Food compositions that enhance nitric oxide mediated signalling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016095342-A1
Application number	US-201514966857-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 11, 2015
Priority date	Jun 13, 2013
Publication date	Apr 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention includes compositions and methods for improving exercise performance or improving recovery of muscle tissue after exercise performance. One method includes administering a composition of a plant-derived nitrate and a cocoa-derived product daily and before exercise. The synergistic combination of nitrate and cocoa polyphenols acts to improve recovery from a strenuous exercise bout.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A synergistic combination of flavanol-containing cocoa solids and plant-derived nitrates formed into a single-dose food product, the food product comprising approximately 100-200 mg of plant-derived nitrates as an extract of a plant material and approximately 2 to 5 g of cocoa powder, or the equivalent amount of a cocoa solids-containing product, where the cocoa is not treated with alkali conditions during processing into cocoa powder or cocoa solids, wherein the ability to generate nitric oxide between a first exercise period and a second exercise period is improved over that possible when solely a nitrate is administered or solely a cocoa product is administered prior to exercise.

2 . The combination of claim 7 , wherein the plant-derived nitrate is selected from one or more of a beet root extract or juice, a hawthorne extract or juice, a lettuce extract or juice, a celery extract or juice, rhubarb extract or juice, and arugula extract or juice.

3 . The combination of claim 7 , wherein the cocoa powder is present at about 2.5 to 5 grams.

4 . The combination of claim 7 , wherein the plant-derived nitrate is supplied as beet juice or a beet root extract and the cocoa powder is present at about 2.5 to 5 grams.

5 . The combination of claim 10 , wherein the combination is formed into a food product selected from a beverage, a gelled or starch-based product, a solid food product.

6 . The combination formed into a food product as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the nitrate is supplied as a vegetable juice, an herb juice, a vegetable juice powder, an herb juice powder, or any combination of one or more of these juices or powders.

7 . The combination of formed into a food product as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the cocoa solids are supplied as an extract of powder from unfermented cacao beans, an extract or powder from under-fermented cacao beans, and extract of cacao beans, low fat cocoa powder, or non-fat cocoa powder, or any combination of these extracts or powders.

Assignees

• Hershey Co

Inventors

• Crozier Stephen J
• Stuart David A

Classifications

• A23L33/105

  Plant extracts, their artificial duplicates or their derivatives · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23L29/212

  Starch; Modified starch; Starch derivatives, e.g. esters or ethers (containing starch hydrolysates, e.g. dextrin, A23L29/30) · CPC title

• A23L29/20

  containing gelling or thickening agents (marmalades, jams, jellies or other similar fruit or vegetable compositions A23L21/10) · CPC title

• A23L2/38 Primary

  Other non-alcoholic beverages (drinks from legumes A23L11/60) · CPC title