Application Of Cistanche And Other Herb Extracts in Functional Drinks
Feb 19, 2022
In recent years, energy drinks have shown a prosperous trend, with rapid development in terms of consumption growth, market expansion, and new product launches. The development of energy drinks stems from consumers' demands for health. Nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and plant extracts, as well as preservative-free, natural, organic, and low-sugar features, are all the concerns of consumers when choosing energy drinks.
Among the energy drink product segments, the consumption growth rate of functional drinks with natural ingredients is the largest, and consumers are very interested in energy drinks with all-natural ingredients. In 2011, sales of natural and organic food and beverages in the U.S. approached $39 billion, while in 2015, sales exceeded $78 billion, data show.
Contact: joanna.jia@wecistanche.com / WhatsApp: 008618081934791
Cistanche has a variety of active ingredients, such as verbascoside, which can be added to energy drinks
Most of the natural ingredients come from plant extracts. Which plant extracts are the most popular energy drink ingredients in the European and American markets?
Common plant extracts for energy drinks
Energy drinks are mostly used to replenish physical strength and improve energy, so the added plant ingredients either contain natural caffeine or contain a lot of nutrients. The following are common plant ingredients in energy drinks.
cistanche can treat kidney disease, can be used as a food supplement
Cistanche Extract
Cistanche is a precious medicinal material known as desert ginseng. It is rich in more than 10 kinds of alkaloids such as polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, and dozens of trace elements such as calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and selenium. It has extremely high medicinal value and is one of the highest-ranking drugs among the more than 60 tonic drugs discovered in China.
Modern research shows that Cistanche has many functions such as improving kidney function, enhancing memory, relieving senile dementia, delaying aging, anti-fatigue, and regulating immune function. It mainly improves memory in 4 ways: 1. Protect nerve cells and inhibit nerve cell apoptosis; 2. Promote nerve cell growth and repair; 3. Increase the release of neurotransmitters in the brain; Brain workers are very effective in improving work efficiency.
In addition, ginseng extract, green tea extract, etc. are common energy drink ingredients.
Guarana Extract
Guarana, also known as Brazilian cocoa, its seeds contain 2.5%-7.0% guarantee, which is a central nervous system stimulant, enhances heart rate and contractility, inhibits platelet aggregation, promotes gastric acid secretion, causes polyuria, relaxation Extracerebral vascular and bronchial smooth muscle, promote catecholamine release, indirectly inhibit histamine release. Different from traditional caffeine functional health products, the natural caffeine contained in guarana can gradually and slowly stimulate the nerves, the stimulation has a long validity period, and the stimulation is relatively mild, which is not harmful to the human body. Long-term consumption has the effect of refreshing the mind, nourishing yin and strengthening yang, controlling appetite, relieving abdominal pain, restoring physical strength, replenishing energy, and strengthening the body.
Cola Nut Extract
Cola nut is native to tropical Africa. The local indigenous people have long since chewed and eaten cola nuts as stimulants and fatigue recovery agents. The main components are theobromine, essential oils, glycosides, and theophylline. In addition, cola nut can also accelerate the body's metabolism and achieve the effect of burning fat.
Maca Extract
Maca contains alkaloids, glucosinolates, vitamins, proteins, amino acids, polysaccharides, minerals, and a variety of natural plant active ingredients. Maca's various alkaloids can regulate the functions of adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries, etc., and balance hormone levels in the body; rich taurine, protein, etc. can regulate and repair physiological functions, improve Qi and blood, and relieve menopausal symptoms; iron, protein, Amino acids and minerals such as zinc can help strengthen the immune system, improve the body's resistance to disease, fight fatigue, and improve symptoms of anemia.
Emerging plant extracts attract attention
With the introduction of the concept of superfoods, some emerging plant ingredients have begun to attract attention and are used more and more frequently in food and beverages.
Acai Extract
Acai berries are Americans' favorite healthy weight-loss food, originating in Brazil. Acai berry is rich in a variety of vitamins and antioxidants, and has very obvious effects on the human body, mainly in terms of anti-oxidation, anti-free radicals, enhancing skin immunity, anti-aging, maintaining oil-water balance in oily skin, and lowering cholesterol.
Acai berry is a food that can lose weight and is anti-aging. It is rich in dietary fiber and high-value oils. It is also rich in a variety of essential nutrients: potassium, calcium, iron, vitamin E, and vitamin A.
Bilberry Extract
Bilberry is a small berry from northern Europe that can appear purple-blue or purple-red, and the main active ingredient is anthocyanin. The appearance of bilberry is very similar to that of blueberry, but compared with blueberry, the content of anthocyanin in bilberry is 4-5 times higher, and the health care effect is better.
Bilberry has gradually been recognized and loved for its benefits to eyesight and prevention of hardening of the arteries. Regular consumption of bilberry can reduce the damage of free radicals to the eye lens and retina, prevent retinopathy; it can also enhance the flexibility of capillaries, promote intraocular microcirculation, and then improve vision. In addition, bilberry can prevent cancer and improve chronic hepatitis B.
Wolfberry Berry Extract
Wolfberry is already a commonly used health food in my country, but it is a very popular emerging ingredient in Western countries. Lycium barbarum has always been used as a medicinal material to nourish the liver and kidney. It also has immunomodulatory effects and also has a promoting effect on hematopoietic function. blood pressure effect.
With the further expansion of the functional beverage market, more natural plant extracts will be used as ingredients in beverages, bringing new vitality to the plant extract industry.
