Just in time for the American Heart Association's Heart Health Month, Aronia berries are making a splash in the nutraceutical ingredient space for their cardiovascular health benefits. Artemis International, the Berryceuticals specialist, recently cemented a new partnership with its BerryDark Aronia 15% ingredient and Weider’s recently introduced Artery Health formulation, which coincides with the annual buzz around heart health in the month of February. Artemis International supplies supplement and food/beverage manufacturers with Aronia extract, powders, and concentrates from the company’s portfolio of flavonoid-rich antioxidant ingredients.
 
Weider, having reviewed all the science surrounding aronia berry, introduced the new Artery Health supplement formulated to support healthy heart function by keeping arteries flexible through proper calcium transportation and increased blood flow. Artemis’ BerryDark Aronia is a key ingredient in Weider’s Artery Health formulation, helping to ensure its customers maintain proper cardiovascular health. 
 
Actively supporting the emerging niche for Aronia-based nutraceutical ingredients, Artemis International is promoting their line of Aronia Berryceuticals and partnering with other manufacturers in product development featuring Aronia in their formulations.
 
“Through ongoing research, Aronia is poised to be the next big ingredient for cardiovascular support,” says Melanie Bush, chief science officer at Artemis International. “Aronia has been gaining traction for several years, but this antioxidant powerhouse has garnered increasingly more scientific back up to support the claims around the cholesterol-lowering, blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and circulation-promoting benefits of the Aronia flavonoids.”
 
For example, Artemis International’s Aronia berry extract was used in a human clinical trial where the researchers concluded that 12 weeks of supplementation with the Aronia extract resulted in significant reductions in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in former smokers. Cholesterol is just one of the markers of heart health that Aronia has been shown to positively influence (Nutr Res, 2017).
 
“Supporting our goal of being leaders in producing and offering scientifically validated berry ingredients, Artemis International was the first nutraceutical ingredient supplier to feature Aronia berry as a key ingredient offering in its portfolio for the U.S. market,” said Leslie Gallo, vice president of operations and sales. “We will be working to make 2019 a breakout year for Aronia and bringing ‘The Flavonoid Superstar’ into mainstream awareness and acceptance by consumers.”