Raw organic cocoa nibs with 30 g of fiber per 100 g

Cocoa nibs are broken cocoa beans, nothing else. No sugar, no milk, no excess cocoa butter. The flavor is accordingly bitter and intense, far removed from chocolate.

What sets nibs apart from chocolate

For chocolate, cocoa beans are roasted, ground, mixed with sugar and usually milk powder, and conched for hours. For nibs, all of that is left out: the beans are simply stripped of their shells and broken.

Unroasted. Our nibs are not roasted, which is why they are described as raw. This preserves the bean's original, slightly fruity and tangy character.

The cocoa comes from the Dominican Republic and controlled organic cultivation, certified according to the EU Organic Regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039.

Nutritional values and use

Per 100 g, the nibs contain 30.1 g of fiber, 13.4 g protein, 51 g fat, and just 0.7 g sugar. The energy value is 2,294 kJ, or 548 kcal.

The fiber content is five times the EU threshold for making a high-fiber claim. At 0.7 g of sugar per 100 g, the nibs are also considered low in sugar. For comparison: dark chocolate usually ranges between 25 and 45 g of sugar.

Nibs are great in muesli, over porridge and yogurt, in smoothies, or as a crunchy element in baked goods. Anyone trying them on their own should be prepared for their strong bitterness.

Organic cocoa nibs: origin and quality

One ingredient only: raw organic cocoa nibs, unroasted. No added sugar, no flavorings, no emulsifiers. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.

Five herbs and spices, four of them from one family

Vitalplant's Organic Stomach Tea is the simplest blend in our tea range: five ingredients, all from certified organic farming, with no flavorings.

The herbal blend

Anise, fennel, coriander, and caraway all belong to the umbellifer family. That explains why they work so well together in terms of flavor: their essential oils are chemically related and create a rounded, sweet-spicy aroma.

Anise brings the clearest sweetness, shaped by anethole, which is also found in star anise and fennel. Fennel adds a milder, slightly earthy note. Coriander contributes citrus nuances, while caraway provides the strongest and most aromatic component.

Peppermint leaves are the only ingredient from another family, the mint family. Their menthol provides the fresh counterpoint to the four umbellifers.

Preparation

Pour 3 g of tea over 200 ml of boiling water and let steep for 5 to 8 minutes. For seeds and fruits, the longer steeping time is worthwhile, because the essential oils are released more slowly than in leaves.

A kitchen tip: if you lightly crush the seeds in a mortar before pouring on the water, you get a much more intense aroma. The tea is suitable for any time of day and is naturally caffeine-free.

Organic Stomach Tea: origin and quality

100 g of loose tea makes around 30 servings. All five ingredients come from certified organic farming, certified according to the EU organic regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture. No flavorings, no additives, no sugar. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Six ingredients with goji and pomegranate

Vitalplant's organic men's tea combines fruit, seeds, and leaves into a fruity, tart blend. Six ingredients, all from certified organic farming.

The blend

Goji berries make up the largest share. Lycium barbarum belongs to the nightshade family and is therefore more closely related to the tomato than to classic berries. Dried, the fruits add a sweet-tart note.

Lemongrass adds the citrus accent, fenugreek seeds a strong, spicy component. Fenugreek is a legume and is widely used as a spice in Indian cuisine.

Pomegranate peels contribute tannins that give the infusion its bitterness. Curly mint leaves and nettle leaves round out the blend with fresh and herbal notes.

Preparation and flavor

Pour 3 g of tea over 200 ml of boiling water and let steep for 5 to 8 minutes. The pomegranate peels make the infusion noticeably more bitter with a longer steeping time, because tannins are released slowly. Four minutes produce a milder result.

The tea is naturally caffeine-free and suitable for any time of day.

Organic men's tea: origin and quality

100 g of loose tea yields around 30 servings. All six ingredients come from certified organic farming, certified according to the EU organic regulation, certification body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture. No flavors, no additives, no sugar. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Apotheke.

Rooibos blend with vanilla and orange

Vitalplant’s organic night tea is the sweetest blend in our tea range. Fourteen ingredients, from rooibos to lavender to Bourbon vanilla, naturally caffeine-free.

The blend

Lemon balm leaves come first. Melissa officinalis is a member of the mint family with a distinct lemony note, and has been common in Central Europe as a garden plant since the Middle Ages.

