The sleep elixir is the result of more than a year of R&D. In order to give you more information about our formula, we share our expertise on CBD and adaptogenic plants.
What are the differences between hemp varieties?
There is a wide variety of hemp more or less concentrated in cannabinoids, so-called wellness, therapeutic or recreational hemp.
- THC, known to the general public as a drug, is a cannabinoid which has psychotropic effects, that is to say hallucinogenic and euphoric properties with a risk of toxicity and dependence.
- Unlike its cousin THC, CBD is a cannabinoid which has no psychotropic effect and presents no risk of addiction. It acts in the opposite direction by calming the nervous system, pain and even insomnia.
Good news, by selecting the right variety of hemp, it is possible to benefit from all the benefits of CBD, without the risk of the presence of THC and therefore without psychotropic effects! 
What is broad spectrum CBD?
The varieties of hemp used to extract CBD are all composed of cannabinoids or terpenes, active substances which give CBD all its properties. The extraction process will allow these molecules to be extracted from hemp to form an extract concentrated in active substances. Unlike a full spectrum CBD extract, a broad spectrum extract contains a synergy of cannabinoids and terpenes without containing psychotropic substances, such as THC. It thus allows you to combine efficiency and safety!
CBD, a simple fashion phenomenon or a real help in the field of well-being?
The properties of cannabinoids are very varied and those of CBD are the most studied so far. It is touted as a natural remedy for many of our modern ailments. Its relaxing, anti-stress, pain-relieving and sedative properties are increasingly demonstrated in scientific literature.
It is involved in many physiological phenomena, and all without dependence:
- Anti-stress and anxiolytic properties which help combat stress by inhibiting the overproduction of cortisol and acting on serotonin receptors;
- Very interesting analgesic properties in cases of pain, particularly in cases of chronic pain such as premenstrual syndrome;
- Anti-inflammatory action on the joints in cases of arthritis and on the intestine in cases of Crohn's disease;
- Sedative and relaxing properties useful in cases of problems falling asleep or regular nocturnal awakenings;
- Promising treatment in cases of cancer, whether to reduce the side effects caused by chemotherapy (pain or nausea) or to limit the proliferation of tumor cells;
- Neuroprotective effect which helps prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.
Alves P. et al. Cannabis sativa: much more beyond Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Pharmacological Research. 157 (2020).
Babson KA et al. Cannabis, cannabinoids, and sleep: a review of the literature. Curr Psyshiatry Rep (2017). p.19-23.
Are all forms of CBD the same? Which form of CBD should you choose to hope to have the best possible bioavailability?
As a reminder, bioavailability represents the speed and rate of absorption of the active substance into the bloodstream. When a product administered directly into the veins has a bioavailability of 100%, ordinary CBD oil has a bioavailability of 10 to 20%.
Indeed, CBD is an oily substance so its absorption by the body is low, its action time is longer and its effectiveness is lower.
Good news, the human body being made up of 60% water, water-soluble CBD offers much better bioavailability. In fact, the body no longer needs to transform it before assimilating it. It is then much better absorbed by the body and increases its effectiveness tenfold. By encapsulating CBD in hydrophilic molecules, CBD will be able to dissolve in the gastrointestinal fluid and be optimally absorbed by the body. This is an innovation that is worth the detour!
To boost the effectiveness of our Sleep Elixir, we have therefore chosen to make our CBD water-soluble by encapsulating it in gum arabic, a natural gum from acacia. It is one of the most studied solutions today.
Here is a picture of the difference between the bioavailability of ordinary CBD and CBD encapsulated in acacia gum, used in Sleep Elixir: encapsulated CBD is up to 2.5 times more concentrated in the body and 4 times faster than CBD in oil form.
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The first and only French red ginseng: between innovation and Korean tradition The fruit of 9 years of research and development in the field and in the laboratory, it's time to raise the curtain for the only French red ginseng! But then, who is this new kid joining our “Energy” range? What is the difference with white ginseng that some people already know and consume? |
The first and only French red ginseng: between innovation and Korean tradition
The fruit of 9 years of research and development in the field and in the laboratory, it's time to raise the curtain for the only French red ginseng! But then, who is this new kid joining our “Energy” range? What is the difference with white ginseng that some people already know and consume?
