeps most of the original flavor and nutrients from fresh Wolfberries for a low-heat, spray-dried powder.
As plant-based extracts and traditional herbal remedies are set to gain even more popularity over the next decade, novel applications for traditional Chinese plants and herbs in functional foods are likely to be received well as formulators look for convenient ways to deliver them to the consumer.
The wolfberry, lyceum barbarum, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and up until now Rich Nature has carried dried Wolfberries, wolfberry juice concentrate and wolfberry pulp powder in its line.
Often marketed as exotic superfruits, Wolfberries are rich in beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. Rich Nature's Bevesol concentrate ingredient contains contains 250mg of these carotenoids per 100g and is also high in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
Rich Nature says it uses 11kg of fresh berries to make 1kg of powder. The manufacturer grows the berries in its farm in north-central China. Apart from taste attributes, Rich Nature says Bevesol has orange color for beverages or foods. It is readily water-soluble and meets safety requirements with minimally detectable levels of pesticides, bacteria and metals.
The company claims its proprietary manufacturing differentiates Bevesol from other conventional wolfberry ingredients which are made using juice spray-drying, freeze-drying or solvent processing.
FROM:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=70447-rich-nature-wolfberry
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Free Radicals are Exacerbated by Poor Eating Habits, Infections and Pollutants
2006/08/23 - 95% of the People Who Have Indigestion Problems Don't Know It
Emma Sanford, AAS, RN, CLNC--Wellness Consultant and CEO of Good Health -- Good Scents, attacks the most dangerous and abundant free radical, Superoxide, on the spot.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) August 23, 2006 -- Emma Sanford, AAS, RN, CLNC -- Wellness Consultant and CEO of Good Health -- Good Scents, attacks the most dangerous and abundant free radical, Superoxide, on the spot.
Ms Sanford's Nursing Career spans over thirty years of experience about how our body functions. She advocates "The Wellness Revolution" through education about "Wellness Alternatives" and how to take charge of your life, health, and vitality. http://gh-gs.younglivingworld.com
She states that 95% of the people who have indigestion problems don't know it. Simply because when all of the 100,000,000 cells in the body are communicating in harmony, digestion is complete. Disease in the body is Indigestion and miscommunication among the body cells, resulting in free radicals. Simply put, many people are asking questions and understand that if free radicals remain unchecked, they can even attack DNA, the blueprint used to create each new cell in the body. If not repaired, damaged DNA copies itself to new cells created. In this manner, each new cell is damaged, and mutation can occur. A number of studies show that Wolfberry is protective against DNA breakage and mutations.
Ms Sanford learned early in her Nursing Education that the definition of nutrition is - "The Process of Nourishing or Being Nourished. The Process by Which a Living Organism Assimulates Food and Uses it for Growth and Tissue Replacement."
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease kills more Americans than any other disease, with 61.8% having some form of cardiovascular disease.
We are bombarded each day with so much information about free radicals and how elevated superoxide is linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, asthma and other inflammatory conditions. Luckily, pomegranate juice, one of the juice ingredients in NigXia Red Juice, a well known Wellness Alternative introduced to Ms Sanford has been found to inhibit a key enzyme responsible for the progression of atherosclerosis by 36%, and a 5% decrease in systolic blood pressure after just two weeks of consumption.
The NingXia Wolfberry is a native Chinese vine adorned with trumpet-shaped flowers and deep red fruits. Known by ancients as the herb of transcendence. Wolfberry has grown in NingXia, China for hundreds of years and its fruit is highly valued for its pleasant taste, nutrient value, and medicinal properties. Ms Sanford says that there are legends about the fruit dating back 5,000 years.
She further stated that scientist have now identified 500 functions of the body's liver. Protecting the pancreas and liver has an affect on digestion, blood sugar, toxicity, and male and female health hormones.
During her search for answers to some of her friends questions about antioxidants, Ms Sanford found that NingXia Red Juice offers the highest protection against the dangerous superoxide free radical as tested by Brunswick Laboratories' S-ORAC test; contains the power of the whole NingXia Wolfberry and is packed full of polysaccharide-rich NingXia Wolfberry puree, with all of the health-giving Wolfberry benefits (vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals) captured by a patented process; formulated to maintain and support normal immune function; contains five of the richest sources of free- radical-fighting antioxidants: Wolfberry puree, blueberry, pomegranate, apricot, and raspberry juices; includes the essential oils of lemon and orange, which contain the phytochemical d-limonene to promote normal cell life cycles; has polysaccharides that support proper cell communication and will not spike blood sugar levels.
Therefore she says that NingXia Red Juice has benefits that may be life-changing in their scope. No other juice we are aware of has such comprehensive, powerful free-radical fighting ability. The other juice ingredients found in NingXia Red, in addition to heart and DNA health benefits, provide synergistic antioxidant benefits that, when combined with Wolfberry juice produce a product that she can see a need be around for a very long time.
FROM:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Thursday/National/20060713081111/Article/local1_html
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The Ripening Berry Ingredients Market
2006/08/21 - Botanically speaking, a true berry is soft and fleshy, with one or more carpals (layers), including an thin, edible outer layer, and its seeds are in the pulpy layer. Grapes and blueberries fit this definition, but so do tomatoes and eggplants.However, strawberries, blackberries and many other fruits bearing the berry moniker do not fit this definition, yet are classified under a more common usage definition that considers a berry any small sweet fruit that is fleshy and colorful.
Whatever the definition, the popular fruits commonly considered berries have ripened into a bushel chock full of health benefits, including antioxidant, protective, preventive and other functional properties. Besides containing numerous beneficial micronutrients including vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium and folic acid, berries are packed with dietary fiber, which has been linked to reduced cholesterol levels and risk of colon cancer, as well as improvements to digestion and blood sugar levels.
There are hundreds of phenolic compounds in berries. From flavanols (anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins) and flavonols (quercetin) to ellagic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), these fruits are bursting with an overwhelming number of phytonutrients that not only seek and destroy free radicals, but also can deliver antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties.