Fenugreek seeds, fennel, and apple pieces follow, along with passionflower herb and lemongrass.

Red and green rooibos from South Africa. Both come from the same plant, Aspalathus linearis. Red rooibos is fermented after harvest, while green is not. That makes the difference in color and taste: red is sweet and rounded, green fresher and more grassy.

Bourbon vanilla flavor, orange oil, orange peel, lavender blossoms, tonka bean, and marigold blossoms complete the blend and give it its dessert-like character.

Preparation and flavor

Pour 3 g of tea over 200 ml of boiling water and let steep for 5 to 8 minutes. Rooibos does not turn bitter even with a long steeping time, unlike black or green tea. So you can safely leave it to steep.

The blend is ideal for the evening and tastes noticeably sweet even without sugar, thanks to the rooibos, vanilla, and tonka bean.

Organic night tea: origin and quality

100 g of loose tea yields around 30 servings. The ingredients come from certified organic cultivation, certified according to the EU Organic Regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture. No added sugar. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.

Too tough and too bitter to eat

Organic Reishi capsules from Vitalplant contain extract from Ganoderma lucidum. Unlike shiitake or hericium, this mushroom never ends up in the pan, and there is a simple reason for that.

The glossy bracket fungus

The German name describes it exactly. The cap looks lacquered, kidney-shaped, reddish-brown to almost black, with a stem attached to the side. It grows on hardwood stumps, in Europe preferably on oak.

Its flesh is corky, woody, and extremely bitter. It cannot be chewed or fried. In East Asia, it has therefore long been boiled down or extracted, never used as an edible mushroom.

In China it is called Lingzhi and has appeared as a motif in painting, textiles, and architecture for around two thousand years. The name Reishi comes from Japanese and has become established in the West.

Two thousand years of tradition, zero approved claims

As long as the tradition is, the list of what we are allowed to claim is just as short: it is empty. For mushroom extracts, there is no approved health claim in the EU.

A long tradition is not proof, and we do not use it as a substitute for one. What we do state is the species, the amount of extract, and the origin.

Dosage compared and quality

At 300 mg of extract per capsule, Reishi is the lowest-dosed single mushroom in our range. Chaga and shiitake are at 500 mg, hericium and cordyceps at 400 mg per capsule. The comparison is worthwhile before judging products by capsule count alone.

The extract powder comes from certified organic cultivation, control body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture. The capsule contains nothing but extract and the vegan shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Amber glass protects the contents from UV light.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Eight herbs for the evening, caffeine-free

Vitalplant's organic Relax Tea combines eight herbs, flowers, and roots from controlled organic cultivation. All ingredients are naturally caffeine-free.

The herbal blend

Chamomile flowers make up the largest proportion by quantity and give the infusion its golden yellow color and mild, slightly honey-like base note.

Hawthorn berries add a fruity, tart component. Hawthorn is a rose family plant and is therefore related to apples and rose hips.

Ashwagandha and passionflower herb follow as the third and fourth ingredients. Ashwagandha is the root of Withania somnifera from Indian herbal tradition, and Passiflora incarnata is a climbing plant from North America.

Lavender flowers, basil, valerian root, and hop flowers complete the blend. Lavender and basil are members of the mint family, hops belong to the hemp family and are known as an ingredient in beer.

Preparation and flavor

Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 3 g of tea and let steep for 5 to 8 minutes. Valerian root brings a strong, earthy note that clearly shapes the character of the infusion. If you prefer it milder, reduce the steeping time to four minutes.

The blend is suitable for the later hours of the day and the evening.

Organic Relax Tea: origin and quality

100 g of loose tea yield around 30 portions. All eight ingredients come from controlled organic cultivation, certified according to the EU organic regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture. No flavorings, no additives, no sugar. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.

Pure organic maca powder from black tubers

Vitalplant Organic Black Maca Powder consists of exactly one ingredient: ground black maca root from certified organic cultivation. No extract, no additives, no fillers.

Powder or extract

With powder, the dried tuber is simply ground up. Its composition therefore corresponds to the whole root, including all fiber and carbohydrates. An extract, by contrast, concentrates certain components and leaves others behind.

Nutrition values per 100 grams. 23.4 g fiber, 16.3 g protein, 48.9 g carbohydrates and 0.77 g fat. The energy value is 1,324 kJ, or 314 kcal.

