Herbal Medicine, from Field to Factory
Posted - June 8, 2009
Gaia Herbs Announces Annual Summer Solstice Open House
America’s Gaia Herbs, grower and manufacturer of organic botanical medicines, welcomes the public to its annual Summer Solstice Open House. The June 20th event will take place 10 am – 4 pm in Brevard, NC, United States of America. Visitors may tour the 250-acre certified organic farm and state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
The company grows herbs such as Echinacea, California Poppy, and Valerian. All should be in full bloom June 20, one of the longest days of the year. Walk the fields, or ride on a tractor-led wagon to each spot.
Tours of Gaia’s certified organic manufacturing facility will give guests a behind-the-scenes understanding of how herbs are extracted, formulated, encapsulated and packaged for sale. All tours are offered on a first-come-first served basis.
Gaia is a USA-based certified organic grower and manufacturer of liquid herbal extracts. The company cultivates 250 acres of medicinal herbs which, along with operations at the 36,000 square-foot manufacturing facility, are organically certified annually by Oregon Tilth under the USDA’s National Organic Program.
Light refreshments and entertainment will be provided, including face painting, local music, and songs and stories by noted naturalist, herbalist and storyteller Dan Noland. An eco-highlight, staff will conduct workshops on how to make a rain barrel for drought management.
Visitors are encouraged to bring water bottles - refills are free! Wear shoes and clothing suited for a day on the farm.
For a complete schedule and directions, visit www.gaiaherbs.com.
Yacon
Posted - May 1, 2008
Yacon: Natural Sugar Control
By Adriana Michael - as printed in O.W.N. Summer 2008
A South American tuber grown in the Andes could offer valuable sugar control and immune system bonuses to the human body. The yacon, called an apple or pear of the earth for its sweet, crispy taste when washed and eaten fresh, grows between 1,500 and 2,500 metres above sea level. The Andean peoples have long used the root to ease health problems like liver ailments, says Dr. Cass Ingram, a natural health expert who has written a dozen books touching on functional foods such as yacon.
“South American traditional medicines have never been written about in common books. There’s been a lack of quality articles describing their ethnic use and the medicinal properties,” says Ingram, explaining yacon’s low profile. “No one has published about what the properties are.”
Yacon contains a high percentage of inulin, a fructo-oligo-saccharide or FOS. The body does not convert this class of sweet-tasting chemicals into energy, and so they rank a zero on the glycemic index scale. “This is the perfect functional food for resting the pancreas,” says Ingram.
Inulin mimicks better-known insulin, Ingram says, producing all kinds of health benefits. “Insulin has everything to do with how we digest our sugars and starches,” he says.
Good bacteria in the gut feed off the inulin, Ingram says. Yacon functions both as sugar control and as pro-biotic, thus boosting the immune system.
Caution is required to ensure a marketable product retains the benefits of the pure root. “We knew if we could keep it unprocessed, then it would be medicinal,” Ingram says of his early work with yacon.
Organic products derived from yacon are gradually becoming available in North America. Careful methods are required to ensure desirable inulin is obtained while unwanted fructose sugar, which occurs only in the root’s fibrous parts, is not. “If you don’t treat the product properly, what’s going to happen is that you will obtain only fructose sugar, which is not good,” says Jorge Urena, president and CEO of Uhtco Corporation. Uhtco is a well known supplier of organic yacon products, and the main importer to Canada.
Ingram worked with Urena and Uhtco’s partners in Peru to get organic yacon in its highest potency. “We asked him to make extracts that were unprocessed. No alcohol. No heat,” Ingram says. Working with small farmers in Peru and having built a Peruvian processing facility to house the required machines, Uhtco’s processing plant introduced yacon syrups and the line is expanding.
Yacon has a citrus, light caramel flavour, Ingram says. Urena prefers to use the syrups as a sweetener, while Ingram pours his over yogurt or other dairy products. “It’s more interesting for its aroma,” Ingram says, and its health properties.Whatever the impetus, many people today have far too much sugar in their diet and could certainly benefit from the natural, healthy powers of this exotic and not widely known “apple of the earth”.
