WE’VE CHANGED
THE WAY THE
WORLD LOOKS
AT FLAX
“Nothing is more powerful than
an idea whose time has come”
Victor Hugo
French Writer 1802-1885
“Raising the bar for all flax products”
granoVita Canada Limited (formerly Activated Botanicals Inc.) is a world
leader in the innovation, manufacture and marketing of biologically
activated flax products.
Our proprietary, patent-pending* NutraSprout™ powders are a result of 20 years of
research into the effects and nutritional benefits of bio-activating seeds through
germination.
We are a science-based company. The claims we make about our products are based on
our own findings and confirmed by assays from outside third-party laboratories and
institutions.
They are also backed by solid scientific research specifically surrounding the nutritional
benefits of the ingredients in our product formulations.
While the benefits of raw flaxseed, milled flax and flax oil have been well documented and
accepted within the scientific and health community, the benefits of germinated flax has
raised the bar for all flax products.
FLAXSEED : NATURE’S SUPERFOOD
WIDELY ACCEPTED FACTS…
• Flaxseed had been used for centuries for good
health
• Modern research has confirmed flax is an
outstanding nutritional food source
• Flax is rich in phytonutrients ,Omega 3 Fatty
Acids, Fiber and Lignans
• Benefits are widely accepted by consumers,
health professionals and researchers
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
FLAXSEED
WHAT IS POORLY UNDERSTOOD
• Seeds are designed by nature to pass through the body undigested
and still grow into a plant
• In order to ensure this, Nature has put in the seed enzyme inhibitors
and phytic acid
• Milling seed marginally improves digestibility (smaller particles)
allowing for some nutritional benefits.
• Milling DOES NOT change the chemical composition
CONSIDER THE NUTRITIONAL IMPACT IF YOU
COULD FULLY DIGEST THE NUTRIENTS IN
FLAXSEED
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
“You are what you eat”
Actually….
YOU ARE WHAT YOU CAN
DIGEST
• The term in our industry to describe this is BIOAVAILABILITY ,
which is defined as the body’s ability to dissolve and absorb
nutrients
• Very few products talk about bioavailability because of the
inability to demonstrate it
• We talk about it because germination is the key to bioavailability
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
GERMINATION IS THE KEY
Germinating flaxseed…
• unlocks the nutrition in the seed, making it bioavailable
• nutrients used for growth are released into the seed
• enzyme inhibitors protecting the seed from being digested
are substantially reduced
• phytic acid is reduced
• insoluble fiber is decreased
• vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants
are increased
• increases stability (4 years, room temperature, shelf-stable)
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
For example, when flaxseed is germinated…
VITAMIN E
966% increase over milled flaxseed
VITAMIN C
925% increase over milled flaxseed
VITAMIN B6
483% increase over milled flaxseed
FOLIC ACID
272% increase over milled flaxseed
LIPASE
322% increase over milled flaxseed
LIGANS
14%
increase over milled flaxseed
INSOLUBLE FIBER
49%
decrease over milled flaxseed
PHYTIC ACID
49%
decrease over milled flaxseed
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
OMEGA 3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
Consumers report one of their main reasons for the consumption of flaxseed is its
high level of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids
HOWEVER, CONSIDER…
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids must be converted by the body to EPA and DHA
• In order for this to take place, co-factors are required – magnesium, iron and zinc
• flaxseed has high levels of all these minerals, however it also has high levels of phytic acid
• Phytic acid BLOCKS the uptake of these minerals, and therefore YOU CANNOT CONVERT
EPA OR DHA AT MEANINGFUL LEVELS
This is one of the reasons fish oil has been promoted as superior to flaxseed
Germinating flaxseed significantly REDUCES PHYTIC ACID, allowing for a
markedly better conversion of Omega 3 to EPA and DHA
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
PHYTIC ACID
• Phytic acid, which is found in the bran or hulls of seeds has a
significant impact on bioavailability.
• Phytic acids also blocks the uptake of essential minerals – calcium,
magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc – in the intestinal tract
• Many individuals are deficient in these minerals and are attempting to
balance this through supplementation, most of which offers little or no
bioavailability.
• The reduction of phytic acids allows for better mineral absorption.
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
Fibre
INSOLUBLE FIBRE –
A plant material that CANNOT be dissolved in water and that the body CANNOT
breakdown into useful nutrients. The level of insoluble fibre in ungerminated flax
is very high and difficult for the body to process
SOLUBLE FIBRE –
A plant material easily dissolved in water that allows the body to absorb more
nutrients. Flaxseed, when imbibed, secrete a halo of mucilage composed of
polysaccharides. Twelve percent of flaxseed is insoluble fibre (mucilage), which
makes it a gentle, non-irritating, natural laxative.
With germinated flax, insoluble fibre is reduced 50%, allowing for increased
“problem-free" consumption
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
Milled flaxseed has a short shelf-life and requires special handling, due in part
to the utilization of low quality seed and improper handling.
The factors that make NUTRASprout™ the most stable flax product on
the market today are:
QUALITY SEED + PATENTED PROCESSING = STABILITY
• we start with the highest quality
seed available
• we pay a premium price to ensure
consistent levels of quality are
maintained by our farmers
• all seed undergoes rigorous quality
control testing (germination, purity,
density)
• seed with less than a 98%
germination rate is rejected
• germination changes the chemistry
of the seed, naturally enhancing
stability
• seed is low temperature dehydrated
to ensure the highest nutritional
values
• low temperature, low speed milling
ensures a stable finished product
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
THE HISTORY AND SCIENCE BEHIND
THE PRODUCT
• World-class products don’t happen by accident, and NUTRASprout™ products
are no exception.
• It took 20 years of experience in the area of activating botanicals, a million dollars
in research combined with a dedicated team to discover one of the few true
superfoods.
• During the development of the product, our company was recognized by Industry
Canada with the following awards:
Finalist: Business Achievement Award
Winner: Technology Initiative of the Year
Winner: New Business Award
• we sought the assistance of numerous independent laboratories to confirm our
assumptions and findings
NUTRASprout™
RESEARCH AND PRODUCT EVALUATION
Maxxam Analytics Inc.
Mississauga, Ontario CANADA
Nutritional Profiles, Fatty Acid Profiles,
Shelf Life Analyses
Lipid Analytical Laboratories
Guelph, Ontario CANADA
Fatty Acid Profiles
J.R. Laboratories Inc.
Burnaby, BC CANADA
Nutritional Profile for Flax Powders, Fatty Acid
Profile
Thomsk University
Thomsk, Russia
Enzyme Analyses
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario CANADA
Trace Organics and Pesticides,
Label Panel Verification, Nutritional Profiles
MicroChem Laboratories Inc.
Toronto, Ontario CANADA
Microbial testing
University of Toronto
Dept of Nutritional Sciences
Toronto, Ontario CANADA
Lignan (SDG) Analyses
CONSULTANTS:
Dr. Lilian Thompson (University of Toronto)
Dr. Bruce Holub (Guelph University)
Dr. Alex Gaydamaka (sanofi pasteur)
Japan Research Laboratory
Kitakyushu, Japan
Cyanogenic Glycoside Analyses
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
Summary
NUTRASprout™ Sprouted Flax Powders have the highest levels of
bioavailability, allowing better absorption and utilization of flaxseed’s
nutritional content. This includes:
 Increased Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids
 Increased lignans
 Increased vitamins
 Increased active enzymes
 Increased digestibility
 Increased stability
© 2006 – granoVita Canada Limited
OPERATIONS:
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HACCP Facility
GMP independent audit (95%)
Certified OCPP/Pro Cert Organic
Kosher (Star-K)