Taste and use. Maca powder has a malty, nutty flavor with a slightly earthy note. It can be stirred into smoothies, shakes, yogurt, or muesli and is also suitable for baking.

Lepidium meyenii: cultivation in the Andes

Maca belongs to the crucifer family and is related to radish and cress. The plant is grown in the Peruvian Andes, often above 4,000 meters, where there are strong temperature fluctuations and intense sunlight.

Harvesting produces mainly yellow tubers. Black types make up only a smaller share and are sorted out by hand. Traditionally, they are dried in the sun, which takes several weeks.

Organic Black Maca Powder: composition and quality

One single ingredient: organic maca powder, certified according to the EU organic regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture. No sugar, no flavorings, no anti-caking agents. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch. Every batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.

Cold-pressed organic black cumin oil with natural vitamin E

Black cumin has been used for centuries in the Mediterranean region and the Middle East as a spice and oil plant. Vitalplant’s organic black cumin oil capsules provide the cold-pressed oil in capsule form, supplemented with natural vitamin E.

What’s in the capsules

Black cumin oil from organic farming. The oil is obtained from the seeds of Nigella sativa, a buttercup family plant with striking pale blue flowers. The seeds are black, angular, and about two millimeters in size. The raw material comes from EU agriculture and is certified according to the EU organic regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039.

About half of the oil is linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid that the body cannot produce on its own. It is therefore one of the essential fatty acids.

Vitamin E as D-alpha-tocopherol. This is the natural form of the vitamin, not the synthetic one. One capsule contains 5 mg, which corresponds to 42 percent of the nutrient reference value.

What vitamin E does

Vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidative stress. This statement is included in the EU Register of authorized health claims, so it has been scientifically reviewed and officially approved.

For the oil itself, we state its origin, cultivation method, and fatty acid profile. That can be verified.

Organic black cumin oil capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of three ingredients: the organic black cumin oil, the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and vitamin E. No fillers, no colorants, no artificial preservatives. The product is vegan and gluten-free. Oils are sensitive to light, which is why it is filled into amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with more than 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.

The only one of our medicinal mushrooms that people also eat

Organic Shiitake capsules from Vitalplant contain extract from Lentinula edodes. Reishi is too bitter, Chaga too hard, Cordyceps too rare. Shiitake, by contrast, is found in every well-stocked supermarket.

From the tree that gave it its name

The name comes from Japanese and is meant literally: Shii refers to the Pasania tree, an East Asian relative of the oak, while take simply means mushroom. So it is the shii mushroom, named after the wood on which it was traditionally grown.

To this day, part of the harvest grows on inoculated hardwood logs outdoors, a method that has been practiced in China and Japan for centuries. Worldwide, Shiitake ranks second in cultivation volume, behind button mushrooms.

In cooking, it is valued for its pronounced umami flavor, which comes from guanylate and even intensifies when dried.

Edible mushroom and extract are two different things

The fact that a mushroom is familiar as a food does not change the rules for the extract. No health claim is permitted in the EU for mushroom extracts.

We therefore do not use culinary familiarity as a back door for claims we would otherwise not be allowed to make. What is stated here is the type, the amount of extract, and the origin.

Dosage compared and quality

At 500 mg per capsule and two capsules a day, Shiitake is the highest-dosed single mushroom in our range. For comparison: Reishi is at 300 mg per capsule, Hericium and Cordyceps at 400 mg.

The extract powder comes from certified organic cultivation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture. The capsule contains only extract and the vegan shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, no anti-caking agent, no filler. Amber glass largely blocks UV light.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Pea, rice and pumpkin seed in a 50 : 25 : 15 ratio

Bio Vegan Protein from Vitalplant is not a blend with unknown proportions. The three protein sources are declared with their percentages, and the order is not a matter of taste.

Why pea and rice belong together

Pea protein is rich in lysine and comparatively low in the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine. Rice protein is the opposite: plenty of methionine, little lysine.

So the two balance each other out where the other source falls short. That is why they form the base of this formula, complemented by pumpkin seed protein, which adds a slightly nutty note.

Acacia fiber is a soluble source of fiber and explains why the powder, despite its high protein concentration, provides 9,1 g of fiber per 100 g. Bromelain is a mixture of enzymes derived from pineapple.