Yerba Mate
Posted - May 1, 2007
Yerba Mate Booming as Healthy Alternative
By Tatjana Schulz - as printed in O.W.N. Summer 2007
The latest trendsetting drink isn’t Latte Macchiato, not chai - not even Paris Hilton’s prosecco so handily presented in a can. No, it’s none of those: according to People magazine, the new ‘in’ drink is Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis).
What is this concoction? Unlike many think, it is not derived from the ordinary tea plant. Instead, it comes from a perennial South American shrub that can grow up to fifteen meters in height. The leaves and stems were long brewed by the Guarani, an indigenous group in Uruguay and Paraguay.
Like coffee, the ever-popular hot beverage, mate stimulates alertness. However, unlike coffee it does not disrupt sleeping or digestion. Even though it contains caffeine, it also contains more minerals than black and green tea. The list includes calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, vitamins A, C, E and B-complex - not to mention plenty of anti-oxidants.
As an emerging food, yerba mate is far less studied than green tea. Still, a flurry of research has been published recently. In test tubes, yerba slowed the growth of some cancer cells. Several small studies found it aided weight loss. Preliminary work suggests the South American brew may also fight atherosclerosis, and last year, Brazilian scientists found the tea slowed rabbits’ growth of arterial plaques.
At the moment, the world’s main yerba consumers are the Argentineans. 80% drink the herb at least once a week. The Middle East is the major market, in countries such as Syria and Libya.
“With consumers looking for healthy alternatives to coffee and soft drinks, more people travelling and learning about customs and traditions in different countries and easier access to exotic and sometimes forgotten or marginal products, yerba mate has found a great moment to become more than just a trendy drink”, says Ricardo Avalos of Canopy Foods, one of the first firms to introduce yerba to the United States,under the name Aviva Ltd.
The company introduced a successful program for coffee and tea retailers - shops that sell prepared drinks as well as stores that retail drink mixes - to introduce yerba alongside coffee and tea.
Mate has other uses beyond drinks hot and cold, though, says Susana Manzur, with Paraguayan mate producer and exporter Rio Itambey S.A.. Medicine and personal hygiene products are some examples. Chocolates and gum could also benefit. A perfume called Misiones has been launched recently in Argentina. The plant has great properties for natural cosmetics. An Iguazu spa applies yerba as part of an antioxidant skin mask.
“Creative entrepreneurs aware of changes of consumer tastes and expectations have developed yerba mate drinks that go beyond the traditional hot infusions to offer a growing line of healthier alternatives to conventional soft drinks”, says Avalos. Companies like Guayaki in the United States and Sol Mate in Canada have developed unique, ready-to drink mate that have done well in the direct-to-consumer market.
An important aspect is yerba’s connection to environmental issues. The way yerba is grown and harvested greatly affects the final product’s taste - and not only that. A recent study suggests shade-grown yerba contains more nutrients than plants cultivated under the spicy hot sun. This is great news for organic yerba mate grown as part of diversity conservation projects in the South American forests.
The increasing demand for healthier drinks is a great opportunity to innovate and explore alternative markets while introducing added value products, says Avalos. His partner Dan Garcia has introduced over 20 yerba flavours and presentations. Avalos, who launched a brand of traditional yerba from Paraguay, will re-launch his and Garcia’s brands under Canopy Foods. “We aim to join efforts and to work with yerba mate producers in Paraguay to enter the foreign and domestic market with better merchandising concepts and promotion like some importers and distributors have done in the United States”, he says.
But it is not an easy task, says Paraguay’s Manzur. “Over 80% of the yerba mate sold to the United States comes from Paraguay”, she says. Most producers do not care about added value when the main market is already growing.
Certainly, organic certification offers mate growers some incentive. “But in today’s market structure, the producer just makes 10% of the profit, while the exporter and importer share 15% each, the distributor and broker 25% and the retailer adds another 35%”, says Avalos. “To talk about sustainable development, the producer would need to be more directly involved”.
Still, some growers are organic certified and they get a premium. One is Brazilian Cha Mate Triunfo Ltda. It has collected yerba in eco-friendly ways for almost half a century. The company, certified by Ecocert, is located in the Iguazu Valley where conditions are great for wild shade-grown yerba. The company exports to the United States one of the finest yerba mate in the market.
