Chemical and Nutritional Composition of Tejate, a Traditional Maize and Cacao Beverage from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

Foam-topped cacao and maize beverages have a long history in Mesoamerica. Tejate is such a beverage found primarily in the Zapotec region of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. Historically tejate has been ceremonially important but also as an essential staple, especially during periods of hard fieldwork. However, the nutritional contribution of traditional foods such as tejate has not been investigated. We analyzed tejate samples from three Central Valley communities, vendors in urban Oaxaca markets and one migrant vendor in California, USA for their proximate composition, amino acid content and scores, and mineral and methylxanthine content. Nutritional and chemical variation exists among tejate recipes, however, the beverage is a source of energy, fat, methylxanthines, K, Fe and other minerals although their availability due to presence of phytates remains to be determined. Tejate is a source of protein comparable to an equal serving size of tortillas, with protein quality similarly limited in both. Tejate provides the nutritional benefits of maize, and some additional ones, in a form appealing during hot periods of intense work, and year round because of its cultural significance. Its substitution by sodas and other high glycemic beverages may have negative nutritional, health and cultural consequences.

Maize races on functional and nutritional quality of tejate: A maize-cacao beverage

“…3). Similar products Sotelo et al(2012). containing gelatinized high-amylose starch and lipids were reported by several authors (Dudasek et al, 1985;Wursch & Roulet, 1992;Yuan & Rudie, 2001), which are believed to be in the form of complexes, as seen by X-ray diffraction and confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the present study.…”

“…Regarding energy, most of the caloric content comes from maize, and since the formulation of tejate has only 6 g/100 g of cacao this gives about 20 kcal/100 g mainly from lipids ( Table 2). The present data agrees with the reported data of tejate except that the relatively higher values found may be due to the sugar added to sample and the different factors used (Sotelo et al 2012). Part of the lipids and carbohydrates from maize and cacao are in the form of amylose-lipid complexes that are resistant to enzymatic attack and relatively high temperatures (90 e130 C).…”

“…Figueroa, Acero, and Quezada (2008) reported that tortillas provided 368 mg of the daily requirement of Ca, where the tortilla consumption is about 325 g/day. Other authors have reported that tejate, in the quantities typically consumed in Oaxaca (2 servings of 237 mL each), the protein, minerals and energy contributions of tejate can be comparable to that of tortillas nixtamalized with lime (Sotelo et al, 2012). Indeed, a study comparing the properties of maize treated with lime vs. wood ash found that ash-nixtamalized maize contains 14.4 times the level of Fe, 15.0 times the level of Zn, twice as much Mg and 8.4 times K (Pappa, Palacios, & Bressani, 2010).…”

“…Tejate showed about 2 g/100 g higher protein, 1 g/100 g higher ash and 7 g/100 g higher lipids than the counterpart maize samples. Some authors have indicated that pixtle and rosita de cacao are ingredients used exclusively in the preparation of tejate (Sotelo, Soleri, Wacher, S anchez-Chinchillas, & Argote, 2012). Tejate is one component of the maize-centered dietary traditions of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico.…”

“…This beverage likely played a special role in local diets either replacing or complementing the nutritional contributions of other maize foods and their accompaniments. Indeed, in the quantities typically consumed, the protein and energy contributions of tejate can be comparable to that of maize tortillas (Sotelo et al 2012). Regarding energy, most of the caloric content comes from maize, and since the formulation of tejate has only 6 g/100 g of cacao this gives about 20 kcal/100 g mainly from lipids ( Table 2).…”