What the nutritional values deliver

With 70,75 g protein per 100 g, around three quarters of the powder’s energy comes from protein. This clearly meets the conditions for the claim high protein content, as well as those for high fiber content. With 0,37 g sugar per 100 g, it is also low in sugar.

Approved claims are linked to this: protein contributes to an increase in muscle mass, protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass, and protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

These claims apply to protein as a nutrient, regardless of whether it comes from plants or animals.

Organic raw materials and processing

The protein sources and the acacia fiber come from controlled organic cultivation. The powder contains no flavorings, no sweeteners and no thickeners, which is why it tastes mild and distinctly plant-based. Mixed into oat or nut drink, it comes across as rounder than in water.

Purely plant-based and therefore vegan. Store in a cool, dry place, do not freeze.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Coconut milk and flaxseed make this powder creamy

Organic Vital Beauty by Vitalplant differs from our other powders because of its fat content. At 31,36 g per 100 g, it is the richest, and that is exactly why it becomes creamy when mixed.

The nine ingredients

Açaí comes first. The fruit of the Amazon palm is an exception among berries because its flesh is naturally rich in fat rather than sugar. Flaxseed and coconut milk powder add to this proportion, with the saturated fatty acids at 14,40 g per 100 g coming almost entirely from the coconut milk.

Maqui from Patagonia, acerola, and wild blueberries contribute the deep violet color and fruity acidity. Vanilla powder rounds off the flavor.

Tremella, known in German as silver ear, is a jelly fungus that has been used in Chinese cuisine for centuries. It grows on deciduous wood and forms white, curly fruiting bodies. Here it is included as an extract.

What the product name does not promise

Beauty is a name, not a claim. None of the nine ingredients is permitted in the EU to make a health claim for skin, hair, or nails, and we do not imply one here.

What can be substantiated is the fiber content: 21,56 g per 100 g, mainly from flaxseed and the fruit powders. This means the powder meets the requirement for the claim high fiber content.

Sweetness, origin, and storage

It is sweetened with stevia, that is, with steviol glycosides from sweet herb. No sugar is added; the 14,53 g per 100 g come from the fruit and coconut ingredients themselves.

All ingredients except the sweetener come from certified organic farming, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039. The recipe is purely plant-based.

Because of the high fat content, the powder tends to clump, so seal the pouch well, store it in a cool, dry place, and do not freeze it.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.

Eleven organic ingredients, including a bacterium

Bio Vital Greens from Vitalplant combines baobab, barley grass, wheat grass, spirulina, pineapple, lucuma, spinach, gluten-free oat flour, moringa, kale, and peppermint leaf. Strictly speaking, one of these ingredients is not a plant at all.

The blend in detail

Spirulina is commonly called blue-green algae, but it belongs to the cyanobacteria. It is a bacterium that carries out photosynthesis, and has done so for around three billion years.

Baobab makes up the largest share by volume. The pulp of the African baobab tree dries on the branch while the fruit is still hanging. It therefore does not need to be dried afterward, but can be ground directly.

Barley grass and wheat grass are harvested as young grass, long before ears form. Lucuma is a South American fruit with a flavor somewhere between caramel and maple syrup, pineapple adds acidity. The remaining leafy ingredients, spinach, moringa, kale, and peppermint, give the blend its green color and herbal base note.

What the nutritional values show

With 26,34 g of fiber per 100 g, the powder meets the requirement for the claim high fiber content. Baobab and the two grasses account for the lion’s share. The protein content is 19,79 g per 100 g.

To be clear: pineapple and lucuma naturally contain sugar, 15,72 g per 100 g. Based on a 12 g serving, that comes to 1,89 g. None has been added.

Origin and storage

All ingredients come from certified organic cultivation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture.

The powder is unsweetened and tastes distinctly herbal. If you prefer it milder, stir it into juice instead of water. Without anti-caking agents, it tends to clump, so close the bag carefully after each use and store it in a dry place.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Apotheke.

Four mushrooms in equal parts, 125 mg per capsule

Vitalplant’s Organic Medicinal Mushroom Complex combines Reishi, Hericium, Chaga, and Shiitake. All four are dosed exactly equally, which is by no means a given in this product category.

