All About Aery's
Ingredients
We make our products for ourselves, our family and friends, and you to have the healthiest, longest, happiest, healthiest life possible.
Cocao
Dark chocolate is a true superfood! Made from the seed of the cacao tree, it’s one of the best sources of antioxidants you’ll encounter in any food. These antioxidants in dark chocolate include polyphenols, flavanols and catechins, among others. All of these antioxidants take a wide variety of actions to help us stay healthy. One study showed that dark chocolate has more antioxidant activity, polyphenols, and flavanols than any other fruits tested, which included blueberries and acai berries. These antioxidants do everything from keeping our brains mentally sharp to reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Flavonols are a type of flavonoid. Flavonoids are a powerful type of antioxidant that have been shown to improve memory, learning, and general cognitive function, including reasoning skills, decision making, verbal comprehension, and numerical ability. Fascinating research on memory has found that the unique flavonoid content of cocoa improves memory tasks 24% faster compared to the control group. According to research, the polyphenols in dark chocolate may help lower some forms of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol when combined with other foods like almonds and cocoa. The flavanoids in dark chocolate can stimulate the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide (NO). One of the functions of NO is to send signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers the resistance to blood flow and therefore reduces blood pressure. Many controlled studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate consumption can powerfully improve risk factors for heart disease and decrease harmful cholesterol levels. In a small study, eating dark chocolate supplemented with the flavanol lycopene was found to significantly decrease levels of total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglycerides. Some forms of LDL cholesterol are more likely to oxidize, which happens if they react with free radicals in your body. Oxidation makes the LDL particle itself reactive and capable of damaging other tissues, such as the lining of the arteries in your heart. It makes perfect sense that cocoa lowers oxidation-prone forms of LDL. It contains an abundance of powerful antioxidants that do make it into the bloodstream and protect lipoproteins against oxidative damage. The flavanols in dark chocolate can also reduce insulin resistance, which is another common risk factor for diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
27 Berryman CE, West SG, Fleming JA, Bordi PL, Kris-Etherton PM. Effects of daily almond consumption on cardiometabolic risk and abdominal adiposity in healthy adults with elevated LDL-cholesterol: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015 Jan 5;4(1):e000993. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.000993. PMID: 25559009; PMCID: PMC4330049. 28 Chen CY, Milbury PE, Lapsley K, Blumberg JB. Flavonoids from almond skins are bioavailable and act synergistically with vitamins C and E to enhance hamster and human LDL resistance to oxidation. J Nutr. 2005 Jun;135(6):1366-73. doi: 10.1093/jn/135.6.1366. PMID: 15930439. 29 Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, Parker TL, Connelly PW, Qian W, Haight JS, Faulkner D, Vidgen E, Lapsley KG, Spiller GA. Dose response of almonds on coronary heart disease risk factors: blood lipids, oxidized low-density lipoproteins, lipoprotein(a), homocysteine, and pulmonary nitric oxide: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. Circulation. 2002 Sep 10;106(11):1327-32. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.0000028421.91733.20. PMID: 12221048.
30 Crozier, S.J., Preston, A.G., Hurst, J.W. et al. Cacao seeds are a "Super Fruit": A comparative analysis of various fruit powders and products. Chemistry Central Journal 5, 5 (2011). 32 Lee Y, Berryman CE, West SG, et al. Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled-Feeding Trial. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2017;6:e005162. 33 Catherine P. Bondonno, Kevin D. Croft, Natalie Ward, Michael J. Considine, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Dietary flavonoids and nitrate: effects on nitric oxide and vascular function, Nutrition Reviews, Volume 73, Issue 4, April 2015, Pages 216–235. 34 Hooper L, Kay C, Abdelhamid A, Kroon PA, Cohn JS, Rimm EB, Cassidy A. Effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Mar;95(3):740-51. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.023457. Epub 2012 Feb 1. PMID: 22301923. 36 Alkerwi A, Sauvageot N, Crichton GE, Elias MF, Stranges S. Daily chocolate consumption is inversely associated with insulin resistance and liver enzymes in the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg study. Br J Nutr. 2016 May;115(9):1661-8. doi: 10.1017/S0007114516000702. Epub 2016 Mar 17. PMID: 26983749.
Maca
Maca powder, a key ingredient, is an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogenic herbs are plant extracts that aid the body in managing environmental stress. Maca root helps stimulate the body’s stress protection system by balancing the body’s hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is responsible for how the central nervous system and hormone systems respond to stress. When we feel stressed, cortisol levels rise. Yet, scientific research has found that consuming maca can aid in preventing cortisol levels from rising.
