A complex rich in proteins and xanthophylls

Among plant complexes, CAE is one of the richest in proteins and is an exceptional source of natural pigments.

Quantities of proteins and amino acids

CAE is very rich in proteins and its amino acid content is well balanced. It contains substantial quantities of essential amino acids as shown by the comparative profile with FAO recommendations for human dietary requirements. CAE provides not only excellent sources of lysine and sulfur amino acids, but is also rich in tryptophan and threonine in comparison to other protein sources.

Quantities of pigments

• Chlorophyll is the major pigment involved in photosynthesis. It is present in the photoreceptor systems of the chloroplasts of plant cells and plays an essential role in harnessing solar energy. It imparts the green color to plants and to CAE, a property used in the pet food industry.
• Xanthophylls are yellow to orange pigments, associated with chlorophyll. Some, such as carotene, have vitamin A activity. Xanthophylls are absorbed and bound to varying extents by animals and are used to enrich and/or color a variety of food products. CAE contains the pigments found in alfalfa leaves, primarily carotene and lutein. Other xanthophylls in alfalfa present in lower quantities are zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and neoxanthin.

A source of iron, vitamins and ω3 fatty acids

In addition to the principal nutrients and pigments, CAE is an important source of:

• iron, whose elevated bioavailability combined with high carotene levels improves the quality of bovine meat (red color of the meat and yellow fat),
• natural vitamins, including vitamin E whose antioxidant capacity is reinforced by the presence of carotenoids such as violaxanthin.
• unsaturated ω6, and above all ω3 fatty acids.