IM Direct Launches Ingredient SaffSerene™ From Partner CK Nutraceuticals

Mood… it’s a touchy word, right? Primarily because it all depends on the mood you’re in at the moment. If someone says “You look like you’re in a bad mood…” it tends to put you in an even worse mood. On the other hand, if someone says “Well you look happy…” it tends to elevate your current state of mind.  We need more of that going around. We all experience the ebbs and flows of our feelings. Good, bad or indifferent, mood can be a temporary mindset triggered by something someone says, how you hear it, home life, sleep, personal and professional pressures.  Some feel mood shifts more drastically than others, and that can become long-term and, in many cases, chronic.  That last statement isn’t to be taken lightly or to overlook the reality of pressures that individuals feel or that we see our friends and loved ones experiencing. We all know someone who is down and, in my opinion, who would benefit from an empathetic approach.

Let’s look at a lighter side of Mood…. You know what puts me in a good mood? My Mom’s (potentially borrowed from Southern Living Magazine circa 1987 or 88) Shrimp Creole. This is a fine recipe, which is safely published /glued into “Save The Drama For Your Mama Cookbook” of which I have one of a few copies. You can guess the author. I’m sure some Creole folk would have their opinion, but if you would like the recipe here, it is directly from the cookbook. Or, if you need a more formal recipe with ALL the directions written out we have that too. Click here.

When you have mastered the Southern Stew, its final resting place is on a steaming bed of Saffron Rice, which you may also see with Paella, bouillabaisse, and dishes from all around the world. The color that comes from Saffron is a bright yellow and orange color due to the phytochemical compounds like carotenoids that break down into crocin and crocetin. Saffron has long been traded around the world as a very expensive and coveted spice. It is harvested from the stigmas of a specific flower, Crocus sativus. Those little red things sticking out of the purple flower in the picture below are the stigmas, and they are harvested by hand which is a tedious task and part of the reason it’s so expensive.

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Yes, it must be the Saffron that really elevates my mood! Conveniently and obnoxiously, that leads us to a new ingredient for mood support with some intriguing science: SaffSerene ™.

What is SaffSerene?

 A natural ingredient for mood support, SaffSerene is a standardized saffron extract derived from stigmas of non-GMO saffron flowers.  The saffron extract contains 2% safranal, crocin, and picrocrocin as main actives. It promotes:

  • Healthy Mood: Clinically proven to help manage stress while supporting mood balance.*
  • Alleviates PMS Symptoms: Clinically research demonstrates a 50% reduction in the severity of mood-related PMS symptoms.
  • Naturally Derived: Premium-quality extract obtained from saffron flowers sourced from Turkey and Morocco.

Other structure/ function claims include:

  • Helps support healthy mood balance.*
  • Helps support positive mental outlook.*
  • Helps support healthy eating habits.*
  • Natural appetite suppressant.*
  • Helps support nervous system health.*
  • Helps support stressful lifestyle.*
  • Helps support healthy stress levels.*

* 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.

Why SaffSerene?

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, “one in 12 U.S. adults report having depression.” Even more shocking, “8 percent of adults older than 20 reported having depression during a given two-week period.” And, “of that total, the prevalence of depression among women was almost double that seen in men.” That’s an ALARMING amount of the population that experience anxiety and depression in its many forms.

While there is a growing trend to self-medicate and change lifestyle to counteract these experiences, medication is the go-to for many as a treatment option. The problem with medication? Many drugs subdue the underlying issues rather than fixing the problem. On top of that, most medications come with side effects.

SaffSerene offers an alternative natural source of plant-based ingredients and lifestyle regimes. Clinical studies have shown a low 15 mg 2x daily dose of SaffSerene™ to be effective in promoting healthy psychological function, safely and effectively.

IM Direct Launches Deep Ocean Minerals™ from Partner CK Nutraceuticals

Consumer demand is ever evolving and it has become essential for us to co-evolve. We’ve recently touched on topics such as hydration and anti-aging, both front runners of consumer demand in our industry, and that’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of Deep Ocean Minerals™ from CK Nutraceuticals, an IM Direct Partner.

 

 

 

What is Deep Ocean Minerals™?

