Dietary Sources of Fucoxanthin and Fucoxanthin Supplements

Many people are now attempting to incorporate fucoxanthin into their diets. There are many dietary sources of fucoxanthin, including wakame and arame, two types of edible brown seaweed that are often incorporated into Japanese, Chinese, and Korean dishes. So, if eating more fucoxanthin is an important goal, consuming more brown seaweed and kelp is one way to add this compound to any diet. The other option is to take a fucoxanthin supplement. Using this method to ingest more of the caretonoid pigment may be a preferable strategy for several reasons.

1. Ease of Use
There are an abundance of dishes consumed in Asian countries that use fucoxanthin- containing seaweed as a major ingredient. However, for those not accustomed to regularly preparing dishes that contain fucoxanthin, taking a supplement may be easier. Individuals will not have to worry about incorporating fresh, dried, or salted seaweed into a meal every day. Indeed, simply taking a supplement will most likely be easier than finding creative ways to incorporate seaweed into typical Western diets.

2. Personal Preference
While people in several Asian countries include seaweed in soups and salads, and even eat it regularly as a side dish, the distinct taste of brown seaweeds that contain fucoxanthin may not appeal to all people, particularly those who have not eaten it regularly in the past. The bitter and salty taste may be considered unappetizing by some, which would make it a challenge to eat regularly. Fucoxanthin supplements, on the other hand, can be taken quite easily, allowing individuals to get a good supply of fucoxanthin without eating foods that they do not really enjoy.

3. Availability
While wakame, a source of fucoxanthin regularly consumed in China, Japan, and Korea, is readily available in these countries, the same may not be true for other locations. To obtain fucoxanthin from dietary sources, it may be necessary to search for brown seaweed in speciality stores. In smaller areas in particular, it will probably be quite difficult to locate these natural sources of fucoxanthin. Supplements, on the other hand, are readily available for purchase in many health food stores and also online. Having an easy to take and readily available supply of fucoxanthin makes it more likely that it will be regularly included in the diet.

4. Nutrient Concentration and Availability
It is well established that many types of brown seaweeds contain fucoxanthin. However, to obtain the maximum benefits from fucoxanthin, a very large quantity of brown seaweed would have to be ingested. This level of consumption would not be realistic for most people, particularly for those who do not regularly consume brown seaweed. Taking a fucoxanthin supplement is an easy way to get a highly concentrated dose of the compound. In addition, much of the fucoxanthin contained in dietary sources may not be readily available for use by the body. According to researchers, the reason for this low availability of use is that the fucoxanthin contained in seaweed is tightly bound to other proteins. Supplements, on the other hand, contain fucoxanthin that can be metabolized and utilized more easily.

5. Cost Effectiveness
If an individual is located in an area where fucoxanthin-rich foods are not readily available, there is a good chance that they may be quite expensive to purchase. If this is the case, purchasing enough seaweed in order to consume an optimal amount of fucoxanthin on a daily basis will quite likely be very costly. Purchasing a supply of supplements that will last for several months, on the other hand, will probably make more financial sense in the long run.

<<   Back to Fucoxathin Clinical Studies

We are strictly a bulk supplier to manufacturers – we do not sell to re-sellers or individuals. Our minimum order size is approximately 25 kilos. We are one of only a few suppliers that carry $5 million product liability insurance for our customers. AHD International LLC is classified as a importer, exporter, manufacturer, distributor of nutritional ingredients depending on the ingredient specified. AHD has 5 warehouse locations across North America and sales agents in over 10 countries. We are the only ingredient company to be awarded the Dun and Bradstreet's fastest growing company in America twice in 1999 and 2002.

For quotes please click here

*"These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."