Thilakavathy S. ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore - 641 043, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

Medicinal plants serve as an alternative medicine to allopathy as they are cheaper and have no side effects. In Ayurveda research, mango tree and its parts have many medicinal properties. Mango tree and its leaves and fruits has properties like anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. Phenolic constituents like caffeic acid, polyphenols like mangiferr in and gallic acid, flavonoids and volatile compounds are present in mango leaves. The objectives of the study are to develop and standardize mango leaves incorporated health mix, analyze the nutrient content and determine the glycemic index. The ingredients selected for health mix were wheat, barley, foxtail millet, green gram dhal, roasted Bengal gram dhal, groundnut and almonds. Five variations of health mix were prepared and it was made as porridge and evaluated. Fresh mango leaves was washed, dried and powdered. The powder was incorporated into the health mix at 10, 20 and 30 per cent level. Porridge was prepared with three variations and it was evaluated for its acceptability. Health mix incorporated with mango leaves powder at 10 and 20 per cent was highly acceptable while 30 per cent incorporation had a bitter taste and not acceptable. Nutrient analysis was carried out for the standard and the acceptable health mix. Glycemic index of the health mix and mango leaf powder incorporated health mix was determined. Due to the presence of fibre in mango leaf incorporated health mix, glycemic index was low when compared to standard health mix.

Keywords

Medicinal Plants, Mangiferr In, Phenolic Constituents, Millets, Glycemic Index, Anti Inflammatory.

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Udhaya Geetha S. ¹, Thilakavathy S. ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore - 641 043
2 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore - 641 043, IN

Abstract

With increase in diabetes and non communicable diseases and changing diet and lifestyles, it is essential to realize food anthropology. Millets plays an important role in human health. It is low calorie and has easily digestible components. Millets are small seeded grasses that are tough and grow well in dry zones as rain-fed crops, under marginal conditions of soil fertility and moisture in semi dry tropic area. They are highly nutritious, non-glutinous and not acid forming foods. Millets release lesser percentage of glucose compared to rice. Intake of fiber and antioxidant rich millets may promote the human health. In addition to millets, mango leaves have antioxidant properties and control the degenerative diseases like diabetes mellitus, asthma and so forth. The present study aims to utilize the mango leaves and millets to improve human health. The objective of the study is to develop healthy diet including millets, pulses and nuts. Some easily available millets, pulses and nuts were selected to formulate health mix. Mango leaves powder was incorporated in health mix in the ratio of 5, 10 and 15%. The acceptability trial was conducted organoleptically to standardize the health mix. Nutrient present in standardized health mix incorporated with mango leaves powder was analysed. The formulated health mix was prepared as porridge to evaluate the acceptability. Based on the organoleptic evaluation 5% of mango leaves powder incorporated health mix was highly acceptable. Nutrient analysis showed that standardized health mix with mango leaves powder was rich in macronutrients and micronutrients. The study reveals that easily available and low cost millets, pulses have more nutritional properties. There is need to propagate traditional millet based recipes with value addition phytonutrient rich leaves like mango.

Keywords

Millets, Mango Leaves Powder, Health Mix, Phytonutrient, Sensory Evaluation, Macro and Micronutrients.

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