Four mushrooms, four ways of life

Reishi, the glossy bracket fungus, grows on hardwood stumps and is corky, hard, and bitter. Hericium forms hundreds of soft spines instead of gills and hangs like a white waterfall from weakened beech trees.

Chaga infects living birch trees in cold regions and forms a black, charred-looking crust over the years, which botanically is not a fruiting body but a sclerotium. Shiitake, finally, is the most familiar of the four, an edible mushroom that ranks second worldwide in cultivation volume.

Breadth or quantity: the honest calculation

Four mushrooms in one capsule inevitably mean less of each individual one. Each capsule contains 125 mg per mushroom.

For comparison: our single Organic Shiitake provides 500 mg per capsule, Organic Chaga also 500 mg, Organic Hericium 400 mg, and Organic Reishi 300 mg. The complex is therefore an introduction to breadth, not depth.

Anyone looking for a specific mushroom in a targeted, higher amount is better off with the respective single product. Cordyceps is not included; we offer it exclusively as a separate product.

What we do not claim, and the quality

In the EU, no health claim is permitted for mushroom extracts, neither for a single one nor for a combination. Four mushrooms therefore do not equal four promises. What we can state are the species, amounts, and origin.

All four extract powders come from certified organic cultivation, control body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture. The capsule contains nothing but the extracts and the vegan shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Bottled in amber glass that largely blocks UV light.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.

Acacia honey doesn’t actually come from the acacia tree

What is sold in Europe as acacia honey is collected by bees from the black locust, botanically Robinia pseudoacacia. The name pseudoacacia already says it all: it looks similar to the acacia, but it isn’t one.

Black locust instead of acacia

The black locust is a member of the pea family and originally comes from eastern North America. It arrived in Europe in the 17th century and spread widely here. True acacias, by contrast, grow in Africa and Australia and play no role in European honey.

Its flowering period is short, usually only two to three weeks in May or June. If it rains throughout, the harvest that year is small. That is why acacia honey is reliably more expensive than blossom honey from mixed forage.

Why comb honey is not spun

Regular honey is spun out of the combs, strained, and bottled. The comb stays in the hive and is reused. With comb honey, this step is completely eliminated: the comb section is cut out and placed in the jar exactly as the bees built and capped it.

This also means no blending, no heating, and no filtering. You can see what you are buying. The beeswax in the comb is produced by the bees themselves, from glands on the underside of the abdomen, and it requires many times its weight in honey. It can be chewed along with the honey; it is not digested and leaves the body unchanged.

Why it stays liquid, and what’s in it

Honey crystallizes because glucose crystallizes. Fructose does not. Acacia honey contains significantly more fructose than glucose and therefore stays unusually clear and liquid for a very long time, often for years.

There is nothing to sugarcoat when it comes to nutritional value: 100 g contain 75.1 g of sugar, exclusively from the honey itself, plus 0.4 g of protein and practically no fat. That adds up to 1,264 kJ, or 302 kcal. Honey is a sweetener that tastes good, and we sell it exactly as that.

Origin and processing

The honey comes from certified organic beekeeping in the Balkan Mountains, certified according to EU organic regulations, control body number DE-ÖKO-039. Organic beekeeping means, among other things, rules on the location of the hives, the material of the hive boxes, and the avoidance of synthetic treatment agents.

Each comb is unique and looks different. If the honey does crystallize, that is a natural process and not a defect.

Behind Vitalplant stands Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with more than 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.

Organic Ceylon cinnamon, not cassia

Most cinnamon sold on the market is cassia. Ceylon cinnamon is a different type, more labor-intensive to produce and significantly more expensive. Vitalplant’s organic cinnamon capsules contain only Ceylon cinnamon from controlled organic cultivation.

The difference between Ceylon and cassia

Both come from trees of the Cinnamomum genus, but they are different species. Ceylon cinnamon comes from Cinnamomum verum, while cassia comes mainly from Cinnamomum cassia.

Visible in the stick. Ceylon cinnamon sticks consist of many thin layers of bark rolled together and can be crumbled. Cassia sticks are a single thick layer of bark rolled tightly into a hard stick.

The coumarin content. Coumarin is a natural flavoring substance that occurs in cassia cinnamon at a much higher concentration than in Ceylon cinnamon. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has defined a tolerable daily intake for this. Ceylon cinnamon has a many times lower coumarin content.

