INCORPORATION OF POLYHERBAL FORMULATION INTO THERAPEUTIC COOKIES FOR THE MANAGING DISORDERS OF CARBOHYDRATE AND LIPID DYSREGULATION : Polyherbal Cookies for Metabolic Syndrome Manageme

Abstract

The increasing consumer demand for health-promoting foods has intensified research on
functional ingredients with potential nutraceutical benefits. In the present investigation, a
polyherbal formulation (PF) was incorporated into cookies to develop a value-added
functional food with enhanced nutritional and therapeutic attributes. The PF comprised
Olea europaea (leaves), Momordica charantia (fruit), Enicostemma littorale (leaves),
Gymnema sylvestre (leaves), Cinnamomum zeylanicum (bark), Garcinia indica (fruit),
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (flower), and Emblica officinalis (fruit), selected based on their
documented hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties. The developed formulations
were subjected to proximate composition analysis following standard protocols, alongside
sensory evaluation using a hedonic scale. Incorporation of PF resulted in the enhancement
in protein and dietary fiber content, accompanied by a reduction in crude fat and available
carbohydrate fractions. These compositional modifications indicate improved nutritional
quality. Sensory attributes remained within acceptable limits across optimized
formulations, supporting consumer acceptability.
Overall, the findings substantiate the feasibility of incorporating polyherbal blends into
bakery products as a strategy for developing functional foods with potential applications in
the management of metabolic disorders. Such formulations also provide a platform for the
integration of traditional phyto-therapeutic knowledge into modern food systems