Supercharge Your Cistus with a Twist of Citrus
If you’re new to Cistus incanus, it’s a superstar Mediterranean immune herb that we’ve formulated into our Immune Therapy Cistus+ Infusion.
Then there’s CITRUS, which you may already know and love for its vitamin C, packaged up in tangy juiciness.
Here’s a new twist: research reveals citrus can take your Cistus to the next level.
Synergize Your Cistus with Citrus
While nature doesn’t reveal all its secrets, science has discovered that Cistus contains more than 30 phenolic compounds and a high volume of polymeric polyphenols—powerful plant compounds that can do all sorts of good things, including feeding your gut microbiome and helping you kick immune threats to the curb. (1)
Among Cistus’s phenolic compounds are catechins (made famous by green tea)—these are potent antioxidants that support brain function, heart and lung health, detoxification, the health of your cells, and overall well-being. (2) Yes, please!
Though research shows that phenol intake is associated with better health, it turns out that catechins do not readily absorb into your body and thus need a little help. (2)
Lemon to the rescue: Purdue University has discovered that adding fresh lemon juice into catechin-rich tea improves absorption by 13x and supports the retention of nearly 80% of the catechins! (2)
AGEs or Age Less?
Have you heard of advanced glycation end-products, aka AGEs? These compounds live up to their name and contribute to the AGE-ing of your cognition, heart, skin, eyes, and bones, among other things. (3)
AGEs can come from your diet (e.g., fried foods) and when sugar combines with protein and/or fat in your bloodstream. Your body has ways to deal with AGEs, but sometimes they can accumulate and cause irritation. (4)
Enter your friend Cistus and its pal, citrus. In addition to all its other goodies, Cistus also contains gallic acid, a potent antioxidant and soothing compound that supports digestive, mental, metabolic, and cardiovascular health. (5)
When you squeeze a little lemon in your Cistus tea, there’s a synergy with gallic acid—one that reduces AGE formation! (6)
Prime Citrus Season is Now
If you’re inspired to add citrus to your Cistus, there’s no better time than now, when citrus fruits are at their sweet and juicy best.
Juice a blood orange and add it to your Cistus tea, or try lemon, lime, ruby red grapefruit, tangerine, or even a satsuma.
Formulation Matters
You can rest assured that at For The Biome, every formulation is masterfully crafted by leveraging science and revering tradition.
In our Immune Therapy Cistus+ Infusion, we’ve already added vitamin C-rich and immune-strengthening botanicals to a clinically effective dose of Cistus—delivering a unique formulation synergy proven to jumpstart your immune system 4-fold.
Check it out here.
References
1. Kuchta, A., Konopacka, A., Waleron, K., Viapiana, A., Wesołowski, M., Dąbkowski, K., Ćwiklińska, A., Mickiewicz, A., Śledzińska, A., Wieczorek, E., Gliwińska, A., Kortas-Stempak, B., & Jankowski, M. (2021). The effect of Cistus incanus herbal tea supplementation on oxidative stress markers and lipid profile in healthy adults. Cardiology journal, 28(4), 534–542. https://doi.org/10.5603/CJ.a2019.0028
2. Green, R. J., Murphy, A. S., Schulz, B., Watkins, B. A., & Ferruzzi, M. G. (2007). Common tea formulations modulate in vitro digestive recovery of green tea catechins. Molecular nutrition & food research, 51(9), 1152–1162. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.200700086
3. Prasad, C., Davis, K. E., Imrhan, V., Juma, S., & Vijayagopal, P. (2017). Advanced Glycation End Products and Risks for Chronic Diseases: Intervening Through Lifestyle Modification. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 13(4), 384–404. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617708991
4. Brown, M. J., PhD. (2019, October 22). What Are Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/advanced-glycation-end-products
5. Kahkeshani, N., Farzaei, F., Fotouhi, M., Alavi, S. S., Bahramsoltani, R., Naseri, R., Momtaz, S., Abbasabadi, Z., Rahimi, R., Farzaei, M. H., & Bishayee, A. (2019). Pharmacological effects of gallic acid in health and diseases: A mechanistic review. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences, 22(3), 225–237. https://doi.org/10.22038/ijbms.2019.32806.7897
6. Sirichai Adisakwattana, S. Adisakwattana, Thavaree Thilavech, T. Thilavech, Weerachat Sompong, W. Sompong, & Porntip Pasukamonset, P. Pasukamonset. (2017). Interaction between ascorbic acid and gallic acid in a model of fructose-mediated protein glycation and oxidation. Electronic journal of biotechnology, 27, 32-36. doi: 10.1016/j.ejbt.2017.03.004