A mineral-derived raw material innovation, Deep Ocean Minerals™ (DOM) is precisely as it sounds. A standardized science-based natural mineral concentrate manufactured from geographically protected ocean water that is harvested at a minimum of 600 meters below sea level. A patented and environmentally friendly extraction system is used to draw from the site allowing direct access to the deep ocean water which is free of any contaminants or impurities while keeping surrounding sea life safe.

 

Why Ocean Water?

These clinically studied mineral concentrates from deep ocean water promise to deliver the purest combination of synergistic minerals and trace elements optimal for overall health. A Nutraingredients-USA article on DOM helps to discuss the ocean water idea further, “the deep ocean mineral concept is anchored in paleobiology, which suggests that life on earth originates from the deep oceans (deeper than 0.5 km) and that our transition from sea to land led to compromised nutritive complexity. Photosynthetic organisms living at the surface may deplete certain biogenic components from the water, but these can still be found in the deep ocean water where the sunlight cannot reach.” So, what does this mean for us? That the consumption of these nutrients aids in replenishing the human body to full physical capacity.

How Deep Ocean Minerals™ Works

Deep Ocean Minerals™ mimic the body’s natural mineral composition of chloride, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. In one study scientists reported that consumption of DOM before, during, and after exhaustive cycling was associated with increased cerebral hemoglobin levels in both young and middle-aged men, compared with placebo. However, the response was documented as more significant in the middle-aged men. This shows great promise in “developing supplements to increase the cerebral hemodynamic response against a physical challenge and during post-exercise recovery for middle-aged men.” Another study concluded that deep ocean mineral water “was more effective in inducing recovery of aerobic capacity and leg muscle power compared with plain water following prolonged dehydrating aerobic running exercise.” Overall, the consumption of this ingredient innovation has shown benefits to:

  1. Maintain Equilibrium Balance– Because the mineral composition is similar to our body’s when in equilibrium, DOM helps in maintaining optimum cellular fluid levels to keep our pH in check.
  2. Boosts Endurance– Clinical studies support improvements to sports performance and muscle recovery.
  3. Improved Vitality– A variety of scientific studies and research demonstrates the benefits of magnesium as well as how optimal hydration can impact overall vitality and aging.

 

 

In general, we all tend to overlook the fundamental and core components that contribute to what we are really trying to achieve – youthful skin, flexibility, better endurance, desired weight loss. To be operating optimally, we need to work on achieving a balanced system stemming from proper hydration that entails a balance of electrolytes, minerals and other essential elements like DOM provides.

Deep Ocean Minerals™ Macro-Mineral Profile

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredient Applications

With delivery forms in both liquid and powder, Deep Ocean Minerals™ is guaranteed to offer multiple direct applications including softgels, tablets, capsules, stick packs, gummies, beverage powders, meal replacement powders, greens powders, sports formulations, RTD beverages, functional foods and more. With this new category emerging in sports, and health and wellness nutrition, now is the time to invest.

For more information on Deep Ocean Minerals™ and our IM Direct partner, you can contact one of our ingredient experts by emailing us at info@infieldmarket.appliedpath.com or calling us at 888.285.6120.

 

COMING SOON!

SaffSerene™ is a standardized saffron extract from stigmas containing 2% safranal, crocin, and picrocrocin. It promotes healthy psychological function, supporting emotional health and mood balance as demonstrated in multiple published studies.* SaffSerene™ is derived from non-GMO saffron flowers from Turkey and Morocco. The saffron extract contains 2% safranal, crocin, and picrocrocin as main actives. Clinical studies have shown a low 15 mg 2x daily dose of SaffSerene™ to be effective in promoting healthy psychological function, safely and effectively.*

Formulate your own hydration – Hydration is key to virtually every bodily function, and unfortunately, we are all suffering from various levels of dehydration, but we may not realize it. We aren’t consuming enough water or electrolytes ensuring, at minimum, mild dehydration. It’s easy enough to get a glass of water and getting a glass of electrolytes should be just as easy. You can formulate your own hydration with our certified organic hydration blends including:

Are you at Station Dehydration

Hi all, Tim here. I wanted to take the reins and get a little more candid about this month’s topic, dehydration.

