Archive for category: Supplements & Nutraceuticals

Infographic: Plant Based Protein Supplements

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The world of protein is starting to take a hard look in the mirror. Whey and meat sources work tremendously well at building muscle, but they have several downsides. Innovative companies have started to harness a more natural and holistic approach to plant based proteins from peas, brown rice, hemp, and soy. Below is an infographic that makes the case for plant based protein supplements and their advantage over traditional whey based protein supplements.

plant based protein

 

Plant Based Protein Innovation @ Beyond Meat

A proud partner of NutriFusion® is the plant-based protein innovator, Beyond Meat. Beyond Meat is transforming the way we think about meat with new pea protein-based burgers and chicken. We are an active supporter of their commitment to clean, plant-based protein. Check out this short video from Beyond Meat about their products and the leadership team behind the future of protein.

Beyond Meat products are committed to natural ingredients and use our GrandFusion fruit and vegetable nutrients in a variety of their products. We are excited to see their brand grow and shape the bright future of protein!

Health and Wellness Influencing Food Decisions

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Taste, price and convenience are no longer the main factors that help consumers decide which food and beverage to buy. According to a study by Deloitte, Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) called “Capitalizing on the Shifting Consumer Food Value Equation,” about half of the surveyed Americans considered health and wellness, safety, social impact, experience and transparency as “evolving drivers.” These new drivers are examined in addition to traditional factors such as taste, price and convenience. The study also revealed that these new “evolving drivers” play into food decisions regardless of the respondents’ demographics.

 

No Artificial Ingredients & Clear Labels Connect Health to Food Safety

Americans are no longer connecting food safety according to only near-term risks to health. Around 74 percent of respondents agreed that food safety should not just be limited to food that can cause immediate harm. Health, wellness, and transparency are all connected to safety which is why food factors including freedom from dangerous ingredients, having clear and accurately made product labels, and the use of non-artificial ingredients should be utilized in describing packaged, processed foods.

“Food retailers are inherently ‘shopper advocates’ and they respect that their customers want both genuine and transparent shopping experiences. Our study sheds light on how companies can better understand the intersection of these new consumer food values and their own growth strategies.” – Mark Baum, Chief Collaboration Officer @ FMI

More Key Insights on Future Food Decisions

Furthermore, the study also addresses several important points regarding the shifting value equation for the industry. According to the results of the survey, the following affect consumer values and food decisions as well.

  • Preferences and tastes of food will continue to fragment
  • Retailers have a unique ability to influence consumers’ decisions
  • New and smaller companies will use new technologies, third-party affiliations, and increase engagement to gain trust.
  • Larger companies in the industry will do all they can to use new, unique value propositions; and market success will be affected by present competitive advantages.

“Today’s consumers have a higher thirst for knowledge than previous generations and they are putting the assessment of that information into their value equation. There is no doubt that the consumer value equation has changed – as taste, price and convenience are now only the foundation with the need to leverage the emerging value drivers. Brands that win with consumers will likely be those that provide the information they seek, well beyond what is on the label.” – Jim Flannery, SVP of Operations & Industry Collaboration @ GMA

Inspired by prnewswire.com

NutriFusion® is Here to Help

Consumer values have been changing over the past ten years, and many companies have tried to seize the opportunity.  Some companies have done an excellent job of creating healthier products, and others have suffered the fate of misleading consumers with health and wellness claims. It’s time to start taking these demands seriously and match your R&D efforts with the value of the future consumer. People have finally connected their health and wellness to food safety. How will you reinvent your products without artificial ingredients and clean labels to enable the consumer to make smart food decisions?

NutriFusion vegetable powder in a clear measuring cup set in a tray of finely ground yellow powder.

We would like to think that NutriFusion® could be the answer for some of your new products. Instead of fortifying  your packaged foods with synthetic vitamins, you should try our GrandFusion powders. We create non-GMO nutrients from whole fruits and vegetables. So why doesn’t everyone do this? It’s a difficult process and we have made huge advances in our nutrient stabilization method over the past 3 years. NutriFusion® will give you the ability to clean up your ingredient deck and make powerful claims about where your nutrients come from. If you are interested in learning more, please visit your respective category below.

Food is not Healthy, it’s Nutritious

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Will we be able to eat healthy food? According to Harry Balzer, an NPD Group analyst, “Never, because the moment something becomes popular, someone will find a reason why it’s not healthy.” But what is healthy food really about? We attribute healthy to foods such as kale while we think of a Big Mac as something that is not. But the thing is, kale salads are not really healthy but they are nutritious. When prepared well, a kale salad would also taste delicious. Describing it as healthy is simply beyond words. If you were to eat kale only then you would become sick.

 

 “Healthy is a bankrupt word.Our food isn’t healthy. We are healthy. Our food is nutritious. I’m all about the words. Words are the key to giving people the tools they need to figure out what to eat. Everyone is so confused.” – Roxanne Sukol, preventive medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic and medical director of the center’s Wellness Enterprise

Words Matter…Food is Nutritious

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Technically the food we eat is not healthy; we will be healthy if we eat nutritious food. And healthy is not the only misleading word widely used in packaged and processed food products. Take the word protein. Protein is definitely good for the body since it’s needed for building strong muscles and other important bodily functions. We have grown fond of protein and now consume it at an extraordinary rate compared to our ancestors. But take eating pork cracklings, which is all protein, gets frowned upon because we believe this food has huge fat content. It is made of pork skin which is made of protein under a layer of fat. When pig skin is fried, fat is rendered and the remaining connective tissue pops. Pork skin may actually be an ideal protein snack to get you throughout the day.

