New components in the innovation of sports nutrition
Everyone who enjoys exercise, from preteen athletes to ambitious baby boomers who want to walk 10,000 steps a day, is looking for beverages to help them get the most out of their workouts. Sports nutrition beverages’ claims about nutrition and hydration affect consumers’ decisions to buy, but their mouthwatering taste keeps them coming back for more.
The development of beverages with a variety of tastes, consistencies, and functional claims is being fueled by an expanding arsenal of sports nutrition components. Products may be made to be consumed prior to, during, or following physical activity, with hydration being a common feature. Drinks used before exercise typically provide a burst of energy, but drinks consumed throughout exercise provide sustained energy. Drinks after an exercise are replenishing, restorative, and energetic.
The vice president of ingredients innovation at Agropur Ingredients in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Anand Rao, stated, “They concentrate on muscle growth and recovery as well as restoring vital nutrients lost during exercise.” “The energy comes from calorie-dense foods high in nutrients, which help the body feel better.”
The general manager of Ascent Protein in Denver, Paul Vraciu, stated that “these beverages must be functional and provide consumers with an efficient, clean way to hydrate and recover.” Ascent Protein sells a variety of pre- and post-workout beverages that are all made with dairy protein ingredients.
For immediate energy, Ascent Protein’s pre-workout drink mix contains 150 mg of caffeine from concentrated coffee fruit extract. The company’s most recent offering is Ascent Recovery Water, a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage that has 2.5 grams of naturally occurring leucine to stimulate the synthesis of muscle protein and 20 grams of quickly digesting native whey protein. It has zero artificial chemicals, 100 calories, and electrolytes to keep you hydrated.
Mr. Vraciu declared, “Recovery Water is a true, water-based beverage.” “The main component is whey protein, which is the best option for repairing and recovering muscles after exercise.”
“The goal is to eliminate the heavy mouthfeel of these beverages and improve the digestibility and absorption of protein from them,” stated Mr. Rao.
Agropur’s acid-stabilized whey protein isolate is used to make transparent sports drinks with up to 20 grams of protein per serving. According to Mr. Rao, drinks containing hydrolyzed whey proteins with less bitterness are made for quick absorption after exercise.
Hydrolysates, one of the whey protein ingredients offered by Arla Foods Ingredients, Basking Ridge, NJ, are well-known for their capacity to quicken muscle regeneration following exercise. This is the outcome of the ingredient’s quick absorption rate and unique amino acid makeup.
“Whey protein hydrolysates’ commercial appeal may be limited by the bitter peptides they contain,” stated Anne Louise Friis, business development manager for health and performance nutrition. “To address that, we have a product that is 50% less bitter than similar products with a similar degree of hydrolysis, while still offering all the quality of regular whey protein hydrolysate.”
According to research, whey proteins may have an anabolic edge over other proteins during recuperation, which is why Mr. Vraciu mentioned them as the ideal choice for post-workout drinks. Its high concentrations of leucine, isoleucine, and valine—branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which have been demonstrated to promote muscle protein synthesis and potentially lessen muscle breakdown—account for this advantage. One of the nine essential amino acids, leucine, is found in high concentrations in whey protein, which is why it is advantageous. It is an essential amino acid that starts the synthesis of muscle proteins.
According to co-chief executive officer Ryan Bracken, Merit Functional Foods, Winnipeg, Man., has a range of plant proteins that offer a different way to get BCAAs, which makes them a viable option for sports nutrition drinks.
A highly soluble, flavor-and odor-neutral canola protein and pea protein system is produced by Merit’s unique extraction and purification process, which may increase protein levels without changing sensory qualities.
“The nutritional value of food and beverage applications can be enhanced even more when combined with our individual pea and canola ingredients, as they offer high digestibility and complementary amino acid profiles,” Mr. Bracken stated. “We are in line with a whey protein isolate since we can increase protein to 90% with our technique. Manufacturers of plant-based sports beverages may be able to achieve their desired protein content while using less flavor enhancers to increase palatability because of their neutral flavor.
When canola proteins were first produced using conventional protein manufacturing techniques, the end products had a harsh taste and a dark color.
“This product can now be included as a tool in the developer’s toolkit thanks to Merit’s process technology,” Mr. Bracken stated. “Canola provides superior solubility throughout the pH range, has a slightly neutral taste, and enhances the amino acid profile of the protein blend in beverages.”
“Protein fortification is still the most sought-after addition to transform a beverage into a sports nutrition beverage,” stated Max Maxwell, manager of market intelligence at Glanbia Nutritionals in Chicago. It’s becoming more popular to offer extra nutritional elements to satisfy consumers of sports nutrition.
One such component is creatine monohydrate. It is linked to a rise in muscular endurance and strength.
According to Durrell Washington, senior product marketing manager at Glanbia, “Creatine monohydrate has been a sports nutrition staple for years in ready-to-mix powders, but not in RTD beverages because of its instability in solution and inability to withstand high-heat processing conditions.”
A soluble and stable creatine monohydrate created especially for enhanced beverage performance is available from Glanbia. To increase stability and dispersion, encapsulation technology is used in its manufacturing.
Sports nutrition drinks are starting to include more useful elements. For instance, enhanced recovery consists of a blend of high-antioxidant fruit juices, carnitine, vitamin D, whey, collagen, and sunflower seed proteins together with stabilized omega-3 fatty acids.
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According to food and nutrition scientist Janne Sande Mathisen, who researched and created the beverage, “I wanted to create a nutritious product to help stimulate muscle repair and recovery after hard training.” “After many years of testing, I was able to incorporate and stabilize a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids in a delicious recovery beverage, knowing that they were an essential ingredient.”
As stated by Harry Drnec, CEO of Feliscity Nutrition, Inc., the parent firm situated in Houston, “Today’s elite athletes are keenly aware of the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.” They have been demonstrated to lessen muscle damage, pain, and stiffness as well as enhance strength gains from resistance exercise. They are well known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities.”
Enhanced Recovery is being marketed by the corporation as offering a more comprehensive recovery process.
According to Phil Marineau, chairman, “it supports the crucial final step in the muscle recovery process: muscle repair and remodeling.”
According to Ms. Mathisen, the Enhanced Recovery formulation was created to provide athletes additional capacity to train harder, recover faster, adapt more effectively, and avoid injuries.
The high concentration of marine omega-3 fatty acids that are stable and unoxidized is the primary differentiator, according to her. The juice drink, which is strong in complex carbohydrates for energy and rich in polyphenols and other advantageous biocomponents, maintains the stability of the fish oil. The beverage has two grams of leucine, a BCAA, and provides 20 grams of protein, mostly from whey proteins.
“A substance called carnitine aids in the transportation of fats to the muscle’s mitochondria, which produce energy. Numerous studies have demonstrated that carnitine may enhance the body’s ability to burn fat during exercise and may also have additional benefits, such as decreasing the breakdown of proteins.