Do You Know How New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Extract Is Obtained?

New Zealand green lipped mussel extract can be found in two main forms - powder and oil, each of them suitable for being included into dietary supplements and having its advantages and drawbacks.

How green lipped mussel extracts are obtained

For powders, as well as for oils, New Zealand mussels have to be firstly extracted from their shells, and the sooner the manufacturing process of the dietary supplements starts, the healthier the final product will be.

It's essential for a New Zealand green lipped mussel extract to be obtained from freshly harvested shellfish as this way all the properties and benefits of these mussels are maintained. The problem with some producers is that they don't have the possibility to process the seafood right after harvesting the mussels because they aren't located in countries where fresh shellfish is largely available.

These producers use an alternative method for obtaining their extracts, which they claim to be just as healthy as the previously mentioned one: they import frozen green lipped mussels and then defrost and dry them before actually starting the manufacturing process.

Now it's largely known that seafood, once frozen or cooked at high temperatures, looses lots of its nutrients and as a consequence, its health benefits are also altered. This means that using a New Zealand green lipped mussel extract obtained from frozen shellfish doesn't really bring you more benefits compared to other dietary supplements made of fish or canned mussels.

Moreover, if you're opting for mussel oil you really decrease your chances of getting any improvement in your health state, as these products are extracted from powders and they only contain 8%-10% of all nutrients, antioxidants and fatty acids that raw green lipped mussels can provide.

Not to mention absolutely all green lipped mussel oils available on the market contain additional substances meant to maintain the shape of the gelified capsules. While some of these extra ingredients are harmless, others trigger serious adverse reactions, so instead of using oils and capsules made of these shellfish, it's better to opt for healthier products.

Is there a healthier alternative to frozen extracts?

Obviously, the best choice would be to eat the raw green lipped mussels but assuming you're leaving in a country where these fresh shellfish aren't widely available, the healthiest alternative is represented by powders.

New Zealand green lipped mussel extract used in powders is obtained directly from the shellfish, so it contains no additives, no chemicals and it conserves all the nutrients in this seafood, providing the maximum of their health effects.

Qualitative powders contain Omega-3 fatty acids in very high concentrations - a very important anti-inflammatory substance, inhibiting and acting against excess body inflammation. Then, these dietary supplements are rich in Chondroitin and Glucosamine sulfate, both these compounds being essential for lubricating the joints and repairing the damaged cartilages in arthritis sufferers.

Also, fresh New Zealand green lipped mussel extract is rich in mucopolysaccharides, complex carbohydrates that are a great source of energy and stimulate the metabolic processes, reducing the effects of aging and promoting a healthy growth and development.