26 pubs · 696 cites · h-index 12
Functional beverages enhanced antioxidant properties using rebaudioside-A, indicating a viable sugar alternative.
White raw rice (WR), red raw rice (RR), Basmati rice (BR), sago flour (SF), ulundu flour (Vigna mungo) (UF) and kitul flour (Caryota urens) (KF) were cooked with either water or coconut milk, followed by storage for 24 h under room (25C) and refrigerated (4C) temperatures. WR, RR and BR prepared with water had increased viscosities at both storage temperatures. Resistant starch contents decreased as follows: KF > UF > RR > SF > BR > WR. The hydrolysis and predicted glycemic indices decreased as follows, regardless of the cooking conditions: BR > WR > SF > RR > UF > KF. The highest total phenolics content (TPC), water- and oil-soluble Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORACw and ORACoil) values were observed when cooked with coconut milk. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in TPC, ORACw and ORACoil values were not observed between freshly prepared starches and their storage temperatures. Practical Applications The study serves as a platform for identifying starches which could be used for the development of therapeutic food in South Asia with a low glycemic index. The usage of an in vitro digestion model, instead of in vivo or clinical methods, is of importance given that the latter two methods are costly and time-consuming. Changes to properties such as total phenolics content and antioxidant activity are vital as well given their associated abilities of disease prevention. In addition, monitoring changes to viscosity is also of importance since it effects the sensory properties of food products. All starches studied in this paper are typically cooked using water or coconut milk. Thus, information pertaining to these two methods of cooking and the resulting changes to various physicochemical properties is of value when optimizing cooking conditions for health and wellness purposes.
Kombucha is a fermented beverage prepared from infusing tea leaves with a symbiotic association of bacteria and yeasts. While white sugar is the commonly known as energy source for this beverage, the usage of other sweeteners has not been studied. In this investigation, the following sweeteners were used for preparation of the Kombucha: Artificial sweetener – Aspartame, bees’ honey, brown sugar, white sugar, glucose, kitul palm honey (Caryota urens), palmyrah jaggery (Borassus flabellifer) and sucrose. The phenolic compounds and antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities were studied. Brown sugar, white sugar, glucose and sucrose were the most effective in producing high antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities. However, usage of bees’ honey, Caryota urens honey and palmyrah jaggery had not deterred the fermentation. Thus, although noteworthy changes to the antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities were not observed, they could be used as alternative low-cost sweeteners for the preparation of Kombucha. Practical Applications Kombucha is an herbal beverage with a multitude of therapeutic properties. It is traditionally prepared by fermenting sugared black tea with a consortium of bacteria and yeast. Whether the addition of sugar could be replaced with other types of sweeteners especially those which are abundantly available and in use as indigenous ingredients is an aspect worthy of pursuing. This study explored this aspect using bees’ honey, the jaggery of Borassus flabellifer and the honey from Caryota urens as well as an artificial sweetener – Aspartame. Although the fermentation process has been effectively carried out by the microbes, the functional properties such as antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities of the beverages were effected through substitution of sugar with these alternative sweetening agents. Thus, the study highlights that although indigenous sweetening agents may prove to be tempting as alternative sweeteners for the preparation of Kombucha, the therapeutic effects would be compromised.
Summary Enhancement of antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory properties of king coconut water when subjected to fermentation with the ‘tea fungus’ was evaluated. pH, colour, viscosity, ethanol content, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, ferulic and p‐coumaric acid contents and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities were analysed for 7 days in fermented and unfermented king coconut water samples. The fermented sample had a statistically significant decrease (P < 0.05) in pH. Colour values indicated the fermented beverage to increase in ‘yellowness’ over time. A statistically significant increase in the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity (P < 0.05) was observed from day 1 onwards in the fermented sample. The starch hydrolase inhibitory activities in the fermented beverage had statistically significantly increased (P < 0.05) by day 7. Overall, the study highlights an enhancement of the antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory properties of king coconut water as a result of the kombucha‐based fermentation.
The antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities and the polyphenol contents of three roasted coffee powders (fine-ground coffee – FGC, coarse-ground coffee – CGC and instant coffee – IC) were determined following fermentation by the Kombucha “tea fungus” for 7 days. A statistically significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the pH was observed in FGC from 5.0 to 4.1. The chlorogenic acid content statistically significantly increases (P < 0.05) in CGC and FGC with final values of 12.9 and 13.2 mg/L, respectively. The caffeic acid content showed statistically significant increases (P < 0.05) only in FGC with a final value of 28.4 mg/L. Statistically significant increases (P < 0.05) in both starch hydrolases were observed from day 5 onward in all three beverages. In conclusion, this study provided preliminary evidence on the enhancement of the antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory potential of coffee beverages through fermentation with the tea fungus. Practical Applications Coffee is a crop and beverage that has a commercial value throughout the world, which is second only to tea in terms of consumption. It has been evaluated to contain many therapeutic properties mostly owing to the presence of phenolic compounds. Microbial fermentation has been known to result in the enhancement of therapeutic properties in beverages containing phenolics. Thus, the objective of this study was to increase the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds of coffee, thereby enhancing its associated therapeutic properties. Kombucha “tea fungus”-based fermentation is well known to result in beverages that contain enhanced therapeutic properties without any additional ingredients required. The method is simple and can be applied in any domestic condition without a significant cost. Thus, the study highlights the product development of a fermented beverage, which can be prepared without any expenditure and contains significant therapeutic properties.
Diabetes mellitus is a major illness which has been implicated with numerous clinical manifestations. Herbal medicines have become a popular form of therapy for this disease and are now being engaged in complementary means together with the usual chemical or biochemical agents due to the fact that they are less toxic at recommended dosages than synthetic counterparts. Plants have the ability to synthesize phytochemicals of medicinal value and these products in turn can be used for therapeutic purposes especially in developing countries where resources are meagre. Costus speciosus and Coccinia grandis are plants which contain reservoirs of anti-diabetic effects as well as other medicinal properties. These plants have been known to demonstrate pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-dyslipidemic and anti-cancer. This review discusses the morphology of these two herbs, uses of these plants in medicinal practices, their traditional methods of administration and the bioactive compounds which have been identified to possess the anti-diabetic properties.
Functional foods have been identified as whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced products which have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. As consumer awareness on functional food escalates, the interest towards conducting scientific studies in this field has also proportionately increased. Many of the traditional food products are known to possess bioactive components, thus qualifying as functional food. Kombucha tea is produced by fermenting sugared black tea with a mixed culture of yeast and bacteria. Kombucha tea has gained immense popularity in recent times due to many associated health benefits. The therapeutic effects of this beverage are thought to be derived from the chemical composition of this beverage, mainly the polyphenols and secondary metabolites which are produced during fermentation. However, the safety aspects of the beverage also need to be taken into account when qualifying the beverage as a functional food. Nevertheless, Kombucha tea could be easily recognized as a beverage which is able to replace the consumption of carbonated beverages due to its possession of health benefits and therapeutic properties.
BACKGROUND: Eighteen edible plants were assessed for their antioxidant potential based on oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total phenolics, vitamin C content and various lipophilic antioxidants. The inhibitory activities of the plant extracts against the enzymatic activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase were also evaluated. RESULTS: The antioxidant and starch hydrolase activities of the plants varied widely across a single batch of analysis. The ORAC and DPPH radical scavenging EC50 values varied between 298 and 1984 Trolox equivalents g(-1) fresh weight and between 91 and 533 mg kg(-1) fresh weight, respectively. The total phenolics and vitamin C contents varied between 32 and 125 mg gallic acid equivalents g(-1) fresh weight and between 96 and 285 µg g(-1) fresh weight, respectively. All the plants contained neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and α- and β-carotene in varying amounts. Coccinia grandis, Asparagus racemosus, Costus speciosus, Amaranthus viridis and Annona muricata displayed the highest inhibitory activities against starch hydrolases. They were the most efficient against the breakdown of seven starches exposed to the two enzymes as well. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the edible plants were observed to display a high antioxidant potential with starch hydrolase inhibitory properties, which were beneficial in their being recognized as functional food.
The total antioxidant capacity of Pinus gerardania , or Chilgoza and the presence of antioxidant compounds which typically exist in pine nuts were quantified. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2, 2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radical cation scavenging assays were conducted on dichloromethane, ethanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, methanol and water extracts of Chilgoza. The water and dichloromethane extracts displayed the highest antioxidant activity across all assays. Antioxidant compounds such as gallocatechin, catechin, lutein, lycopene, caretenoids and tocopherols were present in all extracts. Gallocatechin had the highest presence out of all the compounds. Its amounts present in the water and dichloromethane extracts were 64.9 and 56.9 µg per gram fresh weight (µg/g), respectively. The total carotenoid contents in the water and dichloromethane extracts were 14.72 and 14.26 µg/g, respectively, while the total tocopherol contents were 1.05 and 2.53 µg/g, respectively.