Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners?
The current levels of added sugars in processed foods impact dental health and contribute to a range of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This review presents sugars and sweeteners used in food processing...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/1/129 |
| _version_ | 1797358814128766976 |
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| author | Estrella Sayas-Barberá Concepción Paredes Manuel Salgado-Ramos Noelia Pallarés Emilia Ferrer Casilda Navarro-Rodríguez de Vera José Ángel Pérez-Álvarez |
| author_facet | Estrella Sayas-Barberá Concepción Paredes Manuel Salgado-Ramos Noelia Pallarés Emilia Ferrer Casilda Navarro-Rodríguez de Vera José Ángel Pérez-Álvarez |
| author_sort | Estrella Sayas-Barberá |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current levels of added sugars in processed foods impact dental health and contribute to a range of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This review presents sugars and sweeteners used in food processing, the current possibility to replace added sugars, and highlights the benefits of using dates as a new natural, nutritious and healthy alternative to synthetic and non-nutritive sweeteners. In the context of environmental sustainability, palm groves afford a propitious habitat for a diverse array of animal species and assume a pivotal social role by contributing to the provisioning of sustenance and livelihoods for local communities. The available literature shows the date as an alternative to added sugars due to its composition in macro and micronutrients, especially in bioactive components (fiber, polyphenols and minerals). Therefore, dates are presented as a health promoter and a preventative for certain diseases with the consequent added value. The use of damaged or unmarketable dates, due to its limited shelf life, can reduce losses and improve the sustainability of date palm cultivation. This review shows the potential use dates, date by-products and second quality dates as sugar substitutes in the production of sweet and healthier foods, in line with broader sustainability objectives and circular economy principles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:07:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-adedd2f973c1460b8e06d4561727e5ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:07:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-adedd2f973c1460b8e06d4561727e5ff2024-01-10T14:57:03ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582023-12-0113112910.3390/foods13010129Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners?Estrella Sayas-Barberá0Concepción Paredes1Manuel Salgado-Ramos2Noelia Pallarés3Emilia Ferrer4Casilda Navarro-Rodríguez de Vera5José Ángel Pérez-Álvarez6Instituto de Investigación en Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, EPS-Orihuela, Ctra. Beniel km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, SpainInstituto de Investigación en Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, EPS-Orihuela, Ctra. Beniel km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, SpainNutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de València, 46100 Burjassot, València, SpainNutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de València, 46100 Burjassot, València, SpainNutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de València, 46100 Burjassot, València, SpainInstituto de Investigación en Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, EPS-Orihuela, Ctra. Beniel km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, SpainInstituto de Investigación en Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, EPS-Orihuela, Ctra. Beniel km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, SpainThe current levels of added sugars in processed foods impact dental health and contribute to a range of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This review presents sugars and sweeteners used in food processing, the current possibility to replace added sugars, and highlights the benefits of using dates as a new natural, nutritious and healthy alternative to synthetic and non-nutritive sweeteners. In the context of environmental sustainability, palm groves afford a propitious habitat for a diverse array of animal species and assume a pivotal social role by contributing to the provisioning of sustenance and livelihoods for local communities. The available literature shows the date as an alternative to added sugars due to its composition in macro and micronutrients, especially in bioactive components (fiber, polyphenols and minerals). Therefore, dates are presented as a health promoter and a preventative for certain diseases with the consequent added value. The use of damaged or unmarketable dates, due to its limited shelf life, can reduce losses and improve the sustainability of date palm cultivation. This review shows the potential use dates, date by-products and second quality dates as sugar substitutes in the production of sweet and healthier foods, in line with broader sustainability objectives and circular economy principles.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/1/129<i>Phoenix dactylifera</i>datessugarsweetenerssugar reductionalternative sweetener |
| spellingShingle | Estrella Sayas-Barberá Concepción Paredes Manuel Salgado-Ramos Noelia Pallarés Emilia Ferrer Casilda Navarro-Rodríguez de Vera José Ángel Pérez-Álvarez Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners? Foods <i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> dates sugar sweeteners sugar reduction alternative sweetener |
| title | Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners? |
| title_full | Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners? |
| title_fullStr | Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners? |
| title_short | Approaches to Enhance Sugar Content in Foods: Is the Date Palm Fruit a Natural Alternative to Sweeteners? |
| title_sort | approaches to enhance sugar content in foods is the date palm fruit a natural alternative to sweeteners |
| topic | <i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> dates sugar sweeteners sugar reduction alternative sweetener |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/1/129 |
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