Blueberries
help protect the brain and central nervous system by increasing serum antioxidant status, which is linked to reduced risk of chronic and degenerative diseases.1 These North American berries have proven especially adept at countering certain aspects of degenerative aging, including neurodegenerative conditions such as neuronal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD).2 In addition to protecting neurons from oxidative stress,3 consumption of blueberries can help protect neurons against prolonged stroke-induced damage, enhance memory-associated neuronal signaling and alterations involved in certain neuronal activities, and possibly even help overcome genetic predisposition to AD through diet.4,5
Blueberry and its brethren cranberry have been shown effective in combating bacterial infection, especially in the urinary tract.6 In fact, cranberry juice has been well studied for its ability to prevent E. coli bacteria from adhering to the epithelial wall of the urinary tract, limiting the development of a urinary tract infection (UTI).7 Cranberry has a similar effect on H. pylori and the gastric wall, especially when administered in combination with traditional antibiotics.8
According to Arun Hiranandani, senior marketing manager for Ocean Spray Ingredient Technology Group, both cranberry juice and sweetened dried cranberries have been shown to inhibit the adhesion of bacteria to the urinary tract wall. "Independent research published in January 20069 found that subjects demonstrated an increase as high as 50 percent in anti-adherence activity after consuming Ocean Spray's sweetened dried cranberries," he reported. "Cranberry concentrate, powder and puree also confer anti-adhesion properties." He noted cranberry's anti-adhesion effect could also be helpful in promoting gut health and oral health, including gum disease.10
While its work against bacteria adhesion in various body systems is legendary, cranberry may also address heart disease by improving cholesterol balance and blood circulation via antioxidant mechanisms.11 This free radical scavenging action has also made it useful in liver and prostate cancer,12 as well as kidney stones.13
Bilberry
has made its natural health name in the eye. Anthocyanins in bilberry have produced mostly positive results on night vision.14,15 Specifically, these anthocyanins can increase capillary resistance, reduce abnormal vascular permeability and scavenge free radicals. Extracts of bilberry have recently shown effectiveness in improving visual acuity of myopic school children,16 as well as improving visual function in adults with overused eyes.17 Furthermore, bilberry's antioxidant actions are particularly useful in the retinal pigment's epithelium, and may even be behind results showing possible preventive support in age-related macular degeneration and cataract.18 And along with chokeberries, bilberry has demonstrated potential inhibition of carcinogenesis, especially in colon cancer pathology.19
Another tasty little fruit, strawberry, also packs quite a healthy punch. Its deep roster of anthocyanins, ellagic acid and other phytonutrients can decrease toxins and limit oxidative damage to DNA,20 which is key to strawberry's antioxidant protection against neurodegeneration and cancer-primarily the development of esophageal and colon cancers.21,22 Antioxidants from strawberries also play a role in helping to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).23
Anthocyanins are also abundant in grapes, as are proanthocyanidins, quercetin and resveratrol. These are central to this berry's noted improvements to atherosclerosis and CVD, including decreased lipid oxidation, cholesterol aggregation, reduced blood pressure and improved vascular endothelial function, as well as reduced cell adhesion, a factor in inflammation.24,25,26,27
Other berries have turned in some impressive benefits, according to various research results. Blackberries were shown to impede tumor formation in the oral cavity, while also helping to curb colon cancer development.28,29 Anthocyanins and other phenolics present in boysenberries and black currants were found to protect cellular DNA against oxidative damage;30 and black currants combined with bilberries, lignonberries and raspberries may protect against lipid oxidation and increase antioxidant capacity in plasma.31 Raspberries play well with other berries, combining with blueberries to inhibit mutations in breast and cervical cancer cells,32 while joining cloudberries in counteracting both gram-negative and -positive bacteria.33
The idea of uniting numerous berries for a wider spectrum of health benefits has begun to blossom. While these represent newcomers to the berry research world, there have been some promising results. An extract of seven berries-cranberry, elderberry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and bilberry-(as OptiBerry®, from InterHealth Nutraceuticals) has shown protective actions against oxidative stress, particularly in the liver and lungs, as well as against hypercholesterolemia, cancer development and H. pylori infection.34,35,36 When boosted with wild blueberry, this berry blend also showed in vivo prevention of angiogenesis, by inhibiting the infiltration of macrophages in hemangioma.37
Other berry blends include BerryVida, from Cyvex Nutrition, a blend of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and cranberries, plus grape and pomegranate extracts. This extract is standardized for phenol, ellagic acid and anthocyanin content, and was designed to impart antioxidant protection of body cells from oxidative stress.
Another berry powerhouse, Berry Power, from Synergy Laboratories, blends 13 wild berries including blueberry, bilberry lignonberry, black currant, sour cherry, cranberry, elderberry, raspberry, black raspberry, pomegranate, and concord grape. This whole berry powder is certified organic domestically, as well as in Europe and Japan. "We wanted to make these blends completely organically, with no solvents, no nonsense and no target ORAC [Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity] value," said Mitchell May, Ph.D., founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Synergy. "When you only isolate one phytochemical, at the expense of 100 other cofactors, you are only delivering one aspect of the berry; to me, this is not the wisest approach for nutritional science."
May stated the idea that a person could take a couple high-ORAC capsules to replace daily fruit and vegetables in the diet is the antithesis of what a dietary supplement is about. He further noted ORAC value is thus far limited to a test tube and can be spiked by using artificial preservative with higher concentrated ORAC values.
Leslie Gallo, sales and marketing manager for Artemis International, echoed the caution that ORAC values, while giving some indication of antioxidant properties in a lab environment, are merely assays and only tell part of the story. "In addition to ORAC, Artemis has also looked at the antioxidant properties of its berry products in models of actual cell protection," she offered."Extracts should never be offered as a replacement for eating whole fruits and vegetables, but we can offer many of the benefits of whole fruits and veggies, depending on the extraction process."
It is easy to understand the popularity of ORAC and similar assertions of antioxidant capacity, as consumers have been confronted by their worsening diets and risks of disease, while the media and health industries parade the benefits of antioxidants. This has led to an increase of functional applications of various berry ingredients.
"The growth of the functional foods market and the increasing importance consumers are attributing to the 'health proposition' of food products means manufacturers are in constant search of ways to add value to both new and existing product lines," Hiranandani reported, noting berries are recognized as healthy ingredients and are increasingly sought after for inclusion in products such as cereals, nutrition bars and smoothies, amongst others.
Gallo added health bars, jams, fruit snacks, yogurts, ice cream, teas and beverages to the growing list of functional products increasingly enhanced by berries, calling functional beverages a particularly active segment.
"The use [of berries] in beverages appears to be the largest market opportunity," agreed Stefan Wypyszyk, vice president of sales and marketing for MB North America, which sells and markets berry ingredients developed by Phenolics LLC. "Imagine getting one serving of fruit in a carbonated beverage, without the high refined sugar content but with the natural flavor and color, and benefits of the berry." He said there has been an explosion of liquid berry products including seabuckthorn, Goji, mangosteen pomegranate, blueberry and Wolfberry.
Paul Gross, Ph.D., founder of BerryWise Inc. and founding member of the International Berry Health Association, agreed. "Functional beverages are an ideal platform, especially for juice powders of berries," he said. "These have more versatility for functional foods/drinks/ premixes than liquid juice does, and the potential can be even broadened further as juice powders become more available."
May agreed berry powders are wonderful for any kind of functional food, because they can be included in countless finished products-foods, bars, cereals, snack items, supplements-and can be mixed with other powders or concentrates. "A formulator might mix a whole berry form and isolate simultaneously," he suggested.
"I think this category already has 'staying power,' demonstrated by the popularity of berries with the general consumer," Gross said, adding up-and-coming berries in the North American market still have some foothold to gain. "As better info is made available for these berries (peer-reviewed food science and medical publications), açai and seabuckthorn will make better impact in the future as ingredients for functional products."
Berry Ideal Characteristics
Incorporating berries into functional food and beverage products appears to be a relatively easy enterprise, although there are some characteristics to take into consideration. There is the decision whether to use a whole, full spectrum berry ingredient, one with a high ORAC value, one standardized to specific phenolic content, or a combination of these.
Next, there are taste and color factors.The active phytochemicals in berries are rich pigments, ranging from blue, purple and lavender to red, magenta and pink.
"One of the main berries in our blend, aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) is well known in Europe, but not in North America," May said. "It is rich in proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins and flavanols, and is used often-but in small quantities-for coloration in food industry, due to its very rich purple and blue pigment." On taste, he reported whole berry powders have a sweet/sour taste, but generally will still need to be worked with in overall flavor program to highlight certain flavor tones targeted for an end product.
