Enhancing blood glucose regulation and antioxidant activity in high-protein, high-fiber composite cookies: A study of whole-wheat, sweet potato, peanut, and rice bran incorporation

• Chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypercholesterolemia arise from oxidative stress. • Composite flour cookies from locally grown crops improve multifunctional properties to anti-oxidative stress-related diabetic factors in vitro. • Dietary use of composite flours boosts bioactivity in vitro , reducing biomarkers of DM-related hypercholesterolemia in vivo . • Results from in vitro and in vivo antioxidants in cookies enhance anti-diabetic effects and liver function. • The most effective bioactive component is cookie product from whole wheat (37.50 %), sweet potato (37.50 %), rice bran (5 %) and groundnut (20 %) flour blends. This study examined how high protein-fibre cookies from whole wheat, sweet potato, rice bran and peanut composite flours reduced high blood sugars through its endogenous antioxidants. The crops were individually processed while their different flour blends were formulated as samples 1–3 whereas the 100 % whole wheat and 100 % all-purpose flours served as controls 1 and 2, respectively before baking to cookies. The in vitro and in vivo antioxidants, blood sugar reducing and liver function indices of the streptozotocin induced rats were examined. The in vitro antioxidants of the cookies were 60–78 % when compared to the common antioxidant, ascorbic acid (80 %). Further result showed that the streptozotocin-induced rats fed with experimental diets exhibited a significant ( p < 0.05) spontaneous and greater reduction in high blood sugar level when compared to the streptozotocin group. Besides, the rats fed with cookie samples 1–3 showed better endogenous antioxidants activities (∼20 mmol H 2 O 2 /mg protein) that inhibited free radical production in the body. However, the diets had the reduced activities of the enzymes that have been implicated in the rats’ liver malfunctioning. Hence, the current cookies exhibited the potential functions of good antioxidant and anti-diabetic agents, which could be exploited in the management of diabetic health issues.