How much do you know about chickpea sprout extract (equorol)?

What are chickpeas?

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) are the world's second most important legume crop, hailed as the "King of Beans" due to their exceptional nutritional value. They are annual or perennial herbaceous plants belonging to the genus *Cicer* in the family Fabaceae, and are cultivated in most provinces of northern China. Chickpeas are drought-tolerant, tolerant of poor soil, and do not have special requirements for sunlight. Chickpeas have three main uses. Nutritionally, they contain 18-28% high-quality plant protein; 28-35% low glycemic index (GI); abundant minerals and vitamins; 4-6% dietary fiber; and all six essential nutrients for humans, as well as various health benefits such as cholesterol control and prevention of type 2 diabetes. They are used as a supplementary grain and functional food.

What is plant-derived equorol?

Xi’an Hihealth Bio extracts plant-derived equorol from chickpeas. So, what is plant-derived equorol? Equol is the end product of daidzein, a soy isoflavone, metabolized by gut microbiota and belongs to the class of phytoestrogens. Its molecular structure is highly similar to human estrogen, but its activity is milder. Equol exists in two isomers, S-equol and R-equol. S-equol has a higher affinity for the estrogen receptor ERβ and is the main form in which it exerts its biological activity. It has been reported that only about 30-50% of Asian populations (compared to about 20-30% in Western populations) can naturally produce it. Although it can be converted into equol through food, the conversion rate is very low, with an effectiveness of less than 1%. Therefore, obtaining equol through dietary supplements is necessary. The unique value of equol lies in: high biological activity: its affinity for estrogen receptors is more than 100 times that of soy isoflavone precursors; dual regulatory effect: it possesses both estrogen-like and anti-estrogen-like activities, exhibiting selective regulatory functions.

The Relationship Between Equol and Soy Isoflavones

Soy Isoflavones: Natural products, flavonoid compounds; mainly found in legumes (soybeans, chickpeas, etc.); low bioavailability, requiring intestinal hydrolysis for absorption.Equol: Non-natural product, produced by the hydrolysis of soy isoflavones by intestinal microorganisms; high absorption rate, directly absorbed by the intestines; highly active, exhibiting highly selective agonistic effects on estrogen receptor β (ERβ).

Multiple Health Benefits of Equol

Menopausal "Cooling": Mimics the effects of estrogen, effectively reducing menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, and delaying ovarian aging.

Bone "Strengthening": Promotes bone formation, inhibits bone resorption, maintains bone density, and prevents osteoporosis.

Youth "Preservative": Powerful free radical scavenger, antioxidant, delays skin aging, and maintains skin elasticity and radiance.

Vascular "Cleanser": Regulates lipid metabolism, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, and protects cardiovascular health.

 Why choose chickpea sprouting for extraction

Studies show that the isoflavone content of chickpeas changes significantly during the sprouting process. The total isoflavone content increases 91 times after chickpea sprouting. The isoflavone content in chickpea sprouts is 4.65 times that of black bean sprouts. High purity: s-equol content ≥5%, far higher than ordinary foods; Natural source: Extracted by microbial fermentation, without organic solvents, safe and without side effects. Scientific formulation: Optimized sprouting and fermentation processes ensure maximum active ingredients and easy absorption. Easy to apply: Powder form, easy to add to various foods and health products. Currently, there are three main methods for producing equol on the market. 1: Chemical synthesis method: Using soy isoflavones (such as daidzein) or other benzene ring derivatives as starting materials, equol is prepared through multi-step chemical reactions (such as hydrogenation, chiral synthesis, etc.). Advantages: Mature technology, enabling large-scale, low-cost production, currently the mainstream in the market. Disadvantages: Potential organic solvent residue issues, not meeting consumers' pursuit of the "natural" label; 2: Microbial fermentation/biotransformation method: Utilizing screened high-yield estrol-producing strains (such as lactic acid bacteria, Clostridium, etc.), targeted biotransformation is carried out in fermenters using daidzein and other substances as substrates. This is currently the mainstream direction in R&D and the high-end market. Advantages: Can be claimed as "natural fermentation" and "biotransformation," more popular in the market. Production process is consistent, with no harmful chemical residues. Disadvantages: High requirements for strain cultivation, long fermentation cycle, relatively high cost, and yield and stability are technical barriers. 3: Enzymatic conversion: Easier process control, high product purity.

As a manufacturer possessing microencapsulation powder technology, liposome technology, and nanotechnology, our factory（Xi’an Hihealth Biotechnology Co.,Ltd） has ISO, FSSC, HACCP, Hala, Kosher, and other qualifications. We have stable production, traceable sources, overseas sales experience, and cooperation with partners worldwide. You should choose us. It is predicted that the global market size of estrol raw materials will surge from US$120 million to US$580 million between 2024 and 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 30.5%. The growth rate in the Chinese market is even more rapid, and the market size is expected to exceed RMB 1.5 billion in 2027. The industry is shifting from a "hormone replacement" model to a new paradigm of "precise receptor regulation".

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