Development of a Functional Cookie Formulated with Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) IM Johnst) and Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus)

Chaya and amaranth are Mexican traditional foods with a high nutritional value. Many studies have demonstrated the individual beneficial effect of each. However, there is no evidence of the use of these foods on the formulation of functional foods. This study evaluated the effect of replacing 5-20% of wheat flour with chaya and amaranth flours to generate four different formulations of cookies. Proximal analysis, total polyphenols and oxalate content, antioxidant activity, fatty acid profile, and sensory analysis were performed on the cookies. The results of the chemical composition showed that all cookies have a high protein content (9.21-10.10%), an adequate amount of fiber (5.34-6.63%), and a balanced ratio of unsaturated-saturated fatty acids (70:20), and they contain PUFAs (50.4-53.2 g/100 g of fatty acids), especially alpha-linolenic and oleic acids. All formulations presented antioxidant activity (2540 +/- 65.9 to 4867 +/- 61.7 Trolox equivalents (mu moles/100 g)) and polyphenols (328-790 mg/100 g); in particular, quercetin was identified in their composition. Results of the sensory analysis indicated that incorporation of chaya and amaranth flour in cookies does not affect the acceptability of the products. The inclusion of traditional foods, such as chaya and amaranth, in cookies enhances their nutritional value and increases the content of bioactive compounds associated with health effects.

Automated summary

Chaya and amaranth are Mexican traditional foods with high nutritional value. This study evaluated the effect of using chaya and amaranth flours to make cookies. The results showed that the cookies had high protein content, adequate fiber, balanced unsaturated-saturated fatty acids, and abundant antioxidant activity and polyphenols.