If you are using artificial food colorings to add to your food, note that they are always a concern. Synthetic food colorings always include some health risks, that can easily be avoided. Annatto is a natural food colorant that eliminates any possibilities of health risks and diseases. Keep reading this article to know more about Annatto, its benefits, and whether it has any risks or side effects.
What Is Annatto?
As mentioned above, Annatto is a type of food coloring or condiment extracted from the seeds of the Achiote tree. It imparts an orange-red color to the food and is bright in intensity, somewhat similar to saffron or turmeric.
Apart from being an excellent food colorant, annatto is used as a condiment in many parts of the world to enhance the flavor of the dish. It has a slightly sweet and peppery taste and comes in many forms including extracts, powders, oils, and pastes.
Potential Health Benefits of Annatto Extracts
Annatto is an amazing natural resource for food coloring. Not only that, but it also has various health benefits. It is known to have antioxidant properties and may reduce the risk of various chronic diseases. Below are some of the potential health benefits of Annatto Extract.
It Has Antioxidant Properties
Research has found that Annatto is immensely rich in antioxidant properties, including – terpenoids, carotenoids, flavonoids, and tocotrienols. Antioxidants help fight against free radicals, which are extremely toxic chemicals. An increased number of free radicals in the body might lead to an increased risk of heart disease, brain disorders, diabetes, and various forms of cancer.
It Might Help Increase the Vision
Since Annatto is rich in carotenoids, it is known to improve visual health in humans. Studies have shown that including Annatto in your diet regularly can help prevent or even cure retinal damage. Although many studies have proven the benefits of Annatto in vision improvement, further study is required to confirm its benefits in this field.
Annatto Might Help in Fighting Cancer
Many scientists have also suggested that daily consumption of annatto extract might help against certain types of cancer diseases. Annatto, especially in the form of extracts, can help suppress the growth of cancer cells in certain areas including the liver, pancreas, prostate, and skin.
While research has already proven Annatto’s cancer-fighting potential, more investigation is needed in this area to confirm the cancer-fighting properties of the extract.
It Has Anti-Microbial Properties
Apart from being an outstanding food coloring agent, this extract might also help in inhibiting the growth of various forms of bad bacteria inside the body. Test-tube studies have proven that annatto extract helps in reducing the growth of various sorts of bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia Oil.
All these studies and extensive research indicate the anti-microbial properties of annatto extract, and its possible use as a food preservative.
Conclusion
Needless to say, the health benefits of Annatto extract are unmatched. Further, if used in the right amount, it is completely safe and has no possible risks or side effects.
Hawaii Pharm offers the best quality Annatto extract to add to your diet, and that too at a justified price!