Another word is “refined” which is commonly added to wheat which has been stripped of the bran, the germ, and all the impurities removed as well resulting in a pure starch. Refined wheat is technically devoid of all oils, iron and vitamins that make wheat nutritious. Sukol said, “Flour stripped of the nutrition that makes it valuable to our bodies but reduces shelf life. Food manufacturers, therefore,“enrich” it. Food companies add the iron that was removed from the refining process, but not enough of what we need. Sukol also said that these additions along with the lack of fiber take a toll on our metabolic systems resulting in diabetes and metabolic syndromes.

Food is either nutritious or not and we are healthy or not. It’s a guarantee though that if we eat food that is nutritious, we will be able to improve our health.

Inspired by washingtonpost.com

Mayo Clinic Sees Low Vitamin D Toxicity in People Who Take Supplements

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Past studies conducted on Americans show that vitamin D deficiency is high, and this has caused the use of Vitamin D supplements to rise. Vitamin D is known for its capacity to boost bone health and prevent some conditions such as diabetes and cancer. The Mayo Clinic conducted a study with an aim of learning more about vitamin D consumption and the health of those consuming supplements.

Sources of Vitamin D

Vitamin D can be obtained both naturally and artificially. Natural sources include some oily fishes, milk, and exposure to sunlight. When it comes to exposure to sunlight, one is advised not to bask in the sun for long as this could lead to damage to the skin or increase the risk of contracting skin cancer. Some literature recommends an exposure of about three to ten minutes in the morning or evening, at a time when the sun is not too hot.

Artificial sources are supplements and are frequently recommended to those who have a vitamin D deficiency. Consumers of synthetic supplements are who the Mayo Clinic are concerned with toxicity. Vitamin D which is taken naturally is only absorbed by the body in the right quantities. The findings by the Mayo clinic come as a relief to most of the Americans who have been worried about the effects of the supplements. It’s understood that the excessive intake of vitamin D can have serious repercussions, but the study revealed that the artificial supplements have little to no toxicity effect when taken in the right quantities.

Toxic Levels are Low

The study found that consumption of supplements does not lead to high toxicity. With the study, it is now clear that vitamin D is a rare form of toxicity and can only happen when there is an intentional intake of a high dose. Vitamin D levels are determined by a lab test where a blood test is conducted; the average level is usually 20-50 nanograms per milliliter. Anything higher that 50 ng/ml is excess while less than 20 ng/ml is deficient.

Inspired by mayoclinic.org

Dairy Products Better Suited for Delivering Probiotics than Supplements

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Have you ever eaten any dairy products fortified with live bacteria before? Probiotics are good bacteria and yeast that provide a variety of health benefits. These are often available in milk products and yoghurt as well as supplements.

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117 Nutritional Supplements Companies Charged in Federal Sweep

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Nutritional supplements companies that have been accused of selling tainted products and providing misleading information are facing the wrath of the justice department and the market. The federal Justice Department has filed cases against 117 companies and individuals. With some of the companies facing criminal and civil cases, the big retailers in the dietary supplement market saw their shares have dip initially before the full details were released to the public. 

USPlabs Faces Charges on Multiple Supplements Brands

One of the notable companies indicted in the suit is USPlabs, the Dallas-based company which sold Jack3d and OxyElite pro, two of the best-selling workout supplements containing an amphetamine stimulant. Six executives from the enterprise face prosecutions for selling the products that the justice department claims to be illegal and dangerous. The two largest retailers of USPlabs supplements, GNC Holdings and Vitamin Shoppe have suffered; the crackdown has led to both of their stock prices dipping. GNC Holdings shares went down by a whopping 27 % while Vitamin Shoppe lost nearly 10% before the market realized that the retailers were not named in the suit by the justice department.

USPlabs is being accused by the FDA of passing misleading information to the retailers and wholesalers; the company claims that its products are made from natural plant extracts whereas investigations revealed that they have been using a synthetic stimulant that is made in a Chinese chemical factory. According to the proceedings brought against the company, one of the products sold by USPlabs has led to liver injuries and one death. According to the marketers, the products enhance performance through increasing endurance, speed and strength. 

Another product that is sold by USPlabs, Jack3d was banned in December 2011 by the department of deference when two of the soldiers died after consumption. Some shops operated by GNC Holdings were also affected when the DOD banned the product on military bases and surrounding areas.

Increased Regulation Causes Anxiety in the Market

The news that the Justice Department was making an announcement on the charges caused panic in the stock market, the investors were anxious, when the decision was made, companies that were not mentioned in the list got a reprieve. GNC Holdings and Vitamin Shoppe were not mentioned in the cases that were brought by the federal prosecutors leading to a slight recovery in share prices. The crackdown is a positive move to ensure that the consumers are well protected from harmful products; the investors can also learn from the incidence, use of ingredients that harm the consumers will not only lead to numerous criminal and civil cases but will also adversely affect their businesses.

Inspired by well.blogs.nytimes.com

Choose NutriFusion® for Organic Ingredients

NutriFusion® is an important ingredient for all supplements and nutraceuticals manufacturers. Our blends are created from organic, non-GMO fruits and vegetables. Our innovation is in how we stabilize the micronutrients and phytonutrients through our patented method. Our products can withstand the heating and cooling of modern day food processing to help you supercharge your products with all natural nutrition. If you are interested in learning more about NutriFusion® for supplements and nutraceuticals, click the button below.