In my head, I’m still 28, but in real life, I’m …well… we’ll just go with tickling the top of the hill. After a recent workout with a friend of mine, I noticed she was downing a quenchable looking liquid from a mason jar (so you know it was legit). Anyway, I asked her what she was drinking, and she told me it was cucumber and watermelon juice. Of course, I thought to myself, after all she has been involved with some pretty big juice companies – even before they were big – like when they were still making juice in their garage. Now juice is not the point here, but let me continue. She went on to tell me that sometimes she just needs something other than water and she is working on hydrating better because whether we know it or not we all suffer from some sort of chronic dehydration for one reason or another. CHRONIC DEHYDRATION, that stuck with me.

How Dry Are You?

Sometimes you’re dehydrated, and you just know it. You can feel it in your body, literally. Other times you don’t realize it until you’re thirsty and by that point, it’s too late because you’re already quite dehydrated. Have you thought about how much water you’ve had today? Alternatively, what you’ve consumed in terms of food and beverage? You can get some alternative forms of water through diet though usually not enough to fully hydrate you.. Does your day sound something like this?

Breakfast –coffee, coffee, shake or bar, coffee, coffee

Maybe you drink a glass of water between breakfast and lunch, but maybe not.

Lunch – Iced tea, diet coke… Sandwich, burger, salad…

Afternoon caffeine or maybe you have water between lunch and dinner, but again most are not.

Dinner – Iced tea, water, diet coke, wine, beer… food

Did you get a workout in today? If you sweat like the average person, you lose .8 to 1.4 liters, or 27-43 ounces, of sweat per hour of exercise. Think of it this way, in just one hour of workout you could lose about one Big Gulp (30oz) from 7-Eleven. Yes, I went there. Not to mention, we are born with 2-4 million sweat glands, so we are primed for sweating. I mean we’re just talking about diet and exercise here, but many factors can cause dehydration:

  • Stress
  • Hormones
  • Travel
  • Work
  • Illness
  • Weather

The list goes on.

So back to my story, I took the recommendation of my workout buddy and got to work hydrating. While holding my insistently curious 15-month-old daughter, I juiced cucumbers and watermelon that night. Full disclosure: holding a toddler is not recommended when juicing, but what can I say I’m a sucker for the “dadda” chants. Anyway, I thought about the sugar intake, but knew that the fresh fruit benefits outweigh the bad. I’ve stuck with it for a few months now. Not really making any other changes to my diet, and guess what? It works. I notice the difference. My energy is up, my sleep is better, and I have more flexibility… I could go on. All these things I’m noticing are considered anecdotal, but thirst is real. Sometimes it’s even hidden as hunger.

Imagine what the benefits of proper hydration are internally? What is chronic dehydration doing to our insides? Let’s take a quick look from head to toe.

Brain Drain

Did you know that the brain is made of 60% water?  Also, it’s one of the most important things to keep hydrated because it sends signals to the rest of your body for basic movement and processes. Once dehydrated there is fatigue, delayed reaction time, memory loss, coordination issues, headaches, fogginess, dizziness, and confusion. Then there is dry eye, eyestrain, and many other cognitive problems.

Matters of the Heart

When it comes to the heart things get pretty serious. Your heart rate increases by trying to overcompensate for the lower volume of blood running through your vessels. So even though your heart rate is increased, the amount of blood your heart is circulating is smaller which means your heart is running less efficiently than it would if it was hydrated – it’s not pumping as much blood as it could to help the body run at full steam. Finally, your body is retaining more sodium in the bloodstream. High sodium in the blood causes smaller blood vessels to close putting more pressure on the main blood vessels causing your blood pressure to rise.

The Main Frame

On the inside, dehydration leaves you prone to muscle cramps and intense pain. Think of it like this, your body is like a machine without lubricants – rusty and stiff, not running smoothly. Your muscles are like beef jerky and less like a fresh juicy cut of steak. On the outside, your skin is dull, flaky and itchy. Your lips are chapped, and your hair is lifeless and split. While these things mentioned above are just a fraction of what dehydration causes it’s important to know that it runs the full gambit on your body from a mild headache to full on vomiting, kidney stones, and even hypothermia. Dehydration is no joke, even at the milder stages actions should be taken immediately to get your body back on track.

