NIE Columns
Arginine Advancements
L-arginine is a semiessential amino acid; although the body normally makes enough of it, supplementation with additional amounts is sometimes needed. Found in foods containing protein, such as red meat, poultry and fish, as well as dairy products, L-arginine changes into nitric oxide (NO), which causes blood vessel relaxation (vasodilation).Early evidence suggests that L-arginine may ...
Mad About Mushrooms
Medicinal mushrooms have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine.The Ancient Egyptians associated mushrooms with immortality and considered mushrooms a special food for royalty. And in Asia, mushrooms were thought to promote health and longevity.Today, more than 14,000 mushrooms have been identified in the world. Of that number, approximately 3,000 are edible by ...
Not Letting It Go To Waste
Proper maintenance, retrofits and high-efficiency equipment all go a long way toward maximizing the amount of product. Even assuming that all else remains status quo—prices on raw materials hold the line, overhead holds steady, labor expenses remain constant—waste can eat into margins. That applies to both wasted time and wasted product.“Finding ways to maximize yield during ...
Selenium Sufficiency
Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health, but required only in small amounts. According to National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, plant foods are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries throughout the world. The content of selenium in food depends on the selenium content of the ...
Preventing an Identity Crisis
Analytical methods are spotlighted when a botanical’s new popularity raises the specter of adulteration, but more generally help assure that that the ingredient is the genuine article.The months-long controversy over DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) can be seen as a poster child for the importance of validated analytical methods. This past April, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ...
Considering Curcumin
The benefits of curcumin are now well-known, leading to greater market potential.Curcumin is the main biologically active phytochemical compound of the spice turmeric. It is extracted, concentrated, standardized and researched in supplement form. In Indian and Asian cultures, turmeric and curcumin have a long history of use as a traditional herbal medicine, and Western medicine ...
Crazy for Cacao
When consumers think of healthy foods, chocolate is not something that normally comes to mind.Considered a sweet with an abundance of fat, many see chocolate as a guilty pleasure treat to have infrequently.However, cacao—the dried seeds of a South American evergreen tree used to make cocoa, chocolate and cocoa butter— has been used in Mexico ...
The Holistic Approach To Sustainability
Pursuing eco-friendliness across the supply and manufacturing chain can pay dividends in everything from cost savings to brand differentiation.According to California-based Autodesk, a design and engineering software maker, “Manufacturers worldwide see increasing sustainable design and improving production processes as an effective response to global competition and regulations and a source of business value.” The company ...
Aloe Vera Blooming
Given its exponentially growing demand and uses for various applications, aloe vera presents a fine opportunity among medicinal plants.Aloe vera is one of the oldest and most popular medicinal plants known to man. It’s mentioned in ancient documents, including the New Testament, where it was used with other herbs for embalming.Now prized for its soothing, ...
Sourcing the Sea
Consumers are beginning to catch onto the number of health benefits offered by seaweed and sea vegetables.According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the ocean covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and contains 97 percent of the planet’s water. Additionally, the ocean supports the life of nearly 50 percent of all species ...
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