Flowering plant extract can meet sports nutrition demand

Growing demand for nitrate in sports nutrition products is being met by a new ingredient extracted from the flowering plant Amaranthus.

Offered as a powder, Oxystorm is highly water-soluble and has a neutral pH, making it ideal for a range of applications, including energy bars and sport drinks, according to producer Arjuna.

Vitafoods Europe

The product was launched at Vitafoods Europe, which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, last month.

Arjuna said its patent-pending production process delivered an optimum level of nitrate content from Amaranthus leaves – 9,000mg per 100g – which is more than the amount of nitrate from beetroot powder and beet juice.

Single oral dose

Clinical research published in the journal Nutrition shows that a single oral dose of Amaranthus extract is able to increase both nitrate and nitrite levels in the body for at least eight hours.