More and more of you are asking us : What plant is it? Is it a variety with red roots? Is the harvest age higher? Is it really more effective than white ginseng or red ginseng extract which comes from Korea or China? And we understand you!
Today it is difficult to disentangle the false from the true as the information found on the web is dense and heterogeneous. But what could be more serious than the words of a French producer who cherishes his plants and studies their development cycle for 9 years now?
It has already been 9 years since we launched this magnificent adventure, and we have succeeded in overcoming agricultural standards to meet the physiological needs of this plant with its energizing and stimulating properties.
18 months that “Jardins d’Occitanie” was born to offer you 100% French natural products from seed to food supplement (and not just “processed and/or packaged in France, we insist).
Yes, real “made in France”, without tongue in cheek!
So, to celebrate this new French innovation, we wanted to break down preconceived ideas and share with you all our agronomic knowledge as well as the results of our long years of research thanks to our GINS'SIA program (supported by the Occitanie region).
Today, we tell you everything about the real differences between white ginseng and red ginseng to help you make your conscious choice.
[1] “There are two types of roots: a white one for white ginseng and a red one for red ginseng”
> THIS IS FALSE
Red ginseng and white ginseng come from the same species of plant: Panax ginseng CA Meyer. Every year, in October, ginseng roots are harvested from our fields. They are then washed and dehydrated at low temperature to remove the water and allow better preservation of their active ingredients.
The roots are then crushed under controlled conditions to obtain a fine powder of small particle size (less than 300um).
To obtain red ginseng, the complexity increases! Before drying, the roots benefit from a natural treatment from traditional Korean methods . 4 specific parameters are then combined: temperature, pressure, humidity and pH.
The ginseng roots then take on the brownish or reddish color that characterizes them. Hence the name “red ginseng”.
[2] “To obtain quality white ginseng, the harvest must be done at 4 years of age, and at 6 years for red ginseng”
> THIS IS FALSE
In the food supplement market, many unscrupulous sellers do not bother to mention the age of the roots (nor the level of ginsenosides on their products or on the contrary use these characteristics, often erroneous, to drive up prices)!
Our studies of the plant and its development cycle have made it possible to validate the optimal age for root harvesting: 6 years. Yes, it really takes 6 years to obtain quality ginseng, rich in ginsenosides (active ingredients in ginseng). Above or below, the level of active ingredients is lower.
In order to guarantee the effectiveness of all our food supplements, we did not wish to offer any variation in the age of the harvests. From 6 years of age for all our products, that's it – so that our plants really give you the best of themselves.
[3] “Red ginseng is more energizing than white ginseng”
> IT’S TRUE
Used for thousands of years in Chinese pharmacopoeia, the reputation of red ginseng is well established. Even if white ginseng and red ginseng have similar virtues because they come from the same plant (the Panax ginseng CA Meyer), the effectiveness of red ginseng is however potentiated.
It's actually very simple: the transformation process used improves the bioavailability of the plant's active molecules. Red ginseng then allows better absorption of ginsenosides by the body . In fact, our research and development allowed us to demonstrate that the assimilation time of red ginseng was up to 2 times faster than that of white ginseng!
You wonder why ? It's scientifically proven!
Explanations
The active ingredients of ginseng are called “ginsenosides” , a family of saponins and are not naturally present in our body. There are more than 150 identified in the different tissues of the plant.
If we look in detail at the structure or skeleton of a ginsenoside, it is composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen atoms (hydroxyl group). Sugars are also linked to this skeleton .
During digestion, certain ginsenosides are transformed by the stomach to create new molecules of the same family. The latter, and more particularly the ginsenosides named F2, CK, Rh1, F1, Rg3 and Rh2, are highly assimilable by the body. We even find their traces during blood tests!
The assimilation of ginsenosides by our body: a journey in several stages
The first one is carried out by your stomach which releases part of the sugars attached to the ginsenosides: new ginsenosides appear, others disappear and the total carbohydrate content increases!
