Protective power created by evolution

In hundreds of millions of years, evolution has created a unique and complex set of substances that protect plants from damage through oxidative stress, UV light, weather and inflammatory processes. These substances called polyphenols (e.g. flavanols, flavonoids, procyanidins and many more) are typically found in the skin of grapes & berries, the bark of trees, in leaves (i.e. from green tea) and in the seeds.

A rapidly increasing number of studies suggests that people eating a high amount of food that is very rich in polyphenols, i.e. from grape seeds or green tea leaves, show a superior overall health. During the last two decades, the potential health benefits from consumptions of extracts from grape seeds, green tea and pine bark have been shown in many studies.

Potential effects on human metabolism and anti-ageing

Scientific interest in these phytochemicals continues to rise, especially in these areas:

• antioxidative capacity of polyphenols and procyanidines, i.e. level of prevention from free radicals, cell protection,  and oxidative stress (hence, what one would call “anti-ageing”),
• potential benefits for the skin, i.e. for the protection from free radicals and damage from UV rays which would lead to deterioration of collagen structures and accellerated skin ageing,
• potential influence on cholesterol and lipid oxidation in the blood,
• potential vascular effects (i.e. influence on blood flow and blood pressure and related conditions),
• potential anti-inflammatory effects.

Please note that we cannot make any definite nutritional health claim within the European Union right now, because the EU food authorities have not yet approved final health claims regarding these three extracts.