Replenish This

So how do you get yourself straightened out? Well, depending on the severity of symptoms anything from water and a snack with sodium to sports drinks or fresh fruit juice could be the answer. These beverages are stocked with electrolytes – all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals and things your body needs to recover properly. Why are electrolytes so important? Well, a recent Medical News Today article I read says it best, “an electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity when dissolved in water. They are essential for  a number of bodily functions.”

 

The piece goes on to say that “many of the automatic processes in the body rely on a small electric current to function and electrolytes provide this charge.” In short, electrolytes regulate many things in the body from nerve and muscle function to hydration, blood acidity and pressure, and the regeneration of damaged tissues. Muscles and neurons rely on movement of electrolytes all around cells for proper function. This report also shares a great example of how these electrolytes work to help a muscle function saying, “a muscle needs calcium, sodium, and potassium to contract. When these substances become imbalanced, it can lead to either muscle weakness or excessive contraction.” Thinking about that and bringing it back to exercise fatigue drives it home and makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

 

Formulate YOUR Hydration Own Hydration!

Hydration is key to virtually every bodily function and what I’ve discussed above are some pretty valid points in understanding how we all are suffering a various level of dehydration. We aren’t consuming enough water or electrolytes ensuring mild dehydration, and on top of that regular exertion on our body is compounding and guaranteeing a state of chronic dehydration. Getting a glass of water is easy enough, but why not get a glass of electrolytes just as easily? You can formulate your own hydration and that’s why we are so excited to announce the launch of our Super Fruit Line at Infield Market – all organic freeze-dried products:

And, one we’ve really been blown away with, Deep Ocean Minerals™. Deep Ocean Minerals™ is a mineral-derived raw material innovation manufactured from deep ocean water using a sustainable-patented process, which features a synergistic profile of over 70 essential minerals and trace elements. Deep Ocean Minerals™ are drawn from water from a minimum of 600 meters below sea level in a geographically protected location off the east coast of Taiwan. There are no sunlight or pathogens just seawater rich naturally occurring minerals that are essential to the body and are comparable to the ion profile in human blood. Several studies and published clinical research has proven that DOM provides accelerated recovery, energy and rejuvenation of the human body upon receiving the mineral-rich ocean water before, during and after physical activity.

The New Way to Source Raw Materials

The process of choosing a raw material supplier isn’t hard, but it’s not simple either. It’s a process that has been in place in the industry from the get-go and, to be honest, takes a great deal of time and effort. The challenges of selling quality ingredients have become even more complicated due to an increasingly crowded space, making it even more difficult to maintain visibility and relationships between companies and individuals within the supply chain. While our industry has been much slower to make changes in buying and selling processes, a shift is finally happening, a much-needed shift toward e-commerce.

The Tried and True

In the simplest terms possible, the traditional method of sourcing viable suppliers is done in person, the good old-fashioned face-to-face method. Assuming you have your expectations and business requirements laid out to help clarify what you need from your suppliers, the process should go something like this:

  1. Pinpoint potential suppliers – Look at exhibitors who attend industry trade shows, and sort through colleagues, existing but non-competing suppliers and industry directories.
  2. Cross-reference – Cross-reference your list of potential suppliers with your list of expectations and business requirements and reduce your list to only serious contenders. For example, maybe one supplier’s minimum order quantities are too high for your needs, or maybe another supplier’s production facilities are located abroad, making it difficult to get materials to you within a certain time frame.
  3. Vet each supplier that’s a match – You want a supplier who is going to help your business move forward in the long run, not just a company that is going to sell you something once and be done. Look at each company’s leadership, reputation, current clientele, financial health, etc.
  4. Request a quote – Reach out to each contender and ask them for a quote. Be sure to pay attention to their processes and procedures and how you well you work with your person of contact.
  5. Evaluate the finalists – Once you know, all the minor details ask for product samples and consider traveling to meet with your top candidates.
  6. Finally, make your selection – At this point, you should have ALL the information you need to determine if you are ready to move forward with a potential supplier.

While this is just an overview, it’s easy to see how much time, hard work, and money goes into researching, pitching, and traveling to make and maintain relationships in the industry.