"In products such as cereals, nutrition bars, muffins and breads, sweetened dried cranberries can add striking, attractive points of color throughout, which can really lift a product's visual appeal," Hiranandani said. "In beverages, cranberry puree and concentrate impart an eye-catching, deep pink tone, which really helps the product to stand out on the shelf." He reported cranberries have seen an unprecedented boom in popularity over the last 24 months.
Greg Edmunds, vice president of marketing for Charles Bowman, noted Bowman's two bilberry ingredients, Catocyanic Complex and Antho50, have fruity odors and a strong hue. "They are soluble, fine powders that would impart a purple hue to formulations," he advised, cautioning as with most polyphenol products, the taste can be rather astringent. Otherwise, he added, there are no special considerations for using these ingredients, and their solubility and fine particle size should make them easy to formulate.
Michael Tempesta, Ph.D., managing partner of Phenolics, reported his company's berry extracts act as natural pigments or coloring agents, and certainly affect a product's flavor profile. "As the sugar content is greatly reduced, the underlying flavors of the polyphenols, as either naturally tart or astringent fruit flavors (i.e. strawberry or blueberry), may be detectable if used in high quantities," he said.
Still, how a functional formula is processed to its final result can affect the use of berries. The phytochemicals in berries were created to protect the fruits from outside toxins and threats; thus, these compounds are especially sensitive to environmental impacts such as heat and oxygen.May explained heat is difficult on most naturally-occurring compounds. "The processing will depend on the degree of heat and length of heating required for the finished product," he said. "Heat liberates some phytochemicals, such as lycopene; but, for anthocyanins and other flavonoids, some are stable in heat and some are sensitive to heat." He noted if a certain product needs to be heated, the berry ingredients can be added later in the process.
In the case of cranberries, Hiranandani reported there is no evidence to suggest they are damaged by heat. "In fact, trials have demonstrated that cranberry PACs and their bioactivity survive heat treatment," he said. "This is based on finding anti-adhesion bioactivity in the urine after consumption of cranberry products that have undergone heat treatment, such as cranberry concentrate and sweetened dried cranberries."
He assured from a structural point of view, process tolerance is one of the cranberry's main selling points for food manufacturers. "Sweetened dried cranberries offer manufacturing stability, retain their piece identity without suffering the water migration or color bleed common to most fruits, and keep their flavor and texture throughout processing and storage," he affirmed. "They can be incorporated directly into a batter or dough with no need to pre-soak or pre-treat, and no risk of compromising end-product consistency."
Tempesta added Phenolic's berry extracts are quite stable under mildly acidic conditions, which is the case with most foods and beverages."They may benefit from the addition of a low-calorie sweetening agent or other naturally sweet berry or fruit," he suggested.
While the characteristics of berry ingredients are generally easy to work with, their rapid growth and vast potential in the functional segment has created some supplyside issues that will need to be overcome to ensure continued growth.
"The bilberry is a smaller berry growing in the northern latitudes of Europe and, hence, prices for bilberries are much higher than for the blueberry," Edmunds explained. "We often find formulators looking for the proanthocyanidin concentrations and ORAC values of bilberries at the prices of blueberries, which is frankly not possible."
On the subject of sourcing, securing quality ingredients and ensuring there is enough to meet demand are two ongoing concerns for berry suppliers, especially in the organic category. As with other categories of botanical ingredients, some companies develop all their own raw materials. "Our berries come from the United States, Canada, Siberia and other places around the world where they have well-established organic growing just for Synergy," May said. "We have thousands of acres of organic agriculture and a supply chain that is very deep-we are nowhere near maxing out capacity to provide organic wild berries, which have the most concentration of these naturally occurring beneficial compounds."
Manufacturers of functional foods, beverage and snacks have bushels of berry ingredients from which to choose for their finished products. Considering the numerous health properties of various berries, the ease of using them in formulations and processing, and the range of delivery options available, there seems to be few limitations on how much the functional berry ingredients market will ripen. "As consumer demand for truly active products increases with their awareness, we see considerable opportunities on the horizon," said Edmunds.
Wolfberry: Nutritious Superfood
by Paul M. Gross, Ph.D.
Gou qi zi ("goo-chee-zee"), the Mandarin name for Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.), is a red berry of the Solanaceae nightshade family that includes tomato, eggplant, chili pepper and potato. In vernacular English, gou qi zi (literally "wolf", "energy", "berry") has become "Goji". For at least 2,000 years, Wolfberry has grown wild in China and been used in common recipes and traditional Chinese medicine. Eighteenth century Chinese farmers nicknamed gou qi zi "Wolfberry" when they saw wolves feasting among the berry-laden vines during summer.
The Chinese revere Wolfberry as a national treasure among the most nutrient dense of the nation's plants. This premise has stimulated scientific investigation about its potential health benefits and systematic cultivation, commercialization and now increasing export to the West.
Nutritional Content
Wolfberry contains significant percentages of daily macronutrient needs, including carbohydrates, protein, fat and dietary fiber. In fact, soybean, another ancient Chinese plant among the world's most complete foods, is comparable across macronutrients. Although Wolfberries and soybeans are similar for macronutrient content, Wolfberries provide a significantly higher source of calories as energy from carbohydrates. Blueberries, by contrast, do not have as much macronutrient value.
Seeds contain the Wolfberry's main complement of polyunsaturated fats such as linoleic (omega-6) and linolenic (omega-3) acids. It is the diversity and high concentration of micronutrients that brand Wolfberry as an exceptional health food. With 11 essential minerals, 22 trace minerals, seven vitamins and 18 amino acids, it has a nutritional profile of extraordinary richness. For example, Wolfberries provide up to 10 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium, and up to 24 percent RDI for potassium-twice the amount in soybeans. It has double the zinc content of soybeans and provides close to the RDI for selenium and riboflavin. Wolfberry's exceptional iron content, 100-percent RDI, is twice that provided by soybeans, often regarded as the best plant source of iron.
In addition, Wolfberries contain dozens of phytochemicals with properties under scientific study.Wolfberry's beta-carotene content per unit weight is among the highest for edible plants, and the berry is an extraordinary source for zeaxanthin, an important carotenoid for retinal pigment development and antioxidant function. Further, there is a great deal of interest in polysaccharides, long-chain sugar molecules characteristic of many herbal medicines like mushrooms and roots.Polysaccharides are a primary source of fermentable fiber in the intestinal system. Upon colonic metabolism, fermentable or "soluble fibers" yield short-chain fatty acids that are valuable for health of the colon epithelial lining, enhance mineral uptake, stabilize blood glucose levels, lower pH, reduce colon cancer risk, and stimulate immune functions. Polysaccharides are a signature constituent of Wolfberries, making up 31 percent of pulp weight in premium quality Wolfberries.
Functional Food Applications
Cultivated for a variety of food and beverage applications within China, but increasingly grown for export as dried berries and pulp or juice powders, Wolfberries are prized for their versatility of color and nut-like taste in common meals, snacks, beverages and medicinal applications. A major effort is underway in Ningxia, China, to process Wolfberry wine.
Despite a dearth of published clinical research, myths of Wolfberry's traditional benefits include longevity, aphrodisiac, analgesic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immunestimulating, muscular strength, energy and vision health.
In laboratory and preliminary human research to date, Wolfberries have demonstrated potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, some forms of cancer, diabetes, premature aging, memory deficits, vision degeneration and lung disorders, among other diseases of oxidative stress.