From its South American origins, yerba is growing into a familiar international drink. Its diverse applications in everything from food colourings to cosmetics will only become more obvious as more and more consumers adopt yerba as a healthy - and very tasty - alternative to their morning cup of coffee.
Maca Medicine
Posted - September 1, 2006
A Reliable Supplement: Maca
O.W.N. News Network - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2006
Maca has been used as a folk medicine for centuries to enhance physical performance and endurance in the physically demanding environment of high altitudes. It has also been taken for the enhancement of fertility and sexual behavior in men and women, as a remedy for menopausal symptoms, as an antidepressant and to help the healing of wounds.
“The flavor is strong and bitter. As a food, you would need to develop a taste for it, the same as with coffee”, says John Harrison, managing director of Ecotrends Ecologics, Canadian distributor of natural healthcare products. “Maca has been around for centuries. In North America and Europe it has been introduced in capsules”.
Mr. Harrison explains that to enter the market with maca and any other natural supplements there is need for expensive research and trials, before you obtain the NPN (New Product Number). “Strict regulations are important to increase the credibility of real natural health products, but trials following the drug model with a synthetic substance do not really match the conditions of a natural product. It is important to note that super natural foods may not have the expected effect if, in the processing or extraction, the value of the active ingredients present in the original food is lost.”
There are two methods to process maca, but only the drying process yielding a non-gelatinized substance conserving undisturbed its vital nutrients and other elements ensures the best results, notes Dr. Luis Jáuregui, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Ohio and Co-Director of the Center for Applied Pharmacology, University of Toledo, Ohio.
Aloe Vera
Posted - February 1, 2005
Aloe Vera Improves Well-Being in Diabetics:
Promising Results Show No Side Effects
By Staff - Organic & Wellness News - as printed in O.W.N. Spring 2005
Aloecorp, the world’s leading vertically integrated supplier of bioactive Aloe Vera raw materials, reports that Aloe Vera is one of the few natural ingredients proven in human clinical trials to show promising results for addressing health concerns related to diabetes, without the side effects often associated with drugs. According to 2002 statistics from the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects nearly 18.2 million Americans, or 6.3% of the population, and in the year 2000 was cited as the 6th leading cause of death.
Diabetes involves a deficiency or absence of the hormone insulin, the main hormone responsible for the control of sugar in the blood, resulting in an unhealthy increase in blood sugar levels, along with an increase in oxidative stress, lower levels of free radical-fighting antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.
According to Ken Jones, Aloecorp’s Director of Research and Development, “various studies and human clinical trials have shown that Aloe Vera has had a significant effect on health concerns related to type 2 diabetes, such as the regulation of blood sugar, triglyceride and serum cholesterol levels, as well as improvements in lipid profiles and suppressed free radical-induced oxidative damage”. Jones added that a large number of human clinical trial participants were able to decrease or discontinue the medications they were previously taking to regulate their blood sugar levels, hypertension and angina.
John Rhees, Aloecorp’s President and Chief Executive Officer, further commented: “Thanks to scientific advancements and sound results in the study of aloe for addressing diabetes, people experiencing this disease now have a natural and safe option for supporting improved health. I am thrilled that the Aloe Industry can assist those involved in such a huge and growing public health concern.”
Those afflicted with type 1 diabetes must take insulin because their bodies do not produce enough of it; those suffering from type 2 diabetes may control their condition through healthy diet and exercise. In contrast to people suffering from type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes can be controlled in some cases through diet and exercise, while others do require medication to control their blood sugar. Studies have shown that regular supplementation with Aloe Vera can positively affect the health of type 2 diabetics.
The healing properties of Aloe Vera have been known for centuries. Today, the market is flooded with aloe products at both conventional and organic stores. From toothpaste to skin creams, cosmetics, yogurt and even ice cream, aloe is back. But check the labels. They should describe the exact concentration of aloe.
German firm Santa Verde recommends that a good Aloe Vera product should not use aloe concentrate that is made up with water and is used for low-priced cosmetics and beverages. Water is not always declared in the label as the main ingredient. Santa Verde also explains that some manufacturers use the whole leaf without peeling the outer skin, which results in a juice that requires activated carbon filtering to eliminate the not-allowed aloin, located in the second layer of the aloe outer skin. Important is also to look for preservatives, many with sodium benzoate. Flavourings and other additives such as sorbitol should also be avoided.
