Plants contain natural antioxidants in the form of essential oils and extracts. You can obtain extracts from various sources such as vegetables, spices, herbs, and fruits using different extraction processes. You can add plant extracts to beverages, supplements, and foods to enhance the taste and flavor. How can you Infuse Plant Extract into Food?
Infusing Plant Extracts into Fresh Meat and Other Meat Products
Meat products are susceptible to reactions from oxidation due to their composition. Most of these oxidation reactions involve the degradation of lipids. Adding antioxidants to fresh meat and meat products will help preserve the quality of these products. Antioxidants add numerous health benefits to meat products.
Plant extracts from spices, herbs, fruits, and vegetables can be used to decrease lipid and prevent protein oxidation in meat products. Infusing plant extracts into fresh meat products helps avoid temperature’s effect on antioxidant properties. Applying plant extracts to fresh meat products helps maintain their organoleptic characteristics. The plant extracts help delay the deterioration of the meat products, thus extending the shelf life of the meat products.
Plant extracts with high natural antioxidants are used as marinades to add flavor to the meat.
Application of Plant Extracts In Beverages
Plants extracts have various health properties such as improving skin health, providing relaxation, and boosting the immune system. These specific health benefits are related to their application in beverages. Plant extracts are added to soft drinks for wellness and general health.
Tea extracts such as mate, damiana, berry extracts, and green tea are added to yogurt drinks. Exotic varieties such as coriander, lemongrass, and papaya are used widely in dairy applications.
Use of Plant Extracts In Baking
Plant extracts are gaining popularity in baking. Extracts from plants such as seaweed are added to bread products. Plant extracts from baobab and berries are used in baking cookies. Some more popular plant extracts such as cinnamon and caraway are commonly used in various bakery products.
Plant extracts are being used in the manufacturing of chocolate. Spicy extracts such as ginger, anis, chili, and saffron are added to the production of chocolate. Extracts of popular plants such as peppermint, chamomile, thyme, and sage are widely used to manufacture herbal sweets.
Cooking with Plant Extracts
You can add plant extract such as CBD oil into your smoothie recipes. CBD oil is extracted mainly for medicinal purposes and used as a tincture. This strong infusion is made using alcohol. You can make various CBD edibles using CBD drops, which is an excellent way of nourishing your body. Try adding CBD extracts to your tea or coffee. You can also add CBD oil to your baked products for great results. However, the high heat exposure during baking may reduce the oil’s effectiveness. Remember to stick to recipes that bake for less time. Another best alternative to consuming CBD in food is by adding it to non-baked items such as homemade sauce and protein bites.
Once you have a quality CBD product, remember these key points when using it.
- Avoid placing the CBD oil directly over the heat. High exposure to direct heat may change the composition of the CBD oil and make it less effective. You can sprinkle the oil on your plate of vegetables instead of adding it to the pan.
- Consider using CBD oil with another cooking oil. Your body can easily absorb CBD and other fats such as coconut oil or avocado. The CBD oil is fat-soluble and mixing it with other oil increases its effectiveness.
- Be cautious when mixing CBD with alcohol. Do not drive after enjoying your CBD-infused meal with a cocktail of your favorite alcohol drink. You should not use CBD when taking your regular medications.
- Start low and gently increase the quantity. Do not add significant amounts to your food when starting off using CBD. Start low and gradually increase the quantity. You can increase the quantity until you notice the specific benefits you are looking for.
Many consumers are looking for products with natural ingredients and products with added health benefits to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Plant extracts play an important role in providing functional properties. Plant extracts are being used more in the food segment due to their various functional benefits and the fact that they are natural.