Flax-Based Omega-3 ALA Expects To Be Next Superfood

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 01 Oct 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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As consumers become aware of the health benefits of Omega-3, the demand for flax-based Omega-3 ALA is also on the rise. This is evident in fast growing demand for products with Omega-3 ALA. Over two-thirds of consumers report they are aware of Omega-3 fatty acids, and over a third routinely consume products with Omega-3. The net result is an average annual increase in the Omega-3 product market of over 30 percent since 2000.

Frost & Sullivan recently completed a whitepaper entitled Flax-based Omega-3 Alpha Linolenic Acid: The Shape of Things to Come that highlights the key benefits of flax-based Omega-3 ALA valued by consumers. This white paper also highlights flaxseed's market sustainability in terms of exceeding the demands of current and potential consumers. The synergistic consumer benefits of Omega-3 ALA and flax oil are identified, and implications to consumers are explored.

"Increased media attention regarding obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and rising healthcare costs has had a permanent influence on consumer awareness of their own habits," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Christopher Shanahan. "Consumers increasingly look to functional foods, especially Omega-3 ALA, as a way to offset the odds of paying for higher medical care and pharmaceuticals in the future."

If you are interested in receiving a copy of Flax-based Omega-3 Alpha Linolenic Acid: The Shape of Things to Come, please send an e-mail to Johanna Haynes, Corporate Communications, at johanna.haynes@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, company telephone number, company e-mail address, city, state, and country. We will send you the information via e-mail upon receipt of the above information.

There are still many unmet needs with respect to providing an optimal balance of essential fatty acids. This includes the availability of products that offer convenience and flexibility, such as a single product outside of a dietary supplement.

Consumers also want products that taste good, can be easily integrated into foods that are already a regular part of their diet, and are cost-effective. Flax oil with Omega-3 ALA satisfies all of these needs.

"A lot of people do not understand the benefits of flax-based Omega-3 ALA compared to the other Omega-3 sources," explains Shanahan. "However, because of the increase in consumer knowledge of Omega-3 and its health benefits, there is no reason why Omega-3 ALA cannot be as valuable as Omega-3 EPA and DHA in the food and food ingredient industries."

Food companies increasingly understand the need to integrate Omega-3 fatty acids into their product offerings to meet the needs of customers who are aware of the health benefits. Flax-based Omega-3 ALA expects to be the key ingredient set to effectively meet these unmet consumer needs because of its multiple and substantiated health benefits, its convenience, and its favorable flavor.

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