Micronutrient richness combined with key health phytochemicals give Wolfberries remarkable nutritional synergy, making this berry perhaps the most nutritious plant food in nature.
Paul Gross, Ph.D., received his doctorate in physiology from the University of Glasgow and was trained in neuroscience at the Laboratory of Cerebral Metabolism, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md. He was a Research Scholar for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and recipient of the Karger Memorial Award, Switzerland, for publications on brain capillaries. He is also senior author of a 2006 book entitled
Wolfberry: Nature's Bounty of Nutrition and Health (Booksurge Publishing).
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The Ripening Berry Ingredients Market
2006/08/21 - These fruits are coloring an increasing number of functional products
Botanically speaking, a true berry is soft and fleshy, with one or more carpals (layers), including an thin, edible outer layer, and its seeds are in the pulpy layer. Grapes and blueberries fit this definition, but so do tomatoes and eggplants. However, strawberries, blackberries and many other fruits bearing the berry moniker do not fit this definition, yet are classified under a more common usage definition that considers a berry any small sweet fruit that is fleshy and colorful.
Whatever the definition, the popular fruits commonly considered berries have ripened into a bushel chock full of health benefits, including antioxidant, protective, preventive and other functional properties. Besides containing numerous beneficial micronutrients including vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium and folic acid, berries are packed with dietary fiber, which has been linked to reduced cholesterol levels and risk of colon cancer, as well as improvements to digestion and blood sugar levels.
There are hundreds of phenolic compounds in berries. From flavanols (anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins) and flavonols (quercetin) to ellagic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), these fruits are bursting with an overwhelming number of phytonutrients that not only seek and destroy free radicals, but also can deliver antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties.
Wolfberry: Nutritious Superfood
by Paul M. Gross, Ph.D.
Gou qi zi ("goo-chee-zee"), the Mandarin name for Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.), is a red berry of the Solanaceae nightshade family that includes tomato, eggplant, chili pepper and potato. In vernacular English, gou qi zi (literally "wolf", "energy", "berry") has become "Goji". For at least 2,000 years, Wolfberry has grown wild in China and been used in common recipes and traditional Chinese medicine. Eighteenth century Chinese farmers nicknamed gou qi zi "Wolfberry" when they saw wolves feasting among the berry-laden vines during summer.
The Chinese revere Wolfberry as a national treasure among the most nutrient dense of the nation's plants. This premise has stimulated scientific investigation about its potential health benefits and systematic cultivation, commercialization and now increasing export to the West.
Nutritional Content
Wolfberry contains significant percentages of daily macronutrient needs, including carbohydrates, protein, fat and dietary fiber. In fact, soybean, another ancient Chinese plant among the world's most complete foods, is comparable across macronutrients. Although Wolfberries and soybeans are similar for macronutrient content, Wolfberries provide a significantly higher source of calories as energy from carbohydrates. Blueberries, by contrast, do not have as much macronutrient value.
Seeds contain the Wolfberry's main complement of polyunsaturated fats such as linoleic (omega-6) and linolenic (omega-3) acids. It is the diversity and high concentration of micronutrients that brand Wolfberry as an exceptional health food. With 11 essential minerals, 22 trace minerals, seven vitamins and 18 amino acids, it has a nutritional profile of extraordinary richness. For example, Wolfberries provide up to 10 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium, and up to 24 percent RDI for potassium-twice the amount in soybeans. It has double the zinc content of soybeans and provides close to the RDI for selenium and riboflavin. Wolfberry's exceptional iron content, 100-percent RDI, is twice that provided by soybeans, often regarded as the best plant source of iron.
In addition, Wolfberries contain dozens of phytochemicals with properties under scientific study.Wolfberry's beta-carotene content per unit weight is among the highest for edible plants, and the berry is an extraordinary source for zeaxanthin, an important carotenoid for retinal pigment development and antioxidant function. Further, there is a great deal of interest in polysaccharides, long-chain sugar molecules characteristic of many herbal medicines like mushrooms and roots.Polysaccharides are a primary source of fermentable fiber in the intestinal system. Upon colonic metabolism, fermentable or "soluble fibers" yield short-chain fatty acids that are valuable for health of the colon epithelial lining, enhance mineral uptake, stabilize blood glucose levels, lower pH, reduce colon cancer risk, and stimulate immune functions. Polysaccharides are a signature constituent of Wolfberries, making up 31 percent of pulp weight in premium quality Wolfberries.
Functional Food Applications
Cultivated for a variety of food and beverage applications within China, but increasingly grown for export as dried berries and pulp or juice powders, Wolfberries are prized for their versatility of color and nut-like taste in common meals, snacks, beverages and medicinal applications. A major effort is underway in Ningxia, China, to process Wolfberry wine.
Despite a dearth of published clinical research, myths of Wolfberry's traditional benefits include longevity, aphrodisiac, analgesic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immunestimulating, muscular strength, energy and vision health.
In laboratory and preliminary human research to date, Wolfberries have demonstrated potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, some forms of cancer, diabetes, premature aging, memory deficits, vision degeneration and lung disorders, among other diseases of oxidative stress.
Micronutrient richness combined with key health phytochemicals give Wolfberries remarkable nutritional synergy, making this berry perhaps the most nutritious plant food in nature.
Paul Gross, Ph.D., received his doctorate in physiology from the University of Glasgow and was trained in neuroscience at the Laboratory of Cerebral Metabolism, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md. He was a Research Scholar for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and recipient of the Karger Memorial Award, Switzerland, for publications on brain capillaries. He is also senior author of a 2006 book entitled
Wolfberry: Nature's Bounty of Nutrition and Health (Booksurge Publishing).
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Goji berry-ancient herb, new discovery.(herbal healing)
2006/08/01 - If you are not familiar with the Goji berry, you may soon be reading and hearing more about it. This little red berry has been consumed for thousands of years by communities of people throughout Asia. Within the past decade, scientific research has been documenting the constituents of this herb and finding links with numerous health benefits.
As early as the first century A.D., the ancient Asian medical text "Divine Farmer's Handbook of Natural Medicine" (Shen Nong Ben Cao) extolled this berry's medicinal virtues. Some of its health benefits touted today are protection from premature aging; stimulation of hGH (human growth hormone), the "youth hormone"; increase of energy and strength; maintainence of healthy blood pressure, enhancement of sexual function, support of eye health, improvement in memory; and headache relief, to name a few.
There are two primary types of Lycium Goji berries that are used medicinally. One type, grown mainly in China, is the Lycium Chinense, often referred to as Chinese Wolfberry, matrimony vine, or Chinese boxthorn. The other is Lycium Barbarum, which grows in various regions of Asia such as Tibet and Inner Mongolia.
The Goji berry has been used in traditional Mongolian and Tibetan medicine for centuries. In Asian herbalism, the Tibetan Goji berry is among the most revered of sexual tonic herbs, used to increase sexual fluids and enhance fertility. In Mongolia, it is commonly used by first trimester mothers to prevent morning sickness.
Archeological evidence dates man back more than 50,000 years in the valleys of the Himalayas. The urban civilization that flourished for nearly 1,500 years in this region was along the trade route between central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Some theorize that the Traditional Himalayan Medicine System (THMS), passed down by word of mouth, was spread along this trade route as well, and that the medical traditions of Tibet and China, and the Ayurvedic system of India have their origins in THMS.
