DEVELOPMENT OF STEVIA BASED ASEEL DATE JAM FORTIFICATION WITH FLAX SEED TO STUDY ITS EFFECT ON HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Lately, much attention has been focused on potential health benefits of low calorie foods. Both type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are widespread chronic diseases that affect a great portion of the population. Dates are cultivated all over the world and Egypt is the largest producer of dates. Pakistan is 5 th largest producer and 5 th largest exporter of dates worldwide. Dates promote heart health,  reduce inflammation, improve sleep, offset anemia, encourage weight gain, induce calm and satisfy your sweet tooth and lower cholesterol. Dates contain main ingredients carbohydrates, dietary fiber, enzymes, protein, fat, minerals, vitamins, phenolic acids and carotenoids. Stevia is a non-caloric sweetener and nearly 300 times more sweetener than other sweetener. In this study, sugar was replaced with stevia in date jam and flax seeds were added as functional ingredient due to health promoting effects in case of hypertension. Firstly, ingredients were purchased and date jam was made by washing, depitting, cutting, heating, blending, and again heating and then filling and storing. During this process, ingredients were added which includes preservatives, acidulants, stabilizers etc. Sensory evaluations and proximate analysis were done after preparation of flax seeds containing stevia date jam. In date jam, the protein was 1%, carbohydrates were 60%, fat was almost negligible, ash was 2.1%, fiber was 6.5% and at the end of research, effects of flax seed containing stevia date jam on hypertension was checked by sphygmomanometer and it was significantly reduced.