Evolving from the Traditional Methods

This industry that we’re in is exciting, competitive and crowded, but it hasn’t come up to speed with e-commerce the way other industries have throughout the years.

Buyers of raw materials face problems that range from pricing to getting materials on time due to market pressures to having to buy more than they want because of sales, and then they end up sitting on a lot of extra materials that aren’t getting used. This is not only hurting these companies and their bottom lines, but there is a huge gap and a lack of visibility concerning reallocating this excess product, which is a HUGE waste factor. This happens mainly because the focus is on moving a business forward and not about what’s sitting in a warehouse. Unfortunately, that’s just the nature of the beast, and it’s time to evolve from these methodologies.

The New Way – Supply Chain Efficiency Solutions + an Answer to Reducing Ingredient Waste in Manufacturing

Over the years, consumers have become so much more accustomed to making purchases online that, today, it’s a way of life. Within the industry, there has always been talk about building an online market experience for years, but no one has worked on a system or taken the time to invest in a solution until now. Here at Infield Market, we’ve invested, and we’ve launched that solution. We are working hard to improve supply chain efficiency and to help solve for ingredient waste in manufacturing, so to help describe this new way there is no better model to look at than the Infield Market Model.

The Open Forum

The vision for Infield was to cultivate a new dynamic between companies building a shared business culture and working to bridge the trust gap, and in the process, get the excess raw materials visible and available. Think of Infield Market like an Airbnb for excess product. It’s an open forum platform that shows you on a map and in a marketplace-type set up what’s out there and what’s available in real time. Simply put, a company with a leftover ingredient can log on to the platform and list what it has to sell and how much of it is on hand and can input all the ingredient specifications – including supply chain traceability information – at what price it’s available for and publish that information to the marketplace right away. Our marketplace has been a proven success in expanding these opportunities; for example, we have listed over 300+ tons of products, and on top of that, we have moved 65 tons of excess materials. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but in a world where global annual food waste is $38 billion, any forward progress is a step in the right direction.

iM Direct Sales & Marketing

Another part to our platform, and perhaps the more immediately impactful piece, is the iM Direct Sales & Marketing program. iM Direct’s unique platform brings customers closer to the manufacturers offering regularly stocked ingredients and raw materials. Our very first partner started with us in March 2018, and to date, we have booked $2.45 million in sales. Anyone can sell a product, but we are making that happen in a more efficient way in the form of a digital vehicle. And as a partner, we are doing it for you with a much smaller investment for manufacturers than typical distribution channels or with a sales rep.

What makes Infield even more of an interesting business model is that you have seasoned sales rep expertise – the processes, the engagement, the relationships, and the follow-ups – and one that is integrated with a marketing pull. While Infield is working as a real-time marketplace and a business-to-business sales team extension there are funnels and marketing tactics in place educating, engaging, and pulling in new prospects. In partnership with Infield Market, we offer the opportunity to use our seasoned sales and marketing expertise as an extension of your team if need be. In partnership with Infield Market, we offer help securing new and existing sales initiatives, generating new sales opportunities for your existing teams, and we work to increase the overall results for your business.

So, Bottom Line

This sounds too good to be true, right? However, it isn’t. We’ve been doing all of this here at Infield Market from day one. We have proven these strategies and methodologies to our current partners and companies who are already on board with us. Of course, engaging individuals is a bit of a long-term, slower-play type of deal (hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day,) but we’re working to educate the masses, sparking the discussions, and driving them back to us because of the raw materials and the projects going on. Our endgame is big picture and, and we’re just getting started.

 

Why Collagen is Gaining Traction in the Health and Wellness Industry

Are all of our dreams coming true? Is there a powerhouse ingredient that aids in keeping us younger, more agile, looking better, and all around healthier as we move into our later years in life? All accounts point to YES, and to collagen. 

The average adult is made up of 60% water, and it’s essential for life so why are we just now recognizing that collagen is the most abundant protein in the body that’s found in bones and connective tissues? Look at it this way 20% of body mass is protein, and 30% of protein is collagen. Collagen is vital in connecting muscles to bone, where massive tensile strength is required to withstand enormous forces so that it can be stretched without tearing. In fact, type I collagen fibrils are so strong they are stronger than steel gram for gram. (Uhh shouldn’t we all feel like Superman?) Think of collagen as the cement that holds us together – to give you a little idea. 

