Sceletium is an indigenous succulent “vygie” that contains active ingredients called mesembrine alkaloids. These alkaloids act as serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. Serotonin is the natural feel-good hormone in your brain, having higher amounts of serotonin present helps with anxiety and stress.
These plants belong to a protective species, Sceletium tortuosum and are not harvested in the wild, but cultivated on the farm in close proximity to a natural colony. The plants have been used for hundreds of years as a mood-uplifter, hunger suppression, and to help you focus. It also has mild analgesic properties (pain-relieving). Fokus does not contain any added chemicals and no pesticides or herbicides are used during the production. Sceletium is not addictive and does not have the same side-affects that some chemical pharmaceuticals have. Contact sales@middelplaas.com to order and for more information.
FOKUS is a product of the Klein Karoo and contains Karoo Honey and Sceletium (also known as Kougoed or Kanna). This succulent plant indigenous to South Africa is traditionally used as a mood-uplifter, to help with anxiety, depression and stress, to suppress hunger and as a mild pain reliever.
FOKUS is packaged in a convenient single dose snap-pack that can be consumed as is or with food or beverages. Recommended for athletes and anyone that needs a lift or has to FOKUS.
Certificates of Analysis (COAs)
We want to produce the best quality products that are safe without contaminants or any added chemicals.
We test the honey in FOKUS for authenticity as well as for pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). PAs are present in many plants and are toxic alkaloids. There are maximum allowed levels of them in food products, typically not more than a total of 0.5 mg/kg is allowed. One cannot tell a bee which flowers to visit, but one can test the honey to make sure that there are not too much of these compounds present that might be a health risk.
Unfortunately, there is a problem with adulteration of honey. Less expensive forms of sugars are added or sometimes normal sugar is heated and hydrolyzed to fructose and glucose. We know our honey is of excellent quality, but we had it tested to show it to our clients. HMF (hydroxy methyl furan) is a compound that forms when honey/sugar is heated and high levels of HMF is usually indicative that something is wrong. Pure honey should contain a higher amount of fructose than glucose and not a lot of oligosaccharides.
We test the Sceletium to determine the total mesembrine type alkaloids. These alkaloids are the active ingredients in FOKUS and we would like to always have the same amount in our product that is high enough for a positive effect, but not above the recommended daily amount.