Vivatap Sachet
Posted - September 1, 2004
New Vivatap “Teabag-Like Sachet” Purifies Tap Water On The Go
By O.W.N. - News Network - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2004
Increasing consumer interest and demand for convenient solutions for improving health and wellness, and the growing volume of consumers always ‘on the go’ inspired chairman Einar Ager-Wick and his team at Health by Nature AS to develop Vivatap. This new development is a ‘teabag-like sachet’ which transforms tap water into tasty chlorine-free water at a fraction of the cost of bottled water. The sachet is made of rice paper and is filled with a carefully selected natural mixture of coral algae from the clear seas off Norway, and shell-sand, calcium ascorbate and chitosan.
“Coral algae is an organism with potent cleaning qualities. The treated coral algae and shell-sand mainly contain calcium carbonate (CaCO3), caustic lime (CaO), various minerals and trace elements that dissolve in water in a low pH”, explained marketing director Thor-Egil Eik.
This powerful combination includes ingredients like acerola powder rose hip powder, rutin and lemon oil that allow Vivatap to neutralize chlorine and stabilize the pH towards 7.5, remove pesticides thanks to the action of the vital natural trace elements, inhibit bacterial growth and improve smell and taste. With Vivatap there are no more expensive and heavy bottles to carry. Transportation of bottled water increases fuel use and costs, causing air pollution, while Vivatap comes in an easy-to-carry pack with 18 sachets, enough to purify up to 36 liters of water. Each outer case or retail box contains 20 Vivatap consumer packs inside enough to supply 720 liters of purer fresher tasting drinking water at at a cost sometimes ten times less than a bottle of water, depending on the local economy.
A health practitioner interested in the research on the important link between water and wellness, Mr. Ager -Wick and his team began research over a decade ago. “In most countries chlorine is added to tap water to cleanse it and keep it free from bacteria. However, once the water has left the tap, chlorine is no longer necessary. It not only adds an unpleasant taste to water, but it is one of the most toxic substances with by products that are linked to disease like cancer. With Vivatap it is possible to drink tap water without chlorine and still bacteria free.”
Vivatap is available in the United States and Northern European countries and was just launched in the UK in June via major distributor Brunel Healthcare. Shoppers in England are currently spending more than £1 billion a year on bottled water, the same amount they spent on organic food in 2003, according to the Soil Association.
Health by Nature AS is looking for distributors and parties interested in a licensing program. “We will make a major investment at the end of 2004 that will allow us to increase production capacity and drop our prices to ensure that Vivatap can be within reach of as many people as possible around the world”.
Fresh water, our major natural resource, is scarce. Eco-friendly initiatives to protect it and avoid waste, while enhancing its properties, is part of the mission at Health by Nature AS and its unique easy-to-use Vivatap.
Aloe Drinks
Posted - September 1, 2004
Aloe Vera Boosts Nutritional Drinks Market
By Isabel Hanley - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2004
Everyone knows that a balanced diet and exercise are important for maintaining health. Medical systems have also offered pills for all ailments, something which many find convenient. Today, consumers look for easy and convenient solutions, with a minimum change in habits and lifestyles, to increase their performance and ensure wellness. Nutritional drinks aim to fill in this need and are gaining acceptance as another way of maintaining health. Major multinational soft drinks companies are aware of this growing niche market and are investing in the acquisition of functional and organic lines.
Aloe vera, a cactus like plant from the Lily family, contains over 200 active compounds and nutrients, including minerals, amino acids, flavonoids, enzymes and even vitamin B12, which is usually not present in vegetables. With this powerful make-up, aloe vera represents a great ingredient for the production of nutritious drinks.
Aloe is obtained from the sap of the leaves. The extraction is a very old process, dating back to the time of the Arab Empire. According to Jene Hale, marketing director of the International Aloe Science Council (IASC), 99% of the aloe sap content is a very special water that contains 240 valuable constituents and properties in the remaining 1% of solids. The problem with many commercial preparations of aloe vera products is that the quantity of the active ingredient is often virtually non-existent. Therefore aloe vera drinks and other products should be obtained from a completely trusted source and carry, at least , the IASC seal. An additional organic certification will create even greater confidence among end consumers.
