Blessed Thistle Extract Powder

The spiny, hairy aerial parts of Cnicus benedictus, the blessed or holy thistle of Mediterranean Europe, supply this blessed thistle extract, with the root and seed left out. Water extraction concentrates the soluble herb fraction, and the liquor is dried into a light brown powder that disperses in water.

The grade is a 10:1 ratio extract at 80 mesh, with no marker percentage. No standardized extract, powder or isolated compound of this species is listed alongside it, so this ratio extract is the single blessed thistle ingredient, with no declared bitter-principle or lignan figure.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0223 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Capsules & Tablets, Leaf & Herb, Plant Extracts, Sports Nutrition, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Cnicus benedictus Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Cnicus benedictus L., an annual thistle-like herb of the Asteraceae family, a plant now placed by some databases under Centaurea benedicta. The part used is the aerial portion: leaves, stems and flowering heads cut above ground. Roots and seed are not part of this ingredient.

The common name is the main hazard. Blessed thistle, also called holy thistle, is not milk thistle, which is Silybum marianum and a different plant with a different seed-based supply chain. It is also unrelated to the cotton thistle and the ornamental thistles of the genus Cirsium.

Blessed thistle herb carries a bitter sesquiterpene lactone called cnicin, together with lignans, flavonoids and tannins.

Blessed thistle herb is easy to recognize in the dried state by its coarse, prickly, whitish-hairy leaves, which is a physical identity check that precedes any extraction.

What 10:1 Means for Blessed Thistle

A 10:1 ratio records how much blessed thistle herb went into the extract. It is not a content figure for cnicin, lignans or tannins, and no such figure is attached to this product. Because the ratio only expresses concentration, the herb part and the water medium matter just as much.

Cnicin is a bitter principle that dissolves only moderately in water and is easily degraded by heat and moisture, so the bitterness of a dried water extract reflects processing as much as the plant. Blessed thistle extract is therefore described by its identity and handling profile and not by a bitter-principle number. The bitterness is an inherent trait of the herb and not a flaw to be corrected.

The cut dried herb is also sold for infusions, and that coarse herbal cut is not a dispersible extract.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Cnicus benedictus
Plant Part	Leaf & Herb
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Blessed Thistle (Holy Thistle)
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Application Areas

Bitter Herbal Drink Mixes

Blessed thistle extract belongs in herbal drink mixes with citrus, mint or ginger flavors that cover its pronounced bitterness. It disperses to a hazy tan-brown cup, and a sweet or fruity base is needed to make the taste acceptable. Instant mixes keep the extract suspended best with a dispersible carrier in the base.

Two-Piece Capsule Lots

Blessed thistle extract is filled into two-piece capsules with a flow aid in the mix. Because it is bitter, capsules keep the taste off the tongue, and disintegration is worth testing on the finished fill since the powder disperses without dissolving. Fill weight deserves an early check as well.

Film-Coated Tablet Cores

Blessed thistle extract is dry-blended with microcrystalline cellulose and a disintegrant before pressing. A film coat hides both the bitter taste and the light brown tone of the core, and tablet packs with desiccant guard against humidity, which would otherwise raise the bitterness.

Dry-Mix Sachets

Sachets pair the extract with a dispersible carrier and a sweetener. A matched particle size avoids sifting of the dense brown powder, and a dry filling room keeps the herb extract free-flowing as the seal closes, with a sweetener making the taste tolerable.

Formulation Notes

The powder is light brown with a faint herbal, hay-like aroma and a strongly bitter taste. In water the powder forms a hazy tan dispersion with a faint sediment on standing.

The bitter principle is heat and moisture sensitive, so add the extract late in warm processes and keep the powder in sealed packs. Hopper bridging is avoided by premixing blessed thistle extract with a free-flowing carrier. After opening, reseal the liner at each draw, because a damp herb extract cakes, darkens and tastes more bitter.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.