As the world observes the grand vision of ‘Health for All’, we continue our quest of helping everyone Choose Good Health™.
Bio-gen Extracts has been working towards harnessing the power of innovation to make advanced nutrition accessible to everyone. We believe that a healthy world is a more productive and happy world!
We are also working to improve the awareness of good nutrition, exercise and sleep, and the role of nutraceuticals to support the wellbeing of all. Bio-gen Extracts wishes that this World Health Day awakens your spirit to help the world Choose Good Health™.
Starch is the main source of carbohydrates in the human diet which is digested and absorbed predominately by the small intestine and broken down into glucose which is used for energy. Starch is divided into 3 types depending on the rate it is digested in the human body. A portion of the starch that is rapidly digested within 20 mins of ingestion, a portion of the starch that is slowly digested between 20-120 mins and a portion of starch that is resistant to digestion after 120 mins.1
Resistant starch (RS) is the fraction of starch that is not digested in the small intestine but reaches the colon. Examples of food that are high in RS are unripe bananas, cooked & cooled potatoes, partially milled grains, cereals, beans & legumes. The extent to which starch resists digestion can influence the development or progression of certain diseases such as diabetes & colon cancer. This quality of RS has many health benefits for the human body. This is because RS undergoes fermentation by bacteria in the colon to produce substances such as, short-chain fatty acids that have important health benefits.
What is gut microbiota?
Humans & their microbiota have a mutualistic symbiotic relationship. The gut microbiota is a group of microorganisms that colonize the gastrointestinal tract, being more prevalent in the large intestine. There are 1,013 species of bacteria in the human gastrointestinal tract, about as many as human cells in the body. The gut microbiota is dominated by anaerobic bacteria that belong to the phyla, firmicutes & bacteriodetes.
Why is a healthy gut microbiome important?
A healthy gut microbiome is imperative to good health. Diet, illness, medication & lifestyle can affect an individual’s unique composition of gut microbes & make bad bacteria outweigh good bacteria. Many studies showed that it might be possible to improve heart health by making dietary changes that affect the gut. The NIH noted that the gut microbiome plays an important role in human health & influences the development of chronic diseases ranging from metabolic diseases to gastrointestinal disorders & colorectal cancer.2
The main impact of gut microbes on host physiology is on metabolism, with the microbiota helping to absorb nutrients & ferment non-digestible carbohydrates in the large intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids that influence adiposity, immune function & colon cell health. Gut microbiota also affects gut morphology, promotes barrier integrity & helps in digestive function. Additionally, the microbiota can influence the immune system by regulating the development of lymphoid tissues, increasing the production of Ig A antibodies & influencing t-cell composition. Gut microbes can also affect the nervous system by decreasing synaptic connectivity & pain perception. It can also influence bone homeostasis by regulating bone density as well as increasing the re-absorption of calcium from the gut.
Why is resistant starch important for a healthy gut microbiome?
The gut microbiome thrives on resistant starch, a dietary fiber that cannot be digested by the body but is food for gut bacteria. When resistant starch is fermented by the good bacteria in the gut, a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate is produced. Butyrate has very important functions: it is a source of energy for colon cells, increases blood flow in the large intestine & keeps the colon cells healthy & has an anti-proliferative activity- protects colon cells against DNA damage by activating apoptosis in mutated cells & protects from colorectal cancer.3
Why is having a diet rich in all 3 fibers important?
The evidence suggests that the 3 main types of fiber, soluble, insoluble & resistant starch, offer a range of important health benefits & should be consumed daily. Soluble fibers lower fat absorption, lowers cholesterol levels & aid in weight management. Insoluble fibers improve bowel health, prevent constipation & reduce risk of colorectal conditions such as hemorrhoids & diverticulitis. Both soluble & insoluble fibers also help in regulating healthy blood sugar levels. A diet rich in RS nourishes the gut microbiome, improves gut health, bone health, immune health, brain health & protects from colorectal cancer. So, all 3 fibers are necessary for gut health, heart health, immune health, bone health, brain health, healthy gut-brain axis, protection against colorectal cancer, increased blood sugar levels, gastrointestinal disorders & metabolic diseases.