Aloe Vera Comeback
Posted - February 1, 2004
Aloe Vera Makes Strong Comeback
By John Coghlan - as printed in O.W.N. Spring 2004
How wise the ancients were. For one, they used Aloe Vera. Now the herbal remedy returns once again. Modern research reveals that, indeed, the ancients had a good idea. Aloe Vera is a perennial plant with spiny leaves, looking like a cactus that prefers mild dried climate. The Egyptians mentioned aloe around 1500 B.C., though it probably originated in northern Africa or the Arabian Peninsula. Aloe Vera has grown all over Europe and Asia. Today most comes from Latin America, the Caribbean and the southern states of the US, where climate pampers the plant.
First the plant was used to extract its yellow sap, aloin, for laxatives. But then researchers learned to stabilize another extract: the clear, colorless and semi-solid aloe gel. This was important since the gel, like most fruit and vegetable juices, tends to spoil and discolor thanks to microorganisms. Intensive research overcame the problem and highly sophisticated stabilization methods were discovered.
Ramiro Estrada Avalos, general manager of Aloe Jaumave S.A. de C.V. in Mexico, states that stabilizing is the key. “The challenge for all producers is to always keep searching for better ways to extract the pulp, stabilize and store it without altering the active properties of the plant”. He also reports that his company developed an innovative stabilizing method, Total Process, that ensures maximum synergy of the aloe properties.
Aloe Jaumave was established in 1989 as a vertically integrated plant that follows strict organic farming methods in over 990 ha. and 100 employees. Located in Jaumave Tamaulipas, an ecological zone known as heaven recognized by UNESCO for the beauty of nature and the quality of its natural resources, Aloe Jaumave has been certified via IFOAM agencies and Biosuisse to enter the European market. EcoCert has certified them for processed goods. They also carry the seal of quality issued by the International Aloe Science Council (IASC).
Aloe Jaumave first sold just the raw material, hand fillet Aloe Vera, to major companies in the US like Forever Living. As the company grew and more sophisticated equipment was incorporated, Estrada Avalos said that the goal was to become vertically integrated and offer value-added products. He has been introducing a line of aloe pulp juice in different flavors. The company reported sales of over 100 million US, 75% from export sales to major markets in Germany, Japan, the UK and the United States.
Aloe Vera is the number one ingredient in the world for new product introductions, according to Jene Hale, marketing director of IASC. But the sector has being challenged to overcome other difficulties, most pharmaceutical companies stay away: Aloe Vera is an herbal remedy, so cannot be patented. And exporters encounter obstacles, such as the sanitary-non-tariff measures. For example, Spain regards Aloe Vera drinks a medicine, so even imported samples demand permits from the Health Department, reported Estrada Avalos.
Not a bad assumption, as research shows Aloe Vera’s medicinal qualities. Researchers have found over 240 valuable constituents and properties in just one percent of solids it has, because the remaining 99% is water. They include minerals, amino acids, enzymes and vitamins, even B12 that is usually not present in vegetables.
Aloe Vera’s extracts serve as skin moisturizers and medicines to heal abrasions, cure ulcers and kill bacteria in lesions. Its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties have been widely proven. It is believed that is the synergy between the different nutrients that Aloe Vera has, where the “magic” power of aloe remains, more than the effect of one or a few of these isolated components.
Much research needs to be done. Companies like Aloe Jaumave are currently testing Aloe Vera as active stabilized ingredient in functional foods, a concept that has been gaining popularity, especially in Japan and the United States.
Estrada Avalos said they are developing other finished products like yogurt with Aloe Vera. Conventional food producer Danone has already introduced it in Belgium and France and Aloe Vera ice cream was a hit in some European cities last Summer.
Consumer interest in the relationship between health and diet has increased and retailers, mainstream or organic are aware of it. Credible research with a holistic view and not only based on isolated variables is also needed. But one thing is sure: Aloe Vera is coming back in all kinds of flavors and colors.