To facilitate the assimilation of red ginseng by the body, this first work is already carried out by the natural treatment of the roots. When the molecules of red ginseng arrive in your stomach, they are already freed of a very large part of their natural sugars. The stomach is therefore less stressed and the ginsenosides arrive much more quickly in the intestine!
Second step : The bacteria of the intestinal microflora complete the separation of sugars with ginsenosides! The transformation of the active ingredients is now complete!
For red ginseng, already separated from the majority of grafted sugars, the time required for this step is divided by 2.
The third step assimilation by the body can then begin! Ginsenosides migrate into the blood through the intestinal wall. They enter the bloodstream and act on your body.
This process of assimilation of ginsenosides lasts several hours. Depending on the individual, it can last from 2 hours to more than 10 hours! This mechanism justifies the use of ginseng in a cycle of several days to give the body time to accumulate the active ingredients.
The duration of doses is generally recommended for 20 to 90 days!
[4] “White ginseng is the most natural way to consume ginseng”
> IT'S TRUE!
Yes, because more than 150 ginsenosides are left in their natural state by dehydration at low temperatures which preserves them intact. So they have their own natural balance!
We often tend to reduce the plant to an active ingredient or an indication. This forgets that a plant contains hundreds of compounds acting in synergy on our bodies ! In herbal medicine, this is what we call the “totality” of the plant : all of its active ingredients are more effective than the addition of the activity of each isolated active ingredient!
In other words: 1 + 1 = 3... and even more!
Especially for ginseng, an adaptogenic plant, which has a very important molecular richness at the origin of its numerous properties.
The process used to obtain red ginseng also retains this totum but modifies the molecular structure of existing ginsenosides to make them more bio-assimilable by the body, more stimulating.
Our white and red ginseng powders remain natural products without extracts (preserved totum), without adjuvants, without preservatives, without colorings, without added sugars and are naturally gluten-free.
Our plants are grown under French agricultural regulations, the strictest in the world, and subject to the specifications of French organic farming (in organic conversion).
[5] “Ginseng grown in Korea is more effective than ginseng grown in France”
> THIS IS FALSE!
The species that we cultivate in France, the Panax ginseng CA Meyer is the same species as that cultivated in Korea and China.
Thanks to our R&D, we have succeeded in understanding the pedoclimatic needs of our plants to allow them optimal development in the ground. In France, we are lucky to find dozens of different climates and soil types. This diversity allowed us to select optimal production locations and define suitable cultivation routes.
Producing in France also means having to comply with the strictest regulatory framework in the world (where Asian regulations are more flexible in terms of pesticides – whether the products are labeled Organic Agriculture or not).
Result : a plant that finds its right balance in a healthy environment and a natural production context (manual and mechanical weeding, crop rotations, integrated pest management, etc.). Traced and secure products which display a ginsenoside content up to 4 times higher than other products on the market.
[6] “Red ginseng extract is recognized as more effective than powders”
> THIS IS FALSE!
The ginseng that we find on the market today is often presented in “extract” form and the use of this technique is far from trivial.
Plant extraction consists of separating the ginsenosides (active ingredients of ginseng) from the fibrous tissues of the plant (cell membrane) using liquid solvents. And with this technique, the risk of contamination exists!
Indeed, the extraction technique brings together all molecules with similar physical characteristics. Pesticide molecules and heavy metals can therefore be part of it…. Finally, it also happens that traces of solvents are found in the final product or in the plant material after treatment.
Another limit not to be neglected: the loss of the totality of the plant! For ginseng, it is often the 8 main ginsenosides that are extracted. Which is a shame when we know the molecular richness of the plant!
Red ginseng extract is therefore not more effective than powders which do not undergo any chemical treatment and represent the form closest to the plant in its natural state!
Conclusion
White and red ginseng powders are both excellent natural products to improve your well-being, your cognitive functions, your physical performance, your immunity, and to provide you with energizing and antioxidant effects.
The choice is yours now 😊
Do not hesitate to call us if you wish to discuss your needs with us before placing an order, our team is at your disposal on 09 72 62 84 34 or by email contact@jardins-occitanie.fr