Early Twentieth Century British and European expeditions to the area focused on the Hunzakuts. These people were noted for their strength and endurance, even into old age, with many living healthy for more than 100 years. Recent research into the therapeutic plants used in the Himalayas that might hold the key to the Hunza longevity have focused attention on the Goji berry. Could this ancient berry prove itself to be an important health elixir for modern man?
Some of the scientific research findings reported about the Goji include:
- Contains 19 amino acids-(six times higher than bee pollen)
- Contains 21 trace minerals, including germanium, an anti-cancer trace mineral
- Contains more protein than whole wheat
- Contains a complete spectrum of antioxidant carotenoids
- Contains 500 times the amount of Vitamin C by weight than oranges
- Contains B-complex
- Contains vitamin E
- Contains Beta-Sitosterol, an anti-inflammatory agent; also lowers cholesterol and used to treat sexual impotence and prostate enlargement
- Contains essential fatty acids
- Contains Cyperone, a sesquiterpene that benefits the heart and blood pressure
- Contains Solavetivone, an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound
Source: Dr Earl Mindell, and Rick Handel, Gojii: The Himalyan Health Secret Margaret Marchuk is a freelance writer/editor with special interest in natural healing and the arts. Email her at Margaret@newlifejournal.com or call 828-669-5447.
FROM: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-135180885.html
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Holistic experts weigh in on how to improve and protect your vision for the beautiful years to come
2006/06/30 - A llen Sayigh, who is nearsighted, has worn glasses since the first grade. Tired of straining to see, Sayigh found a teacher who showed him some simple eye exercises. After years of practice, Sayigh is now able to set aside his glasses for a few hours at a time and see clearly on his own. "It's about changing the way you use your mind and inducing relaxation in the visual system," says Sayigh.
Sayigh, a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, manages the Chinese medicine herbal dispensary at Bastyr University, the Seattle medical school for naturopathic physicians and other natural health practitioners. He says that more people are seeking to improve their vision with natural approaches such as acupuncture, herbs and exercises.
He cites the success of a recent patient, a woman to whom he prescribed the Chinese herb Wolfberry (a dark red fruit loaded with vitamins). Only a few months after taking the vision-boosting supplement, the patient was thrilled to be able to switch to a weaker eyeglass prescription.
Fading eyesight due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common problem for people over 55, afflicting more than 2 million adults with diminished central-focus vision. Experts at the National Eye Institute predict the number of AMD sufferers will double over the next 20 years. Stress, diet and oxidation are some of the factors contributing to this eye disease, which can cause blurry vision, blind spots, leaking blood vessels, and even complete blindness in one or both eyes.
All scary stuff. Luckily, researchers at the National Eye Institute discovered a way to slow the progression of AMD by simply eating the right foods. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), conducted in 2001, showed that high levels of antioxidants, beta-carotene and zinc can slow the progression of macular degeneration by 25 percent in people who already suffer from the affliction in one eye. A second AREDS study beginning this summer examines the potential value of three other nutrients to eye protection: omega 3 fatty acids, lutein and zeaxanthin.
Many eye doctors now offer macular degeneration patients the same formula of supplements used in the first AREDS study (a product manufactured by Bausch and Lomb). But registered dietician Karen Collins, nutrition adviser for the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, DC, says those high-dose supplements are only effective for people who already suffer from the disease. For the rest of us, the best prevention strategy is to go straight to the source: whole foods.
"It's the same synergy we see in cancer prevention," says Collins. "The phytochemicals and nutrients [available in food] work together with a greater benefit than just one supplement."
To get your dose of beta-carotene, add orange vegetables like carrots or squash to your diet, says Collins. La Jolla, Calif. physician Dr. Steven G. Pratt touts the eye-boosting benefits of beta-carotene-rich pumpkin in his book, SuperFoods RX: Fourteen Foods that Will Change Your Life. Pratt's book has recipes for low-fat alternatives to pumpkin pie, including pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup and pumpkin pudding. Other ways to get more beta-carotene include sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers and butternut squash, Pratt suggests.
It's a matter of discipline, but you can prevent future eye problems if you make an effort to eat six servings of fruits and vegetables per day (including at least one cup or two servings of orange vegetables and one cup of spinach per week). Wild salmon is full of omega-3 fats. Good sources of lutein include broccoli, kale and spinach, and be sure to throw in some beans and nuts for zinc.
Stay Off the White Stuff
A host of research, including a recent study in the April American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, points to the potentially damaging effects of too many sweets and too much white flour in the diet.
Collins believes these foods may cause inflammation in the eye tissue and contribute to vision problems. Eye tissue stores a lot of fat and oxygen, making it particularly vulnerable to free radicals and oxidation, Collins explains. To combat cell damage, the body concentrates high levels of antioxidants and beta-carotene in the eye.
"If our diet is poor, we're not going to have as much right there when we need it," she says. "That is going to leave us less protected."
For many, adding key foods to the diet (and avoiding others) will be enough to ensure eye health down the road. But for those with more entrenched vision problems, extra help from supplements and other treatments may be necessary, says Cynthia Bye, a naturopathic physician in Vancouver, Wash.
Bye often prescribes gingko, bilberry and the amino acid taurine for eye issues like macular degeneration. As she explains, cataracts and macular degeneration are signs of other health problems, such as oxidative stress and poor digestion (often a side effect of heartburn medication). "As naturopaths we're trained to treat the cause," she adds. "For example, cataracts are there because of stress and damage on the lens. You can do surgery, but if you don't change that environment, the cataract is just going to come back."
Use It or Lose It
Bye firmly believes in the strengthening and protective power of eye exercises. "If you don't use it, you lose it," she avers.
But eye exercises are a point of debate among the experts, with most alternative practitioners believing they are helpful, and most traditional physicians less convinced.
Allen Sayigh-who adheres to a method based on a book by 1920's physician William Bates-cautions clients to be wise consumers and avoid the wild claims of success some companies make, particularly on the web. Sayigh believes in relaxing the eye muscles, but not in the systems designed to strengthen eye muscles.
Dr. Richard Bensinger, a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, agrees that certain exercises might work for farsighted people, but cautions that there has never been a clinical trial proving eye exercises effective. And if you are nearsighted, he warns, the exercises could over strengthen the eye muscles, actually worsening the problem.
Mind-body approaches, such as yoga and tai chi, offer techniques to relax the eyes and increase blood flow to that part of the head, says Sayigh. Acupuncture may also helpful for certain eye issues, such as wandering eye or night blindness, although its effectiveness has yet to be proven for more serious issues like macular degeneration or cataracts. To find a qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, contact the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at nccaom.org.
Of course, it's always wise to protect the eyes from sun with quality glasses that filter ultraviolet and blue light, like those offered by MedOp, Inc. (medop.com). And for the computer-bound among us, The Cambridge Institute for Better Vision (BetterVision.com) offers a book filled with tips for avoiding eyestrain while staring at a screen.
For example of the dangers of too much screen time, Martin Sussman, president of the Institute, cites the fact that many people forget to blink while sitting in front of a monitor. He suggests taking a break from the computer to rest the eyes for five minutes every hour. BetterVision.com offers additional tips and referrals for behavioral optometrists.
Ultimately, laser surgery may be a good option for those who are fed up with glasses and contacts. But natural practitioners like Bye believe in trying more natural methods like diet and herbs first.
