Glutathione’s Astringent Taste Masked Completely

A shallow wooden bowl interrupts the composition on a cool blue-white background. This cropped view intersects three edges of the image, drawing the viewer closer to the bowl's contents. In the natural bowl resides around fifty white capsules that look like generic supplements. The clear gel capsule encases a white powder, with hints of yellow and gray in the highlights and shadows. The pills are randomly in the bowl, but the arrangement does not feel chaotic.

Bites from the Bench™: L-Glutathione showed up on our bench, and our Food Scientists quickly masked the astringent taste. With .2% liquid TruClear™ stirred in, the negative taste was gone, and the overall taste profile improved.

What is L-Glutathione?

L-Glutathione, also known as Glutathione Reduced, is an antioxidant found in fungi, animals, plants, and some species of bacteria. It is composed mostly of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine, and cysteine [1]. 

What does Glutathione help with?

This antioxidant is capable of preventing damage to important cellular components caused by many sources. These sources include but are not limited to: free radicals, heavy metals, peroxides, and reactive oxygen species [2]. In addition, researchers demonstrated that glutathione can help with weight management and insulin resistance in older individuals [3]. Another study indicated that glutathione can be used to improve mobility in patients with peripheral artery disease [4]. This powerful antioxidant has many additional health benefits, and is not just limited to the ones mentioned previously.

How does one take Glutathione?

While it is naturally produced by the body, one could take it orally. Typically it is available in capsule or liquid forms [1], but one can find it in powdered forms as well. As with many ingredients that are amino acid based, it can be bitter or even off-putting to the palate. To help improve the taste of products containing L-glutathione, a bitter blocker is crucial to masking that flavor. 

What does Glutathione taste like?

TastesNatural™ tested a powdered Glutathione Reduced used in supplements. The control of the glutathione powder dissolved in water had a sharp, earthy taste at the finish. Bench work with TruClear™ liquid completely masked the astringent taste at .2%. The process of adding TruClear™ to the blend involved dropping the measured liquid bitter blocker into the blend and then thoroughly stirring. The masking effect of TruClear™ bitter blocker on glutathione was tasted immediately. 

 

References

  1. Whelan, Corey. “Glutathione Benefits for Your Health and Body.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 18 Sept. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/glutathione-benefits#glutathione-benefits. 
  2. Pompella, Alfonso, et al. “The Changing Faces of Glutathione, a Cellular Protagonist.” Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 66, no. 8, 2003, pp. 1499–1503., https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-2952(03)00504-5.
  3. Kobayashi, Hironori, et al. “Dysregulated Glutathione Metabolism Links to Impaired Insulin Action in Adipocytes.” American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 296, no. 6, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.90921.2008. 
  4. Arosio, Enrico, et al. “Effect of Glutathione Infusion on Leg Arterial Circulation, Cutaneous Microcirculation, and Pain-Free Walking Distance in Patients with Peripheral Obstructive Arterial Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, vol. 77, no. 8, 2002, pp. 754–759., https://doi.org/10.4065/77.8.754.

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