Maca has been shown to help with depression and may lead to increased energy too. Consumption of maca root has been linked to increases in dopamine levels, leading to reduced feelings of depression. Additionally, maca root may increase energy levels. While more scientific studies need to be conducted to confirm this connection, a small study of 175 people indicates a connection between maca and energy. In the study, people who took 3 grams of maca for 12 weeks reported experiencing more of an energy boost than people who didn’t consume maca.
Other studies indicate that maca root may help with symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. One study found menopausal women who consumed maca experienced fewer hot flashes and night sweats than they did when not consuming it. That same study also revealed that participants had increased bone density after consuming maca. The study’s authors say it’s likely because maca contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, a nutrient essential for bone health.
1 Sura KT, Kohman L, Huang D, Pasniciuc SV. Experience With Medical Marijuana for Cancer Patients in the Palliative Setting. Cureus. 2022 Jun 28;14(6):e26406. doi: 10.7759/cureus.26406. PMID: 35915672; PMCID: PMC9337788. 2 Gastmeier K, Gastmeier A, Rottmann F, Herdegen T, Böhm R. Cannabinoide reduzieren den Opioidverbrauch bei älteren Schmerzpatienten : Eine retrospektive Dreijahresauswertung einer ambulanten kassenärztlichen Praxis [Cannabinoids reduce opioid use in older patients with pain : Retrospective three-year analysis of data from a general practice]. Schmerz. 2022 Apr 6. German. doi: 10.1007/s00482-022-00642-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35384481. 3 Feingold D, Goor-Aryeh I, Bril S, Delayahu Y, Lev-Ran S. Problematic Use of Prescription Opioids and Medicinal Cannabis Among Patients Suffering from Chronic Pain. Pain Med. 2017 Feb 1;18(2):294-306. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnw134. PMID: 28204792. 4 Feingold D, Brill S, Goor-Aryeh I, Delayahu Y, Lev-Ran S. Depression and anxiety among chronic pain patients receiving prescription opioids and medical marijuana. J Affect Disord. 2017 Aug 15;218:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.04.026. Epub 2017 Apr 21. PMID: 28453948. 5 Meacham MC, Nobles AL, Tompkins DA, Thrul J. "I got a bunch of weed to help me through the withdrawals": Naturalistic cannabis use reported in online opioid and opioid recovery community discussion forums. PLoS One. 2022 Feb 8;17(2):e0263583. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263583. PMID: 35134074; PMCID: PMC8824349.
Perhaps its most well-known health property is that maca can boost libido, a connection established by numerous scientific studies. This might be related to maca’s link to lowering stress, helping with mood, and a subtle energy boost. Additionally, for men specifically, consuming maca has been connected to producing a higher sperm count. Given that infertility cases stem just as much from male infertility issues as they do from women infertility issues, this benefit of maca consumption cannot be understated.
Dates
Dates are one of the healthiest sweeteners on the planet. As a whole fruit, dates contain plentiful micronutrients and fiber, unlike powdered, liquid, and artificial sweeteners. Studies show that dates have no adverse effects on blood sugar or weight, and even improve triglyceride and antioxidant stress levels. Just like other whole fruits, the phytochemicals and fiber in dates buffer the effects of its natural sugars. Unlike most sweeteners, dates have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures how quickly your blood sugar rises after eating a certain food. This can be attributed to their high fiber content as fiber slows digestion and helps prevent blood sugar levels from spiking too high after eating.
Researchers studied the impact of dates on our good gut flora and “colon cancer cell proliferation.” Our gut harbors about 10,000 billion micro-organisms and is considered the most metabolically active site in the human body. We can reward our good gut flora by feeding them prebiotics, like dietary fiber, and polyphenols, a class of antioxidant phytonutrients. And dates have high levels of both!
Dates are abundant in antioxidants, tiny molecules that protect our cells from free radicals, and particles apt to cause harmful reactions in the body and lead to disease. The three most potent antioxidants in dates are flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid. Flavonoids help reduce inflammation and have been studied for their potential to reduce the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain types of cancer.
Carotenoids are proven to promote heart health and may reduce the risk of eye-related disorders, such as macular degeneration. Phenolic acid is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and may help lower the risk of cancer and heart disease.