"It's about diet, digestion, inflammation and stress," Bye says. "If your body functions the way it's supposed to, you don't get eye problems like macular degeneration and cataracts."
Melissa Knopper is a Denver-based writer whose work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Monterey Herald and E/The Environmental Magazine.
FROM:
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Goji juice cancer claims spark trouble
2006/06/07 - A little-known juice from the Himalayas has crashed its way onto the radar, after health authorities in New Zealand began investigating its producers for making extravagant health claims
Health officials opened a probe against Goji juice makers after adverts claimed the juice drink could cure several diseases, including cancer, according to a report on TVNZ. Such a claim is illegal for food products in New Zealand.
The inquiry thrusts Goji juice, made from red Goji berries native to the Himalayas, into the spotlight, as its supporters continue to push it across several countries.
Goji berries, known as Wolfberries in the UK, were used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various minor ailments. The most common type of Goji berry used today is called lycium barbarum.
Consumer health trends have caused interest in Goji berries to grow over the last few years, mainly because of claims that they contain more antioxidants, such as vitamin C, than many other foods.
Studies have linked antioxidants to a number of health benefits, including lower risk of cancer.
There is already much varied anecdotal evidence for the 'miracle' qualities of Goji juice.
These range from people saying it simply made them feel younger and healthier, to one person claiming it turned their grey hair back to its original colour. Another claimed Goji juice had cured her dog's ear infection.
A product can only survive on such stories for so long, however, and health authorities would certainly not entertain them without backing from serious scientific evidence.
As far as cancer goes, Goji critics point out that there has only ever been one clinical study done on the effects of Goji juice on cancer patients, published in the Chinese Journal of Oncology in the 1990s.
That study, which involved 79 cancer patients, suggested Goji may indeed help. A couple of other studies done in laboratories have also pointed this way.
Dr Ralph Moss, who wrote a review of Goji juice, called the Chinese clinical study "intriguing", but added: "By comparison, something as simple as green tea looks to have an equal or even better effect at about one-hundredth of the cost."
Anna Denny, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, told BeverageDaily.com there were similar disputes with other niche products, such as Brazilian açai berries - also claiming a high antioxidant content and recently made available in Europe by Fruits of the Amazon and UK distributor JO Sims.
"One of the problems with these products is that nutritional information is notoriously hard to get hold of, mainly because it's a very new food,"
said Denny, who has received consumer enquiries over açai berries, but none for Goji.
She added that such products were not always worth the money.
"Actually, there's plenty of other fruit and vegetables out there that are more easily available and probably have just as much benefit."
The latest Goji juice launch recorded by Mintel's Global New Products Database (GNPD) was a powdered drink called GojiSplash, introduced in Canada this May.
The drink, sold by Garden Greens, says it is
"rich in active polysaccharides and antioxidants claimed to help support youth and vitality by balancing and supporting the immune system".
It was priced at €16.8 for a 900ml bottle. Goji juice drinks were also available in other countries, including the UK and US.
FROM:
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Kick-Ass Juice
2006/05/23 - Got the Monday-morning blues? Need something for that post-barbecue fest hangover? If so, now might the perfect time to try Steven Seagal's Lighting Bolt Energy Drink!
"With a healthy dosing of Tibetan Goji berry, Asian Cordyceps, B-Vitamins, Green Tea, Yerba Mate, Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Guarana, and Policosanols, Lightning Bolt will give you the strength you need to punch your adversaries' faces through plate glass windows day in and day out!"
For more information on how you can have the energy of Memphis' martial arts master, go here.
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FROM: http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A16016
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New fruits are berry good for you
Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail
2006/05/22 - SUPERBERRIES are about to take the country by storm.
We have all heard about the potential health benefits of eating berries, especially blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, all excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, particularly antioxidants.
Now two new superberries are the talk of the town - acai berries and goji berries. Both are nutrient-dense fruits that carry many health benefits.
Goji berries are deep red, dried fruits that taste like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry and look like a raisin. They are from Asia and are also known by the not-so-exotic name of wolfberry. The goji berry contains 500 times more vitamin C than oranges and they are one of the richest known sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene.
Goji berries are great added to smoothies, cereals and cakes.
Acai berries have been consumed for years by the people of the Brazilian rainforests. Their health benefits have now led to a boom in acai consumption in the juice bars of Rio de Janeiro.
The taste of acai berries is said to be like a mixture of fruit and chocolate.
Acai contain high levels of iron and calcium and are a rich source of the essential fatty acids - omega 3, 6 and 9 - which are all great for maintaining heart health. The berry contains 10 times more of the antioxidant anthocyanin than red wine.
These antioxidants work by mopping up free radicals - highly active, unstable molecules caused by pollutants such as cigarette smoke and can cause damage to the body's proteins, fats and DNA and contribute towards heart disease and cancer, as well as speeding up the ageing process.
FROM: http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=17111140&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=-name_page.html
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Super Foods, Natural Anti-Aging and Your Health
2006/04/11 - Alan Rode
That certain foods have healing powers is a concept that is as old as civilization, but this concept is only now beginning to take root in the West. The terms "functional food" and "super food" are now popping up everywhere. Just what do these terms mean, however, and how does a food qualify as "super"?
The first thing to take into account when exploring the functional foods terrain is that not all foods that are advertised as "super foods" are proven as having healing properties. As such, one must be very careful about what they believe in the avalanche of hype sprouting up on the Internet and elsewhere.
Why the Sudden Interest in Super Foods?
There are a number of reasons why the functional foods industry is growing at incredible rates every year. First of all, the populations of many industrial nations, such as the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Britain, and elsewhere, are aging rapidly. Baby boomers are beginning to taste their own mortality and are taking notice of how they treat their bodies.
"In the U.S., baby boomers who started turning 50 in 1996 are doing so at a rate of 300,000 per month. The interest in retarding the aging process and remaining healthy will continue to drive the market demand for functional food products," noted Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada.
Another reason for the surge in the functional foods industry is the increasing scientific research being done into the effects of certain foods on the body and mind. It has long been known in Asia that certain foods have incredible medicinal value, and with the sharing of research between world scientists, this knowledge is beginning to make its way to North America and elsewhere. Foods that have a long history of medicinal use are only now being verified as having medicinal value through peer reviewed research. An example of this is the goji berry (a.k.a. wolfberry, a.k.a Himalayan goji Juice).
Just a few short years ago this berry was virtually unknown in North America. However, nutritionists and other researchers have since added countless studies to the medical databases involving the berries, and this has fueled a flurry of marketing websites from marketing networks and natural foods companies. These studies have been published in a number of peer-reviewed medical journals in Asia and elsewhere, and a number of natural healers and doctors have promoted the use of goji juice or berries.
What to Watch For
Unfortunately, there are many products available that have little or no scientific backing, and if you enter a health food store, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the dizzying array of choices you are faced with. It is therefore extremely important to first consult with a doctor who is familiar with the medicinal properties of plants (not many regular doctors are, so you'll have to find a good naturopathic doctor or traditional Chinese doctor, etc.). Take a good look in the PubMed medical database online, and do your research. Don't depend on companies who sell the products to get your information, find the skeptics. This is very important, as some plants may actually be damaging to your system. Other plants are very healthy for some people, but do not work well for others. Since everyone's body chemistry is different, it is important to get the advice of someone who is knowledgeable about such natural healing products. Using goji berries or goji juice as an example again, they may overstimulate the liver if used in excess. Although they are very beneficial to the liver, it may be wise to start off with around 20 berries per day and then slowly increase the dosage, according to naturopathic doctor Michelle Garieri of the Kingston Wellness Centre in Kingston, Ontario.
