Berry aficionados are already aware that berries that are dark red, blue and purple taste great. But what most of these people don’t know is that these berries have a unique nutritional profile and contain a range of flavonoids that are known to benefit one’s health in numerous ways.

Typically, berries contain high amounts of Vitamin C, along with other vitamins and minerals such as calcium and potassium, including a good percentage of fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. Because berries are high in nutrition and low in caloric value with no fat, they are highly popular among consumers not only as fruit juices, but as functional foods as well. Moreover, due to their high antioxidant potency, berries are used in manufacturing a variety of nutritional supplements.

Popular Berries and Supportive Research

While some berries are popular because of their exotic history, savvier consumers look for products whose ingredients are backed by credible research and will meet their specific health needs. Below is a list of popular berries that you may want to consider using in your products depending on the health needs of your customers:

The anthocyanins in blueberries are known to have a positive effect on neuronal and brain functions, specifically memory. They also help regulate healthy glucose levels. Some tests in animals have shown blueberries to have anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties. 1-4
Grapes, considered to be berries, are beneficial for protecting cardiovascular health, regulating normal blood pressure and help in the management of normal glycemic levels.5
Chokeberries also help regulate normal glycemic levels and insulin control. They also support digestive health.6
Acai berries are rich in antioxidants. Not much research has been done on these berries but because of its high antioxidant strength, it is known to be a good anti-aging agent, possibly alleviating oxidative stress caused by fat in the diet.7-8
Sufficient data from several research studies show that goji berries possess anti-aging properties and they help prevent neuronal loss in neurodegenerative disease. 9
Bilberry is known to support eye health, especially against age-related macular eye disease. 10
Anthocyanins and anti-cancer phytochemicals have been found in raspberries.11
Cranberries have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties that promote urinary health (especially in women) and the prevention of dental plaque. 12-14
Elderberries have anti-viral properties 15
Pomegranates are technically considered to be a many-seeded berry. They have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that support heart health and may inhibit the growth of certain types of cancer. 16-18
Flavonoids, in particular anthocyanins, work in the body to relieve oxidative stress in different organs of the body. According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2008)19, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest the antioxidants in berry extracts may be able to protect against certain types of cancers. Among berries, the maqui berry is touted to have the highest antioxidant value.

Manufacturing Quality Berry Supplements

Berry supplements offer consumers a clinically high dose of antioxidants and phytochemicals, an intake which is supported by research and cannot be achieved through diet alone. In addition, berry supplements do not contain fructose, found in fresh juices, and therefore contain little to no calories.

Berries can be manufactured as stand-alone supplements containing a clinically healthy dose of one particular berry or, a combination of multiple berries can be mixed to provide consumers with an assorted spectrum of health-touting benefits along with a high ORAC value. Formulators, however, must ensure that active ingredients, when mixed together will not be adulterated or changed during the manufacturing process. Tablets, capsules and ready to mix powders are the more popular delivery forms for berry supplements amongst consumers.

Use a GMP-Certified Berry Supplement Manufacturer

Considering the wide variety of berry options and the diverse health benefits they potentially provide, there are a number of berry supplements that you can manufacture that can help meet the specific health needs of your customers. Once you know what type of berry product you would like to manufacture, the next step is finding the right company to manufacture it for you.

Partnering with a reputable, GMP certified manufacturer like Nutricap Labs will ensure that the products you sell to your customers are of the highest quality and will meet their health needs. You may request a free quote or contact one of their product advisors to learn more about their berry supplement manufacturing services.

References:

Mitchell Seymour et al. “Blueberry-Enriched Diets Reduce Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance in Rats”The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, FASEB J. 2009 23:563.31.
Vuong T et al. “Biotransformed blueberry juice protects neurons from hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway alterations.” Br J Nutr. ePub 12 May 2010.
Krikorian R et al. “Blueberry supplementation improves memory in older adults.” J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Apr 14;58(7):3996-4000.
Vuong T et al. “Antiobesity and antidiabetic effects of biotransformed blueberry juice in KKAy mice.” Intl J Obesity. 2009.
Iris Erlund et al. Favorable effects of berry consumption on platelet function, blood pressure, and HDL cholesterol, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, No. 2, 323-331, February 2008.
Jurgonski A et al. Ingestion of black chokeberry fruit extract leads to intestinal and systemic changes in a rat model of prediabetes and hyperlipidemia. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2008 Dec;63(4):176-82. Epub 2008 Aug 23.
Exp Gerontol. 2010 Mar. Laboratory of Experimental Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Oliveira de Souza M et al. “Diet supplementation with acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) pulp improves biomarkers of oxidative stress and the serum lipid profile in rats.” Nutrition. 2009 Dec 17.
Chang RC at al. Use of anti-aging herbal medicine, Lycium barbarum, against aging-associated diseases. What do we know so far?” Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2008 Aug;28(5):643-52. Epub 2007 Aug 21.
Fursova AZh et al. “Dietary supplementation with bilberry extract prevents macular degeneration and cataracts in senesce-accelerated OXYS rats” Adv Gerontol. 2005;16:76-9.
Emma M Coates et al. Colon-available raspberry polyphenols exhibit anti-cancer effects on in vitro models of colon cancer, Journal of Carcinogenesis 2007, 6:4.

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/cranberry/

Lipson S., et al. “Antiviral Effects On Bacteriophages And Rotavirus by Cranberry Juice.” Phytomedicine 2007; 14:23-30.
Howell AB. Cranberry proanthocyanidins and the maintenance of urinary tract health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2002;42(3 Suppl):273-8.
Zakay-Rones Z et al. “Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections.” J Int Med Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;32(2):132-40.
Viram M, Dornfeld L, Kaplan M, et al. Pomegranate juice flavonoids inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation and cardiovascular diseases: studies in atherosclerotic mice and humans. Drugs under experimental and clinical Research Vol XXVIII, NO 2/3 49-62 (2002).
Aviram M, et al. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):423-33.
Adams LS et al. Pomegranate juice, total pomegranate ellagitannins, and unicalagin suppress inflammatory cell signaling in colon cancer cells, J. Agric Food Chem. 2006 Feb 8;54(3):980-5.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf072504n

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