FenuLean® is our clinically-studied Fenugreek protein & fiber, that has been shown to provide a balanced proportion of protein (>25%), soluble fibers (>20%), insoluble fibers (>30%), & resistant starch (>10%) & is truly a complete nutritional powerhouse! It is proven to manage healthy weight & maintain healthy blood sugar levels. It is an ideal ingredient to enhance daily fiber intake, improve gut health by maintaining a healthy gut microbiota & improve overall health.
According to a recent clinical study, supplementation of lutein and zeaxanthin-isomers (Lute-gen®) showed a statistically significant improvement in Central Foveal Thickness (CFT).
Increased CFT & Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) levels in the retina are required for the highest visual acuity, enhanced visual performance & protection of the retina from various disorders. This study cements a positive correlation between CFT and MPOD, further establishing Lute-gen® as an ideal ingredient to help consumers Choose Good Health™ when it comes to their vision.
Write to sales@bio-gen.in to differentiate in the visual health segment with Lute-gen®
The study, published in the journal Age & Ageing, examined the association between dietary fiber & cognitive decline in older adults. The researchers studied the diet, cognitive state and other health parameters of 848 volunteers over 15 years and found that a daily increase in just 5g of fiber was significantly associated with a 30% lower risk of cognitive decline.
FenuLean®, our clinically-studied Fenugreek Protein & Fiber not only provides an ideal dose of soluble & insoluble fibers with resistant starch, but is also highly effective in metabolic maintenance. It may be an ideal ingredient to enhance the daily fiber intake & support the cognitive health of your older consumers.
Reach us at sales@bio-gen.in to learn more about FenuLean®.
At Bio-gen Extracts, we are always trying to give back to our communities and help the next generation pursue their dreams, with purpose and passion.
As part of such initiatives, we are proud to be associated with the Dream School Foundation, a Non-Profit Organization working to create better opportunities of education for young girls, and to improve their early development in a sustainable manner.
Analyzing scientific study reports is an important part of our work in the nutraceutical industry. However, people with non-scientific backgrounds may find it challenging to confidently read & critically analyze the reports.
This article from NutraIngredients.com gives an overview and some important tips on reading scientific reports: https://tinyurl.com/488vapmf
Companies should follow the gold standard of a clinical study, which is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial in a healthy population for the food & supplement industry. The study findings should be provided in simple language, with precise information on the ingredient that has been studied, the exact demographic, and having an ideal sample size & duration of the study.
At Bio-gen Extracts, we heavily invest in the scientific studies of our ingredients and also make it convenient for everyone to use our research publications. Efforts are made to ensure that our study designs comply with international guidelines, and are thoroughly vetted by third-party organizations and industry stakeholders. This ensures that you are not overwhelmed with too much technical information initially, while ensuring that you get easy-to-analyze study-details when needed. We believe accessibility is key when it comes to all technical information.
Write to us at sales@bio-gen.in to learn more about our peer-reviewed study publications.
Bio-gen Extracts is an Indian company established in the year 2000 with a focus on the development and production of scientifically-backed health ingredients. Bio-gen Extracts recognizes the evolving requirements of the nutraceutical market and aligns itself by providing unique & customized solution-based products.
At its inception, having quickly established itself as a manufacturer of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in India, Bio-gen Extracts entered the Nutraceutical market in the year 2003. However, the company continues to follow the quality management systems deployed for the pharmaceutical industry resulting in the establishment of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bangalore, INDIA.
Global supply chain management requires tremendous effort, patience and dedication in the nutraceutical industry due to the regulatory landscape, increase in consumer awareness, raw material availability and challenges associated with sustainability. With Bio-gen Extracts, customers will find a dependable partner with more than 24 years of expertise in the areas of product development, sustainable production of ingredients, GMP-certified manufacturing and delivery of innovative solutions that will cater to this dynamic market.
Choose Good Health™ 