Today we will continue our breakdown of supplements by their composition, namely we will focus on products containing plant ingredients and their extracts.
Supplements containing plants or their isolated active substances in their composition are increasingly popular, a lot of people see their positive effects when it comes to ad hoc or permanent use. Of course, this is nothing new if we talk about the use of plants in medicine – our ancestors also recognized their positive effects on the body.
Their action is mainly based on supporting the immune system and supporting the functioning of the various organs of our body.
It is worth considering what is found in plants? What has such a salutary effect on our body!
In plants there are active substrates, among them we distinguish:
– Primary metabolites ( e.g., fatty acids or amino acids)
– Secondary metabolites ( e.g., flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids)
Supplements usually use plants or their extracts that do not have a strong pharmacological effect, the doses included in them are much lower than therapeutic doses!!!
Various types of plants used in Europe and from other continents, e.g. Asia, Ayurvedic medicine( literally the knowledge of life) – traditional Indian medicine among others, Arjuna, are available for sale. Everyone is probably familiar with Chinese medicine supplements – Ginseng or Ginko biloba ascendant on the European market for years.
Very often plant ingredients used in supplements are flavonoids-these are compounds found in fruits ( especially citrus) , vegetables ( tomato, broccoli), tea, legumes, red wine. A popular flavonoid with a wide range of uses would be quercetin , which is found in such foods as : green tea, onions tomatoes, strawberries, grapes. It strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves the elasticity of blood vessels , suppresses inflammation by leveling the body’s allergic response and regulating LDL levels. Publications are also available showing that it can help with inhibiting the formation of new fat cells.
As you can see, plants or herbs contain a wealth of compounds that have a salutary effect on the state of our body, so it is worth consciously using them as an addition to our diet. It is worth noting that studies conducted so far show that the intake of flavonoids in the diet of Europeans falls far short of the recommended values.
In dietary supplements, you will also encounter spices that everyone probably knows and uses in the kitchen, among others. Basil, oregano, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon. Standardized extracts of these spices can be a valuable addition to our diet. A good example would be Turmeric and the curcuminoids contained in it – a natural phenol that imparts a yellow color, which are attributed to very positive effects on our body: fighting inflammation, support of liver function (emulsification of fats), detoxification of the body and proven anti-cancer effects ( accelerates the death of cancer cells and reduces their proliferation ) . Remember for increasing its bioavailability ( up to 2000%) combine it with piperine or magnesium or zinc ions.
“Dietetics Nutrition of healthy and sick man” H. Ciborowska A. Rudnicka
“Dietary supplements and health ” M. Jarosz
Nikolai Szyszka
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