17 Taleb H, Maddocks SE, Morris RK, Kanekanian AD. Chemical characterisation and the anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and antibacterial properties of date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) J Ethnopharmacol. 2016;194:457–68. 18 Ali Haimoud S, Allem R, Merouane A. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of widely consumed date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruit varieties in Algerian Oases. J Food Biochem. 2016;40:463–71. 19 Al-Farsi M, Alasalvar C, Morris A, Baron M, Shahidi F. Comparison of antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenolics of three native fresh and sun-dried date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties grown in Oman. J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Sep 21;53(19):7592-9. doi: 10.1021/jf050579q. PMID: 16159191. 20 Kirschfeld K. Carotenoid pigments: their possible role in protecting against photooxidation in eyes and photoreceptor cells. Proc R Soc Lond. 1982;216:71–85. 21 Al-Farsi M, Alasalvar C, Morris A, Baron M, Shahidi F. Comparison of antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenolics of three native fresh and sun-dried date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties grown in Oman. Food Chem. 2005;53:7592–7599. 22 Allait A. Antioxidant activity of Bahraini date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruit of various cultivars. Int J Food Sci Tech. 2008;43:1033–1040. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2007.01558.x.
11 Phillips KM, Carlsen MH, Blomhoff R. Total antioxidant content of alternatives to refined sugar. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109(1):64-71. 12 Manickavasagan A. "Dates as Potential Substitute for Added Sugar in Food." Dates: Production, Processing, Food, and Medicinal Values. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 2012;317-321. 13 Rahmani AH, Aly SM, Ali H, Babiker AY, Srikar S, Khan AA. Therapeutic effects of date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera) in the prevention of diseases via modulation of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-tumour activity. Int J Clin Exp Med. 2014;7(3):483-91. 14 Eid N, Enani S, Walton G, et al. The impact of date palm fruits and their component polyphenols, on gut microbial ecology, bacterial metabolites and colon cancer cell proliferation. J Nutr Sci. 2014;3:e46. 15 Eid N, Osmanova H, Natchez C, et al. Impact of palm date consumption on microbiota growth and large intestinal health: a randomized, controlled, cross-over, human intervention study. Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1226-36. 16 Baliga MS, Baliga BRV, Kandathil SM, Bhat HP, Vayalil PK. A review of the chemistry and pharmacology of the date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Food Res Int. 2011;44:1812–22.
Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are a superfood if there ever was one! Countless studies demonstrate the cardiovascular benefits of flaxseeds, their aid in weight maintenance, diabetes prevention, anti-cancer properties, and even skin and nail health.
Almonds
Almonds deliver a massive amount of nutrients. Think high levels of healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamin E, magnesium and thousands of life-giving polyphenol antioxidants. The health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. Studies even indicate almonds are an anti-aging food, protecting our cells from oxidative damage. A clinical trial in 60 male smokers found that about 3 ounces (84 grams) of almonds per day reduced oxidative stress biomarkers by 23–34% over a four-week period. These findings support those of another study which found that eating almonds with main meals reduced markers of oxidative damage. These studies, amongst others, indicate almonds are an ideal addition to a longevity-promoting diet. Almonds are amongst the world’s best sources of vitamin E. Studies link higher vitamin E intake with lower rates of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Another boon of almonds is their remarkably high magnesium content, a mineral many people tend to be deficient in. Magnesium is a mineral involved in more than 300 bodily processes, including blood sugar control and may offer major improvements for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The magnesium in almonds may additionally help lower blood pressure levels. High blood pressure is one of the leading drivers of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. A deficiency in magnesium is strongly linked to high blood pressure regardless of whether you are overweight. Studies show that correcting a magnesium deficiency can lead to major reductions in blood pressure. A compelling study found that a diet providing 20% of calories from almonds lowered LDL cholesterol levels by an average of 12.4 mg/dL. Another study found that eating 1.5 ounces (42 grams) of almonds per day lowered LDL cholesterol by 5.3 mg/dL while maintaining “good” HDL cholesterol. Participants also lost belly fat. Thus, eating one or two handfuls of almonds per day can lead to reductions in “bad” LDL cholesterol, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease. Almonds do more than just lower LDL levels in the bloodstream. They also protect LDL from oxidation, which is a key step in the development of heart disease. Almonds are abundant in polyphenol antioxidants, which prevent oxidation of cholesterol in test-tube and animal studies. The effect may be even more potent when combined with other antioxidants such as vitamin E. A study on human participants found that snacking on almonds for one month lowered oxidized LDL cholesterol levels by 14%. This should lead to a reduced risk of heart disease over time. All things considered, almonds are as close to perfect as a food can get!