Food vs. Pharmaceuticals
The truth is, if everyone ate optimally, it would not be uncommon to see people living to be well over 100 years old. Most of our aging takes place due to our eating habits. Eating cooked foods, processed foods, and downright synthetic foods is the main cause of aging, according to many doctors. Most people simply do not get enough natural foods in their diet, specifically fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead, drugs are often prescribed to cover the symptoms that were initially caused by eating poorly. Unfortunately, our bodies are better adapted to foods than pharmaceuticals, so functional foods have few side effects, whereas pharmaceuticals do little except cover the symptoms while supporting a "disease economy".
Take it Over Time
Another aspect of the functional foods industry that often goes unmentioned is the fact that health foods are much more effective if used over time. Many Asians are well aware of the beneficial effects of using certain "tonics" over the long term. Such plants as He shou wu, Gotu Kola, American ginseng, and Astragalus are examples of herbs that, used over a period of time, can help to boost the health of specific bodily systems, or the overall health of the body in general.
Whereas our health system and its medicines focus on treating the symptoms, many functional foods are used to prevent the illness to begin with by providing the body with materials it can use to repair existing damage, improve communication between cells, fortify the immune system and protect against free radicals. A number of herbs have symptom-treating functions as well, but these are used only when preventative measures have failed.
In conclusion, many benefits can come from exploring the so-called "super foods", many of which have been adopted from the ranks of traditional Asian medicinal herbs and foods. As long as one remembers that many of these herbs are indeed medicine, and should be treated as such, this is a relatively safe area to explore. There are many foods that you can begin eating immediately, and besides the aforementioned goji berries, one can also achieve many benefits from eating such super foods as sea buckthorn berries, acai berries, garlic, kale, pomegranates, cinnamon, flax seed and oil, turmeric, algae and brown basmati rice. This is by no means a comprehensive list, however.
For more information, visit http://www.antiagingaid.net, where you will find articles with extensive information on functional foods, comparisons of the companies selling certain natural health products and general information on anti-aging, including anti-aging advice on everything from how to eat to how to breath. At http://www.gojijuices.net, you will find information on goji berries and goji juice, a highly nutritious, antioxidant rich super food.
FROM: http://www.dailyindia.com/show/16457.php
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When foods become 'super'
2006/04/10 Can our daily diet cure everything from cancer to hay fever?
Superfoods give modern health consumers everything we need - a hit of essential nutrients in an edible form (even if it's not always to your taste). There's also that hint of the exotic which appeals to a market willing to experiment with peculiar foodstuffs.
Clearly our appetite for superfoods is insatiable. To the layperson it seems that they are popping up faster than birds infected with H5N1. Barely have you managed to track down a good source of the latest superfood when it seems it has been superseded by another. Pomegranates are already yesterday's news: the latest superfood is the Wolfberry. This deep-red, dried fruit is grown in China; about the size of a raisin and tasting like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry, it is a small powderkeg of goodness, containing 500 times the amount of vitamin C by weight than oranges, with more antioxidants than pomegranates. And it is the richest source of beta-carotene of all known foods.
Recent research by Dr Harold Corke at the University of Hong Kong found that Wolfberries, also called goji berries, significantly reduced blood glucose levels, bad cholesterol and triglycerides (fatty acids in the blood stream that lead to heart disease, diabetes and weight gain). Meanwhile the journal International Immunopharmacology has reported that Wolfberries had a significant effect on the size of cancer tumours in mice. Further research in China has found the fruit to be effective in preventing the growth of leukaemia cells. Chinese studies also suggest that Wolfberries have anti-ageing properties.
But perhaps if the Wolfberry doesn't appeal you could opt for maca. This addition to the superfood genre is a root vegetable, similar to a sweet potato but sold in the West as a powder. It's been dubbed "natural Viagra", with double-blind trials suggesting that it improves sexual desire, sperm count and sperm motility. It may offer other benefits: Dr Hugo Malaspina, a cardiologist based in Lima, says that the regulating effects of maca on the pancreas and pituitary and adrenal glands have helped over 200 menopausal patients.
Then there's hemp oil, one of the richest sources of the essential fats that play a key role in brain function, reproduction and food metabolism, and in ailments such as heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer and arthritis. The oil is also a good source of GLA, which is believed to help in the treatment of pre-menstrual tension. A recent study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment compared dietary hemp oil with topical treatments for dermatitis: significant improvements were noted in the group taking the oil.
The problem with the superfood Zeitgeist is that the foods themselves are often expensive and hard to come by. (The humble broccoli stalk no longer quite cuts it in the new superfood cabal: the more far-flung the source, the more we love it.) But, more strikingly, there is no single authoritative definition of what makes a food "super".
"Ecological footprint" and "carbon credit", for instance, can be found in the Collins English Dictionary, but "superfood", arguably a more common part of our vernacular, is not. Meanwhile, ask your GP which superfoods will work best to combat heart disease, allieviate osteoarthritis, normalise the pH of your stomach and prevent cancer (claims all being made for the pomegranate) and you'll probably be answered with a raised eyebrow.
Michael Van Straten, a naturopath, whose new book Superfoods Superfast is published next month, believes that foods become "super" if they are nutrient-dense and capable of combating serious disease and restoring the body. He lists over 200 fruits and vegetables that have already been called superfoods or are waiting in line for the necessary publicity - such as the strawberry which, it appears, is going to be 2006's blueberry.
According to Jane Clarke, The Times nutritionist, "a true superfood provides the most concentrated, usable form of nourishment to cells which govern our immune systems, our hormones, our weight and our ageing processes". But she stresses that: "It is important not to rely on a single superfood and expect it to achieve wonders. Many can only be eaten or taken in small quantities. They can provide extra help, but the most important tactic is to maintain a varied and healthy diet."
The British Nutrition Foundation agrees. While acknowledging the benefits of less common superfoods such as bee pollen and sea vegetables, Joanne Lunn, a BNF nutritionist, says that the key message is that a broad variety of less expensive fruits and vegetables is the key to keeping us all healthy.
"We welcome any excitement over healthy foods like beetroot or watercress, that encourage people to go out and buy them," says Lunn. "But our concern is that the flurry which results in the elevation of individual foods eclipses the more important message that we should eat a wide range of fruits, vegetables, proteins, good fats and complex carbohydrates."
What identifies a superfood comes down to who you ask. A nutritionist is more likely to opt for a food that is the most nutrient-packed and most easily digested; a doctor might list those fruits and vegetables that have been subjected to the most robust scientific research - the most recent being broccoli, which is rich in isothiocyanate and sulphoraphane, substances which are believed to help the body to fight cancer.
Any fruit and vegetable will help your health - and the more the better, according to a recent study in the medical journal The Lancet, which reports that there is strong evidence that we should eat more than five servings a day of these foods if we want to maximise our protection against heart disease and stroke
FROM: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8123-2124378_3,00.html
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Superfruits and grains to set next functional trend?
