Flachsmann aims for sports nutrition sector
its Green Mate extract to visitors at Vitafoods, the nutraceuticals
and functional foods show taking place in Geneva this week.
Swiss plant extract manufacturer Flachsmann yesterday introduced its Green Mate extract to visitors at Vitafoods, the nutraceuticals and functional foods show taking place in Geneva this week.
The EFLA 920 special extract is made from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis ST. HIL, an evergreen tree indigenous to South America. The leaves are used in the traditional drink Yerba Mate, a kind of tea common throughout the continent.
Extracts of the plant have been shown to inhibit LDL oxidation, suppress appetite and stimulate energy release. Flachsmann is marketing the ingredient for use in sports nutrition or weight loss products.
"The slimming factor is always a hot topic, but in combination with an energy boost, it offers a wide range of positioning possibilities," said Susanne Faessler, communications director at Flachsmann.
Faessler added that the firm is aiming to offer a quality, safe product as an alternative to ephedra, the herb associated with much negative media in the US, but which has until recently, featured widely in the weight loss market. Flachsmann markets its extract range in the US through Extracts Plus.
Green Mate EFLA 920 contains four standardised components - caffeoylquinic acids, triterpenic saponins, caffeine and theobromine. The saponins produce the fat burning activity leading to weight loss. It also contains vitamin A, B1, B2, folic acid and several essential minerals.
Green mate leaves are accepted by the German Commission E, the French authority on plant-based medicines (Bulletin officiel - medicaments a base de plantes), and the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
"It is great to come up with a solution to all these statistics on rising obesity rates," continued Faessler, who suggests that the extract could become the next big weight loss supplement.
Other energy-boosting extracts provided by Flachsmann include ginseng, guarana and green tea. The company is also launching Yuzu, a citrus fruit flavour for use in beverages, confectionery and yoghurts, and Trees of Life, a plant extract blend for use in dairy products, at the show this week.
