Phyto extracts

Phytochemicals are the active health-protecting compounds found in plants, some of which include soy, green tea, pomegranate, pepper and turmeric. Many of these non-nutritive substances have potent biological activity and may help to lower risk for many chronic diseases. Studies carried out during the past 2-3 decades have shown that these phytochemicals have an important role in preventing chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, coronary heart disease and hyper-cholesterolaemia. The major classes of phytochemicals with disease-preventing functions are dietary fibre, antioxidants, detoxifying agents, immunity-potentiating agents and neuropharmacological agents. Each class of these functional agents consists of a wide range of chemicals with differing potency. For example, antioxidant function is exhibited by some nutrients, such as vitamin E, vitamin C and provitamin A. Other phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties are carotenoids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and isothiocyanates. Some of these phytochemicals have more than one function.

Phytochemicals are extracted from plants using a variety of technologies and they are available in a variety of concentrations. In terms of usage, phytoextracts are not directed at the average consumer. In most cases, phyto extracts are combined to provide products some of which include fortified drinks or natural pet remedies.

Phyto extracts are derived from specific plants in which health-promoting compounds have been identified. Since obtaining a significant amount of these compounds would necessitate consuming a large quantity of the foods they occur in, concentrated phyto extracts are offered as nutritional supplements for both general and targeted areas of health.