Biology and Life Sciences Forum (Sep 2023)
Mistol-Based Vegan Beverages for a Healthy Diet
Abstract
The fruit of Sarcomphalus mistol (Griseb.) is from the Great American Chaco, an important wild food resource. However, its composition and potential uses are unknown to a large part of the population. In this work, two mistol and peanuts-based products were prepared (a toasted mistol product “mistol coffee” and a mistol-peanuts-based vegan beverage), and its nutritional value and antioxidant potential was investigated. The chemical composition, total phenolics compounds (TPCs), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the two products were analyzed on a dry basis with AOAC, Folin–Ciocalteu, and ABTS+ radical inhibition methods, respectively. The toasted mistol product was high in dietary fiber (51.89 ± 0.65 g/100 g) and TPC (2729 ± 362 mgGAE/100 g), which was consistent with the observed high TAC (307 ± 14 mM TEAC/g). Minerals found in the toasted mistol product were mainly calcium and magnesium. The mistol-peanut-based vegan beverage presented 12.67 g/100 g of dry extract, and its main nutritional contributions are carbohydrates (8.16 ± 1.05 g/100 g db), lipids (2.33 ± 0.29 g/100 g db), magnesium (10.34 ± 1.40 mg/100 g db), and polyphenols (345 ± 4.58 mg GAE/100 g db) in agreement with their TAC in the lyophilized product (17.6 ± 5.25 mM/TEAC/g db). These products can be used according to their observed nutritional value and antioxidant potential as foods with healthy properties, especially for vegan populations.
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