500 mg of Ceylon cinnamon powder per capsule. Ground bark, not concentrated, with no additional ingredients.

Cinnamomum verum: tree and harvest

The Ceylon cinnamon tree comes from Sri Lanka and South India. It is not the wood that is harvested, but the inner bark of young shoots. It is peeled by hand, and as it dries, the characteristic curls form.

The raw material for our capsules is certified in accordance with the EU organic regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture.

Organic cinnamon capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of two ingredients: organic Ceylon cinnamon powder and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorings. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Seven bitter herbs in one capsule

Bitter compounds have largely disappeared from the modern diet. Vegetables have been bred for mildness over decades. Vitalplant’s Bitter Complex brings together seven plants known for their bitter taste.

The seven plants

Turmeric extract, 80 mg, and dandelion, 80 mg. Turmeric is a ginger family plant; the rhizome is used. From dandelion, the whole herb is used, a member of the daisy family that grows in almost every meadow.

Artichoke extract, 50 mg, yarrow, 50 mg, and mugwort herb, 50 mg. All three belong to the daisy family. Mugwort is especially known in Central Europe as a seasoning for hearty roasts.

Hop cones, 33 mg, and centaury, 20 mg. Hops are commonly known as a beer ingredient, and their bitter compounds shape the taste. Centaury belongs to the gentian family, a group known for its pronounced bitterness.

At three capsules a day, this amounts to around 1,089 mg of plant substances.

Why plants taste bitter

Bitter compounds are no accident for the plant. They form as secondary plant substances and make leaves, roots, or flowers unattractive to herbivores. Chemically, they are very different groups of substances: sesquiterpene lactones in dandelion, bitter glycosides in centaury, alpha and beta acids in hops.

There are no approved health claims for the seven plant extracts. That is why we state the amount, plant part, and origin.

Bitter Complex capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of the seven plant ingredients and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.

Bromelain with 2,500 GDU in an enteric-coated capsule

Bromelain is not measured in milligrams, but in activity units. Vitalplant's Bromelain capsules provide 500 mg of bromelain from pineapple with a declared activity of 2,500 GDU.

What GDU means

GDU stands for Gelatin Digesting Units. The unit describes how much gelatin a certain amount of bromelain can break down under defined conditions. Bromelain is a mixture of enzymes, and with enzymes, weight alone tells you very little.

That is why the specification is crucial. Two products with 500 mg of bromelain each can differ significantly in activity. Without a GDU value, they cannot be compared.

Derived from pineapple. Bromelain is found mainly in the plant's stem, the hard core that remains after the fruit is processed. It is pressed, then the enzyme is isolated and dried.

Why the capsule is enteric-coated

Enzymes are proteins and are sensitive to acid. An enteric coating does not dissolve in the stomach, but only further along in the digestive tract.

Our capsule shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in combination with gellan, a plant-based gelling agent. This means it contains no animal gelatin and no synthetic coating.

Bromelain capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of bromelain and the enteric-coated capsule shell. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Apotheke.

200 mg Coenzyme Q10 with Vitamin C from PureWay-C

Coenzyme Q10 is a substance naturally produced by the body that is found in practically every cell. Vitalplant Coenzyme Q10 capsules provide 200 mg of ubiquinone per capsule, supplemented with vitamin C.

Ubiquinone and Ubiquinol

Coenzyme Q10 occurs in the body in two interconvertible forms: as ubiquinone and as ubiquinol. Our capsules contain ubiquinone, the oxidized and significantly more shelf-stable form. Ubiquinol is more sensitive to oxygen and light.

The name says where it occurs. Ubiquinone is derived from the Latin ubique, meaning everywhere. The substance was named for its wide distribution in living organisms.

95 mg vitamin C per capsule from 100 mg PureWay-C®, a vitamin C complex with citrus bioflavonoids. This corresponds to 120 percent of the Nutrient Reference Value.

What vitamin C does

Vitamin C contributes to reducing tiredness and fatigue and to protecting cells from oxidative stress. It contributes to the normal function of the nervous system and to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin and blood vessels.

There is no approved health claim for coenzyme Q10 itself. We therefore specify it with amount and form, without any performance claims. All statements about vitamin C are listed in the EU Register of approved health claims.

Coenzyme Q10 capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of three ingredients: coenzyme Q10, PureWay-C®, and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no release agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.