High Quality of Life

Antioxidants: High Expectations for a High Quality of Life

In a market filled with so many options for consumers, only the best will rise to the top—and stay there.

Almost everyone knows the basics—free radicals damage cell membranes and DNA through a process known as oxidative stress, which may lead to future health problems and the early onset of disease or aging. The good news, of course, is that antioxidants “fight” these dangerous compounds and help preserve health and longevity.

Average consumers are far more interested in wellness and health than they used to be, especially Baby Boomers. Boomers, who will be living longer and staying more active than generations before them, are already refusing to accept the natural signs of aging.

“Consumers continue to seek the proverbial ‘fountain of youth’ and are willing to spend their hard-earned dollars on natural anti-aging moisturizers and supplements that may erase those fine lines that crop up over time,” said Steve Holtby, president and CEO of Soft-Gel Technologies, Los Angeles, CA. “Generation-X/30-something consumers are also striving to maintain their youthful looks. They are spending thousands of dollars on cosmetic products and procedures to help reverse, or at least suspend, the aging process.”

As a result, antioxidants are in huge demand across a broad range of demographics. The market is already packed with a variety of ingredients considered to have antioxidant capabilities. Researchers and ingredient suppliers continue to scour the globe, including rainforests and other remote locations, hoping to discover the next new group of antioxidants more powerful than the last.

Right now consumers are especially interested in superfruits, both long-time standards such as cranberries and blueberries and less familiar, more exotic entries. “Superfruits such as acai, mangosteen, goji and pomegranate are flying off both brick-and-mortar and Internet shelves,” indicated Sherry Torkos, a holistic pharmacist and nutritional and research consultant for Pharmachem Laboratories, Kearny, NJ.

Also increasingly popular are green-food products, which are typically presented as high-dose, powdered beverage mixes that contain nutrient greens and fruits to supplement the vegetables and fruits that aren’t being consumed in most people’s diets. Some green-food and red-food manufacturers, such as Blauvelt, NY-based RFI Ingredients, are developing highly concentrated liquid antioxidant extracts from these foods, which can be labeled as “fresh brewed” if they are extracted with water.

“These extracts contain much higher levels of polyphenols and antioxidants than single-strength products do, and can be added to beverages to boost the polyphenol and flavonoid content and enhance flavor,” explained Jeff Wuagneux, CEO and president of RFI Ingredients.

http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/contents/view/31627

http://www.depsyl.com

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com