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

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