Why bet on natural extracts with Hydroxytyrosol?
The general director of Nutexa explains the advantages of this phenolic compound, the complexity of its extraction process and why the efficiency of the extract compensates for its price.
‘Hydroxytyrosol Natural Extract’. This is one the phrases that usually appears in Internet search results when users are interested with olive extracts, and specifically, with the olive fruit one.
Hydroxytyrosol, as we have explained in other articles, is a phenolic compound, practically exclusive to olives and with a great biological activity, highlighting its high antioxidant capacity. This feature allows to stabilize the fats of food and slow down the action of free radicals in the human body.
For this reason, more and more laboratories and companies are betting on olive extracts in their cosmetic, nutraceutical and food formulas.
In a recently published interview to Gonzalo Bas, general director of Nutexa, reference was made to this extract, but we wanted to dedicate a specific article to talk about the opportunities offered by olive by-products.
An insight: in the future we will see the olive tree as something more than oil and olives.
The olive tree stands out for two very bioactive phenolic compounds: Oleuropein and Hydroxytyrosol, a derivative of the former.
_ Are the Industry and the Society aware of the real extent of the olive tree in terms of health?
No, they aren’t. Hydroxytyrosol and Oleuropein are rarely attributed to the beneficial effects of the consumption of virgin olive oil in our cardiovascular system. There is a great disinformation within consumers, and even of the companies, on these effects and on their application in food preparations and cosmetics formulas.
In addition, there is a widespread belief that vitamin E along with oleic acid are the most important components of virgin olive oil, when it is not true. It has been scientifically proven that Hydroxytyrosol is tremendously bioactive.
_ Is there something we still do not know about olives?
We are convinced that olive by-products will still give us some surprises, especially in relation to the functions that some of its components such as Hydroxytyrosol are capable of achieve in the body in terms of preventing cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory and other types of diseases.
_ What are the singularities of Hydroxytyrosol that explain the fact that these extracts are not yet popular?
Because it has not yet transcended to the news in terms of general information, despite the numerous scientific evidences that support its beneficial properties and despite the fact that olive oil is a well-known valued product by consumers and industry.
On the other hand, there are very few companies around the world that are really dedicated to elaborating this extract. This is due to its high technical difficulty in obtaining it. So the impact we can generate on potential customers is limited. The price may also cause some resistance. But people should understand that, although it may seem an expensive product at first, its low level of dosage allows to apply it in a multitude of products, and it provides greater health properties than other compounds.
Hydroxytyrosol is a molecule that stands out for its high antioxidant capacity.
_ Why is a standardized 20% natural extract better than a 20% synthetic one?
Both are different products. We should not compare them. Natural extracts are standardized in Hydroxytyrosol but, unlike the synthetic ones, they are accompanied by many other compounds coming from the olive that exert very positive and powerful synergistic activities. This means that, proportionally, a 20% natural product is much better than a synthetic one also at 20%.
In addition, consumers have been changing their habits for years and looking for natural and non-synthetic components, an aspect that has been well understood by some companies with their clean label.
However, not all natural extracts are equally good. It is important to pay attention to its stability, presentation, composition, etc. and the control and manufacturing procedures that have been carried out to produce them from their cultivation.
You can read the full interview in the following link. Gonzalo Bas: “The synergy between Nutexa and the clients is very enriching”.
If you are interested in applying olive extracts to your products, contact Nutexa and we will help you select the most appropriate one.