Hetox essence preserves health benefits of heart leaf

Heart leaf (Houttuynia cordata), also known as fish mint, fish leaf, rainbow plant, chameleon plant, fish wort, is mainly grown in Asian countries like India, China, Japan, and Thailand. In Vietnam, it grows wild, often in moist soil, and is used for food or medicinal purposes.

Heart leaf is quite easy to grow so it can be eaten daily both raw and cooked. Its root, the most eaten part, is soft and crispy, with a mildly fishy taste. Branches and leaves are used in salad, stir-fries, pickled or processed drinks like tea and wine, and is beneficial for health. The whole plant is used as ingredients in traditional Vietnamese medicines.

Products of the essence of heart leaf and stevia. Photo by Hetox.

Nowadays, instead of directly preparing heart leaf, consumers can use Hetox essence of Isito Food Co., Ltd. to save time and effort. The company successfully produced Hetox heart leaf essence using advanced hydrolysis technology and an exclusive closed process, which preserves the rich active components inherent in the vegetable while also helping the medicinal extract be quickly absorbed by the body.

Fresh ingredients are delivered to the factory, washed, sliced and dried for 24 to 36 hours. The dried material is then extracted by hydrolysis using ethanol (food alcohol) for eight hours to recover the best pharmaceutical properties and remove remaining impurities through refinery.

The alcohol will be completely removed when clean, concentrated water added in a vacuum concentrator with a temperature maintained at 55 - 60 degrees Celsius for about 24 hours, ensuring the color and taste of the essence remains its best. This liquid will be collected for suspension for about 36 hours and then filtered once more using a specialized filter.

It is then concentrated in a vacuum pot for about 24 hours to obtain a liquid at 50 percent Brix (degrees Brix is the index of solids dissolved in water: one kilo of this drying liquid needs 0,5 kilos of soluble herbal powder).

The heart leaf garden of Isito Food Co., Ltd. Photo by Hetox.

Before establishing Isito Food Co., Ltd in 2018, CEO Truong The Tien had gained experience in researching, producing and trading heart leaf products. Tien discovered organic acid compounds in heart leaf not only add a delicious sour taste but also creates an environment that protects the product from being damaged by microorganisms and mold. These beneficial acids prevent the absorption of sugar in the body, lowering the risk of obesity, diabetes and some stomach diseases.

Following dietary trends, the company has used stevia leaves with its delicious sourness from the essence of heart leaf. In addition, Hetox branded drink also features the natural aroma from high-grade fruit essences imported from a reputable factory in France.

Use of heart leaf

Hetox essence of lettuce contains amino acids, antioxidants, alkaloids, flavonoids, essential oils and precious active ingredients that support hormonal balance, clear and beautiful skin; body purification, liver and alcohol detoxification. It also supports the treatment of hemorrhoids, constipation, reduce the risk of fever, lower blood pressure and strokes.

During his 11-year-journey pursuing herbal drinks, CEO Truong The Tien had suffered numerous failures, but persisted with the project. He hopes to soon dominate the domestic market and export internationally.

In the next three years, Tien hopes Hetox herbal essence brands, including heart leaf essence, Noni fruit essence, herbal coffee essence, celery essence and herbal hair care essence would access over 1 million users in the domestic market. The CEO plans to open branches in Singapore, South Korea, Germany and the U.S.

The company donated Hetox essence products to Covid frontline workers. Photo by Hetox.