Nutritional And Anti-Diabetic Properties of Cookies Supplemented with Processed Vitex Doniana Leaf

Abstract

This study investigated the potential of supplementing wheat flour with processed Vitex doniana leaf flour in the production of cookies and the prospect of utilizing the cookies as functional food. Cookies were formulated using dried and fermented Vitex doniana leaf in the ratio of 1:1. This include; the control, cookies with 100 g of wheat flour and no Vitex doniana leaf flour (WLC1), cookies with 95 g of wheat flour + 5 g Vitex doniana leaf flour (WLC2), cookies made with 90 g of wheat flour +10 g Vitex doniana leaf flour (WLC3), and cookies formulated with 85 g of wheat flour +15 g Vitex doniana leaf flour (WLC4). The physical and chemical properties, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities along with the glycemic index of the Vitex doniana leaf flour and wheat-Vitex doniana cookies produced were investigated. The cookies produced with 85 g of wheat flour +15 g Vitex doniana leaf flour had the highest protein (23.03%), fibre (6.46%), ash (33.3%) and fat content (29.80%) compared to the other formulated cookies. The cookies also demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect against α-amylase (19.8%-38.0%) and α-glucosidase (42.0%-76.0%) enzymes both of which are linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, the incorporation of the processed Vitex doniana leaf flour in the cookies brought about a significant reduction in the glycemic index of the formulated cookies. In conclusion the results obtained in this study suggests that the supplementation of wheat flour with Vitex doniana leaf flour in the production of cookies could be contemplated as a functional food.