Solid, free-flowing, and substantially completely dissolvable preparations with high betalain content are presented. Most typically, the betalain profile of the preparations is near natural and includes betalains in an amount of between 10-40 wt %. As the preparations of the inventive subject matter maintain chemical stability and flowability over extended periods of time, it should be noted that the betalain preparations are now amenable to compounding in small and measured quantities. Furthermore, new biological activities of betalains are shown, and especially include significant induction of SIRT and reduction of serum triglyceride.

The present invention provides a preparation method of tea water comprising the following steps of: inactivating enzymes of raw tea leaves and juicing the tea leaves to obtain a tea juice; and removing ions of the tea juice obtained from the previous step to obtain tea water. In addition, the present invention provides tea water obtained by removing ions from a tea juice of raw tea leaves of which enzymes are inactivated. Skin-stimulating components are reduced in the tea water.

The present invention provides a preparation method of tea water comprising the following steps of: inactivating enzymes of raw tea leaves and juicing the tea leaves to obtain a tea juice; and removing ions of the tea juice obtained from the previous step to obtain tea water. In addition, the present invention provides tea water obtained by removing ions from a tea juice of raw tea leaves of which enzymes are inactivated. Skin-stimulating components are reduced in the tea water.

The present invention relates to a prebiotic composition comprising a galacto oligosaccharide (GOS) produced from Lactobacillus plantarum, wherein the GOS acts as a selective growth medium for a chosen Lactobacillus plantarum probiotic bacterial strain, and wherein the GOS is substantially the same as the form produced by reverse -galactosidase reaction in the chosen probiotic bacterial strain. The present invention also relates to methods of producing GOS and related composition incorporating the GOS.

The present invention relates to a prebiotic composition comprising a galacto oligosaccharide (GOS) produced from Lactobacillus plantarum, wherein the GOS acts as a selective growth medium for a chosen Lactobacillus plantarum probiotic bacterial strain, and wherein the GOS is substantially the same as the form produced by reverse -galactosidase reaction in the chosen probiotic bacterial strain. The present invention also relates to methods of producing GOS and related composition incorporating the GOS.

The present invention generally relates to the early prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in infants or children. For example, the present invention relates to the prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in infants or children through appropriate nutrition for women desiring to get pregnant and/or during pregnancy and/or lactation. Embodiments of the present invention relate to the Vitamin B6 for use in the prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in the offspring, wherein the vitamin B6 is administered to women desiring to get pregnant and/or to the mother during pregnancy and/or lactation and to maternal food compositions that can be used for this purpose.

The present invention generally relates to the early prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in infants or children. For example, the present invention relates to the prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in infants or children through appropriate nutrition for women desiring to get pregnant and/or during pregnancy and/or lactation. Embodiments of the present invention relate to the Vitamin B6 for use in the prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in the offspring, wherein the vitamin B6 is administered to women desiring to get pregnant and/or to the mother during pregnancy and/or lactation and to maternal food compositions that can be used for this purpose.

Provided are a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating metabolic diseases and a health food for alleviating metabolic diseases, each of which the pharmaceutical composition and the health food includes, a stereoisomer of isonitramine or a derivative thereof, or a racemic mixture of the stereoisomers, wherein such a compound exhibits effects of inhibiting fat content or differentiation of an adipocyte, inhibiting activity of a carbohydrate metabolism enzyme, protecting pancreas, inhibiting blood sugar, and promoting insulin secretion, and thus can be favorably utilized in the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.

Provided are a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating metabolic diseases and a health food for alleviating metabolic diseases, each of which the pharmaceutical composition and the health food includes, a stereoisomer of isonitramine or a derivative thereof, or a racemic mixture of the stereoisomers, wherein such a compound exhibits effects of inhibiting fat content or differentiation of an adipocyte, inhibiting activity of a carbohydrate metabolism enzyme, protecting pancreas, inhibiting blood sugar, and promoting insulin secretion, and thus can be favorably utilized in the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.

An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc.

The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.