14 Li N, Jia X, Chen CY, Blumberg JB, Song Y, Zhang W, Zhang X, Ma G, Chen J. Almond consumption reduces oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in male smokers. J Nutr. 2007 Dec;137(12):2717-22. doi: 10.1093/jn/137.12.2717. PMID: 18029489. 15 Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Josse AR, Salvatore S, Brighenti F, Augustin LS, Ellis PR, Vidgen E, Rao AV. Almonds decrease postprandial glycemia, insulinemia, and oxidative damage in healthy individuals. J Nutr. 2006 Dec;136(12):2987-92. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.12.2987. PMID: 17116708. 16 Stampfer MJ, Hennekens CH, Manson JE, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Willett WC. Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary disease in women. N Engl J Med. 1993 May 20;328(20):1444-9. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199305203282003. PMID: 8479463. 17 Knekt P, Reunanen A, Järvinen R, Seppänen R, Heliövaara M, Aromaa A. Antioxidant vitamin intake and coronary mortality in a longitudinal population study. Am J Epidemiol. 1994 Jun 15;139(12):1180-9. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116964. PMID: 8209876. 18 Heinonen OP, Albanes D, Virtamo J, Taylor PR, Huttunen JK, Hartman AM, Haapakoski J, Malila N, Rautalahti M, Ripatti S, Mäenpää H, Teerenhovi L, Koss L, Virolainen M, Edwards BK. Prostate cancer and supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene: incidence and mortality in a controlled trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1998 Mar 18;90(6):440-6. doi: 10.1093/jnci/90.6.440. PMID: 9521168. 19 Bostick RM, Potter JD, McKenzie DR, Sellers TA, Kushi LH, Steinmetz KA, Folsom AR. Reduced risk of colon cancer with high intake of vitamin E: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Cancer Res. 1993 Sep 15;53(18):4230-7. PMID: 8364919. 20 Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, Tangney CC, Wilson RS. Vitamin E and cognitive decline in older persons. Arch Neurol. 2002 Jul;59(7):1125-32. doi: 10.1001/archneur.59.7.1125. PMID: 12117360. 21 Ryan MF. The role of magnesium in clinical biochemistry: an overview. Ann Clin Biochem. 1991 Jan;28 ( Pt 1):19-26. doi: 10.1177/000456329102800103. PMID: 2024929. 22 Corica F, Allegra A, Ientile R, Buemi M. Magnesium concentrations in plasma, erythrocytes, and platelets in hypertensive and normotensive obese patients. Am J Hypertens. 1997 Nov;10(11):1311-3. doi: 10.1016/s0895-7061(97)00313-0. PMID: 9397253. 23 Houston MC, Harper KJ. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium: their role in both the cause and treatment of hypertension. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2008 Jul;10(7 Suppl 2):3-11. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-7176.2008.08575.x. PMID: 18607145; PMCID: PMC8109864. 24 Guerrero-Romero F, Rodríguez-Morán M. The effect of lowering blood pressure by magnesium supplementation in diabetic hypertensive adults with low serum magnesium levels: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Hum Hypertens. 2009 Apr;23(4):245-51. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2008.129. Epub 2008 Nov 20. PMID: 19020533. 25 Lee S, Park HK, Son SP, Lee CW, Kim IJ, Kim HJ. Effects of oral magnesium supplementation on insulin sensitivity and blood pressure in normo-magnesemic nondiabetic overweight Korean adults. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2009 Dec;19(11):781-8. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2009.01.002. Epub 2009 Apr 8. PMID: 19359148.
26 Wien M, Bleich D, Raghuwanshi M, Gould-Forgerite S, Gomes J, Monahan-Couch L, Oda K. Almond consumption and cardiovascular risk factors in adults with prediabetes. J Am Coll Nutr. 2010 Jun;29(3):189-97. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2010.10719833. PMID: 20833991. 27 Berryman CE, West SG, Fleming JA, Bordi PL, Kris-Etherton PM. Effects of daily almond consumption on cardiometabolic risk and abdominal adiposity in healthy adults with elevated LDL-cholesterol: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015 Jan 5;4(1):e000993. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.000993. PMID: 25559009; PMCID: PMC4330049. 28 Berryman CE, West SG, Fleming JA, Bordi PL, Kris-Etherton PM. Effects of daily almond consumption on cardiometabolic risk and abdominal adiposity in healthy adults with elevated LDL-cholesterol: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015 Jan 5;4(1):e000993. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.000993. PMID: 25559009; PMCID: PMC4330049. 29 Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, Parker TL, Connelly PW, Qian W, Haight JS, Faulkner D, Vidgen E, Lapsley KG, Spiller GA. Dose response of almonds on coronary heart disease risk factors: blood lipids, oxidized low-density lipoproteins, lipoprotein(a), homocysteine, and pulmonary nitric oxide: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. Circulation. 2002 Sep 10;106(11):1327-32. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.0000028421.91733.20. PMID: 12221048.
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