NZ Green Lipped Mussel Extract Guide

There has been a lot of hype surrounding New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel extract and its use in treating a variety of different health problems.

Studies have been carried out, and the nutritional composition of these unique shellfish examined in order to determine to what extent green lipped mussels can be used as a health supplement.

The mussels, like many fish and shellfish, contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are used by the body in the metabolism process, but which cannot be synthesized by the body itself.

Vitally, they contain EPA and DHA, both of which contribute to a lower rate of cardiovascular disease in a study of the Greenland Inuit Tribe.

Furthermore, green lipped mussels also contain glycosaminoglycan, which has benefits in repairing damaged tissues, especially in joints. This has led to the extracts being studied as a supplement to help with joint inflammation and mild arthritis, with some success.

This is helped by another aspect of the green lipped mussel, and that is it’s ability to inhibit metabolic pathways that produce leukotrienes. These support inflammation, and so reducing their production can also help in reducing the inflammation associated with joint pain and swelling.

These are the main benefits, and those highlighted by most marketers. However, analysis of the raw mussels reveals additional nutrients in the mucopolysaccharide (MPS) family as well as a variety of vitamins and trace metals such as vitamins C and B12, calcium, iron, and sodium, amongst others.

These provide additional potential benefits – better skin, support to the immune system, improvements to circulation, the nervous system, and stronger teeth and bones – which preparations such as cooking will diminish and possibly even remove.

Green Lipped Mussel Extract – A Current Affair Report

Producing Supplements From New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Extract

It’s not always possible to get New Zealand green lipped mussels fresh, and eating them raw isn’t palatable to modern consumers.

The Maoris ate them raw as part of their diet, and it is widely accepted that cooking them will reduce the nutritional value – you’d have to eat more to get the same benefits, and some of the vitamins and minerals will be lost forever.

To make the mussel more accessible and palatable, then, manufacturers turned to processes which enabled them to make gels, oils, and eventually,
powders, to be used as supplements.

These were variously marketed for their use in relieving aches, pains, and even arthritis and asthma, thanks to the active components.

In the end, however, only an extract that is as close to the raw mussel as possible will bring all the extra health benefits listed above. The extraction process used, for example, in extracting oils in the traditional manner involves high temperatures which reduces the nutritional value.

Any process that takes time to produce the extract will also damage the mussels, as they will need to be stored, and that can include freezing. At the same time, the end products are often padded with additives to either preserve, or supplement the nutritional content.

One manufacturer of New Zealand green lipped mussel extract, Maxalife, have found a better way to extract the nutrients. It is fast, taking only 30 minutes to process the shellfish, and results in a powder that needs no additives or preservatives, leaving only 100% natural mussel extract that is as close to raw as possible, and with almost 100% of all the nutrients intact.

This unique extraction process, which is used by Maxalife, is what makes us think that Maxalife’s Green Lipped Mussel Powder is superior to all other green lipped mussel brands on the market.

We highly recommend that you take a look at their – Green Lipped Mussel Guide – where you can learn more about this amazing shellfish as well as what makes a high quality green lipped mussel supplement.

 

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