27/02/2006 - "Miracle grains" and "superfruits" are among the ingredients set to enjoy increasing popularity with American consumers, as attention is focused on a combination of health benefits and exotic tastes, says a new report.
The report, by food trend tracker Center for Culinary Development (CCD), is based on market observations by the group's Chef's Council, comprised of 80 of the nation's "high-profile" chefs.
According to the CCD, this group of industry experts is an "extraordinarily reliable" predictor of "which new culinary ideas will ultimately make their way from the rarified environs of white-tablecloth establishments to the more readily accessible aisles of the mainstream grocery stores and fast-food restaurants."
And the chefs have added their voice to the growing clamor surrounding foods with health benefits.
"From fresh and raw foods packed with natural nutritional value to 'nutraceuticals' and functional foods that are quietly fortified with everything from antioxidants to minerals and fiber, demand for foods that nourish the whole body continue to grow,"
says the report.
Certain nutrient-rich fruits, or "superfruits" - such as pomegranates and blueberries- are becoming more popular with American consumers keen to eat healthful foods while trying new tastes, according to the CCD.
Other popular fruits that consumers will opt for to boost their mood and energy levels include guava, lychee, pomelo, yuzu, and tamarind as well as berries such as acai, guarana and goji.
Indeed, Datamonitor analyst John Band also recently told FoodNavigator-USA that exotic fruits are climbing on the American consumer's agenda.
"Sales of premium fruit are on the rise in the US, as are sales of ethnic food in general. Exotic fruits, which combine the perceived authenticity and flavor intensity benefits of ethnic foods with the health and quality benefits of premium fruit, are set to grow in future years, driven by consumers' desire for greater healthiness, authenticity and flavour,"
he said.
"Miracle grains," also expected to enjoy increasing popularity, include Quinoa, which has a high protein, iron and vitamin content, as well as amaranth, which is said to be a nutritious food for infants and to provide "energy and strength" to soldiers.
"Health has become more than a fleeting interest- it's become a full-fledged fixation for millions of Americans. And that spells even greater opportunity in months and years ahead for manufacturers determined to make healthier fare a mainstay of modern diets,"
says the report.
The CCD also identified an increased interest in foods and ingredients from Latin America and Asia. Particular mention was made of foods from Cuba, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Vietnam and Korea, as well as Spain's Catalonia and Basque regions.
Amongst the most popular products identified by the group's chefs was choclo, or Peruvian corn, which exists in 55 varieties and "virtually every color." Herbs, grains and piquillo from Peru were also identified as popular choices.
"When it comes to food, consumers want more than just tastes, they want experiences,"
says the CCD.
Consumers are also increasingly interested in high-quality, small-batch, artisan products, such as handcrafted breads and cheeses. And along with these high-end expectations, Americans also "seem to want to have everything custom-made for themselves and their preferences."
FROM: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=66095
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Demand for exotic fruits set to increase in 2006, report
2006/01/23 - Exotic fruits, white tea and small plates and bites are set to become more popular with consumers this year, as more people opt for "healthy," "fashionable" and "adventurous" foods, says a new report.
These are the latest sectors
"well-positioned for growth"
in trend predictions for 2006 by food trend tracker the Center for Culinary Development (CCD).
"Fruits such as mango, papaya, and pomegranate, once considered exotic, have become mainstream,"
according to the organization, which identifies
"healthy eating"
and
"ethnic mainstreaming"
as partly responsible for the popularity of these products.
Other exotic fruits, or
"superfruits," that consumers will opt for to boost their mood and energy levels include guava, lychee, pomelo, yuzu, and tamarind as well as berries such as acai, guarana and goji, said the CCD, which tracks trends and develops products for food companies and restaurant chains.
Indeed, in Europe the increased popularity of exotic fruit contributed significantly to a growth rate of 26 per cent for the European organic food industry between 2001 and 2004, according to market analyst Datamonitor, and the US market looks to be following suit.
"Sales of premium fruit are on the rise in the US, as are sales of ethnic food in general. Exotic fruits, which combine the perceived authenticity and flavour intensity benefits of ethnic foods with the health and quality benefits of premium fruit, are set to grow in future years, driven by consumers' desire for greater healthiness, authenticity and flavour," Datamonitor analyst John Band told FoodNavigator-USA.
White tea is also set to enjoy good growth, according to the CCD's latest trend report.
"The same thing that has happened with wine, coffee, and chocolate is now happening to tea. Teas of every conceivable origin and color have thrived largely as a function of the positive press surrounding its health benefits. Now, what we're seeing is an increased interest in drinking various types of tea for medicinal reason, relaxation and social occasions,"
said the report.
"While black and green were the colors in demand, white tea is now cropping up with ever-greater frequency on our radar. White tea's subtle taste allows it to be flavored in any number of ways, and with a higher concentration of antioxidants than either black or green teas and much less caffeine, it is rapidly making inroads among health conscious consumers,"
it added.
As well as becoming more health conscious, consumers are also increasingly opting for 'trendy' foods.
"Food-fashion-forward" restaurants have picked up on this trend, serving a number of small plates such as Mexican and Thai tapas, said the CCD, adding that small plates and bites "will continue to have big momentum."
"When it comes to food, consumers want more than just tastes, they want experiences. Small plates provides just that."
FROM: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=65205&m=2FNU125&c=tbcofwatvvhylkj
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Recent Studies Show That Ningxia Wolfberries (Goji berries) Promote Good Health
2006/01/13 - Called - Goji - by native Chinese, Goji berries - Wolfberries - have a long tradition in folk medicine. Ancient Chinese medical texts extolled Goji berries - Wolfberries - for strengthening the eyes, liver, and kidneys as well as fortifying the "qi" (chi) or life force.
There is an extraordinary place where mineral rich soil and pure glacial water produce one of Nature's true miracles - the superior "Ningxia" Goji berry - Wolfberry. This simple red berry is widely known as the most nutrient-dense, natural antioxidant food supplement on the planet, yet for centuries, only a relative few benefited from its power.
Ningxia, China is legendary for amazingly healthy people. The Chinese national census recently reported that the number of Ningxia residents living more than 100 years exceeds the national average by an amazing 400%. Ningxia locals now admit their health secret lies in the locally grown goji berries - wolfberries.
Goji berries - Wolfberries - are a Chinese national treasure. The good health and vitality of the Ningxia elderly has long been attributed to goji berries - wolfberries. To the people of the province, a bowl of fresh goji berries - wolfberries - a day is part of life. Its health benefits have been extolled for generations. In fact even today, the Ningxia goji berry - wolfberry - is considered a national treasure.
In ancient times, the Chinese people were said to have three cherished tonics for health. They were ginseng, ling tzi, and goji berries - wolfberries.
According to ancient Chinese texts, goji berries - wolfberries:
- Nourish the yin
- Support the blood
- Help support the kidneys and liver
- Strengthen the eyes
- Fortify the muscles and bones
- Enhance the "chi" or life force
Treasured for longevity and energy in China, goji berries - wolfberries became the focus of recent intense medical research when scientists discovered that goji berries (wolfberries) contain an abundance of health-promoting constituents including:
- 18 amino acids
- 21 trace minerals
- 6 essential fatty acids
- vitamins B1, B2, B6
- vitamin E
- more beta carotene than carrots
- more vitamin C than oranges (300% of Recommended Daily Value)
- more antioxidant power than any other food
FROM: http://openpr.com/news/2934.html
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