Sayas-Barberá Estrella, Paredes Concepción, Salgado-Ramos Manuel, Pallarés Noelia, Ferrer Emilia, Navarro-Rodríguez de Vera Casilda, Pérez-Álvarez José Ángel
Instituto de Investigación en Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, EPS-Orihuela, Ctra. Beniel km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain.
Nutrition 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, Spain.
Foods. 2023 Dec 29;13(1):129. doi: 10.3390/foods13010129.
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.
加工食品中添加糖的当前水平会影响牙齿健康，并导致一系列慢性非传染性疾病，如超重、肥胖、代谢综合征、2型糖尿病和心血管疾病。本综述介绍了食品加工中使用的糖类和甜味剂，目前替代添加糖的可能性，并强调了将椰枣作为合成甜味剂和非营养性甜味剂的新型天然、营养且健康替代品的益处。在环境可持续性方面，棕榈林为多种动物物种提供了适宜的栖息地，并通过为当地社区提供食物和生计发挥着关键的社会作用。现有文献表明，椰枣因其宏量和微量营养素的组成，特别是生物活性成分（纤维、多酚和矿物质），可作为添加糖的替代品。因此，椰枣被视为健康促进剂和某些疾病的预防手段，从而具有附加价值。由于保质期有限，使用受损或滞销的椰枣可以减少损失并提高枣椰树种植的可持续性。本综述表明，根据更广泛的可持续性目标和循环经济原则，椰枣、枣副产品和二等品质椰枣在生产甜味和更健康食品方面具有作为糖替代品的潜在用途。
