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Importance of extraction methods

ARE YOU SWALLOWING NOTHING IN THE MORNING?


Importance of extraction methods for supplements



We consume supplements to ‘supplement’ our diet with valuable nutrients that we normally lack in. What if I was to tell you that the supplements that you take every morning contained nothing of value? This may or may not be true depending on what extraction method was used. This is why it is very important that we understand what type of extraction method had been used to source and manufacture the supplement that you consume.


Below are some extraction methods that are being used in the market right now.


Heat Method

Heat extraction is very simple. It uses heat to evaporate or remove impurities in an ingredient. For example, the heat method can be used in raw materials such as flesh/meat to evaporate water to dehydrate the meat. It typically removes about 80% of moisture.


Generally speaking, this method is widely available because it is cheap. However, this is not the best method when it comes to extraction. The reason why is because this uses high temperatures and it will destroy your valuable nutrients such as omega-3.


Pro: Safe. Cheap

Con: Destroys nutrients.

Freeze dry extraction

Freeze drying extraction as the name suggests, uses -40~ -50 degree temperatures in order to evaporate water to dehydrate the meat. This method does not destroy valuable nutrients from the material. It typically removes 99% of moisture.


Pro: Sustains almost all nutrients.

Con: Expensive.


Ethanol extraction

This method essentially boils ethanol then condenses it on a cooled-coil, which then drips through the material, to strip down the desired nutrient. This is safe as ethanol is essentially an alcohol. A substance most of the population drinks around the world.


The extracts may not be as ‘potent’ and can have a trace of alcohol.


Pro: Safe and is affordable.

Con: Contains other impurities and is not potent/impure.


Supercritical CO2 Extraction

This method uses carbon dioxide (What we breath out every few seconds) in order to extract key nutrients from materials. It pressurises the material using carbon dioxide in order to extract.

This is food safe and allows the extracts to be potent and pure.


Pro: Safe and Pure/Potent extracts.

Con: Expensive.



Summary

It is very important to understand what type of extraction method had been used to make your supplement. This determines whether you are taking the supplement that is actually doing you good or not. For example, if your supplement had gone through a heat method, most of the key nutrients such as omega-3 will not be available. This, in turn, defeats the purpose of taking the supplement. On the other hand, supplements made from freeze-drying and supercritical CO2 ensures that the products contain all the valuable nutrients that will help you in your health journey.


Written by Ron Park

Founder and CEO of Kōrure

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