Most people are familiar with collagen in the cosmetic sense as an ingredient in skin-care products, but the health and wellness industry is moving more and more toward beauty from within. In Asia, consumers have been partaking in collagen enriched food and beverage for over a decade. In America, it’s finally on the verge of going mainstream and has gained traction in not only beauty, but joint, bone, muscle support, sports, and digestive health markets too. 

To understand why it’s become a sweetheart of sorts in the industry lets take a couple of steps back dive in a little deeper.

What is this Ingredient of Steel? 

In short, collagen is a protein and is derived from animal parts, typically bovine/beef or fish/marine. It comes from the connective tissues which are the very thing it helps rebuild when consumed. (Yeah, we don’t like to think about gnawing on animal bones either.) 

For a while, it was a backseat driver because it was ranked as nutritionally “incomplete” since it lacks the amino acid tryptophan. So how exactly does it work? Unlike other nutrients collagen enters the systems as a peptide fragment rather than a full-length protein and when the cellular receptors that are prepared to detect complete protein instead intercept these shorter fragments, they say “hey, wait a minute our body’s collagen is being broken down we need to ramp up production and make some more!” So in other words, collagen isn’t providing the building blocks for production, but rather an incentive for the body to make more. Who knew something so sneaky and ingenious would work so well? 

The Almighty Collagen

In the opening paragraphs we gave a little insight into how vital collagen is for the body, but let’s get down to the nitty-gritty, what is it really good for? 

Well, to start, there are 16 types of collagen, but 80-90 percent of collagen in the body consists of types I, II, and III. So while the common goal of the structures they form is to fortify the body’s connective tissues each one of these babies have some unique qualities that set them apart. 

Type I collagen: 

  • This is the most abundant and most robust of the three found in the human body 
  • Type I is located in tendons (those connective tissues we talked about above), and this is also the guy that is stronger than steel – makes us superheroes remember?
  • Type one is key in wound healing and,
  • Important in bone formation

Type II collagen: 

  • This is the primary collagen found in cartilage 
  • Is essential for the immune system and digestive health

Type III collagen: 

  • Found in connective tissues such as the skin, lung, intestines, and vascular system 
  • Gives skin resilience and firmness
  • Forms our blood vessels and cardiovascular tissues

Consumers Madly Consuming 

So why are these consumers going cuckoo for collagen? Because recent scientific evidence confirms that better results are achieved when collagen is ingested orally rather than applied topically creating a host of new opportunities for the food, beverage and supplement manufacturers. 

Consumer want: 

  • Anti-aging effects 
  • To improve skin elasticity
  • To reduce cellulite
  • To heal inflammatory conditions on the skin and within the body
  •  To improve digestion and treat conditions such as a leaky gut
  •  To improve wound healing, and wear and tear on joints
  • And, to keep their pet’s healthy too!

Pets Can Benefit Too 

Yes, you read that right collagen isn’t just for humans. Our pets depend on us to provide for them, and that includes nutrition to keep our most loyal four-footed friends happy and healthy as they age too. Two species that suffer from joint issues the most are dogs and horses. Its hard to watch our pets go from jumping and running to limping and napping and that’s why collagen supplementation is a practical solution to assist in lessening or even repairing the pain and damage that our pets endure as they age. Collagen doesn’t only help with joints but has been shown to improve skin, fur, and nail health as well as the maintenance of strong, healthy muscles. 

As an odorless, tasteless powder that quickly dissolves, remains stable in solution, tolerates a range of processing temperatures, storage conditions, and formulation environments, collagen ingredients are incorporated into endless different forms – meat bars, coffee creamers, dessert bars, beverages, shots, jellies, confections and more. Health and wellness influencers are even developing their own DIY collagen gummies and chews. 

It’s not hard to see why collagen and all it’s popular edible and drinkable applications are here to stay so if you were looking for a sign of whether to jump on the collagen train this is it. The time is now because there is a bright future ahead for the collagen market and it’s just getting started.