Ishchenko Savelii, Złotek Urszula
Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna Str. 8, 20-704 Lublin, Poland.
Molecules. 2025 Aug 21;30(16):3449. doi: 10.3390/molecules30163449.
Herbs and spices are a rich source of bioactive compounds that exhibit multidirectional health-promoting effects. Their bioactivity is mainly related to the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, essential oils, alkaloids, tannins, saponins and other plant bioactive compounds. The potential of herbs and spices in preventing oxidative stress, inflammation, bacterial infections and metabolic disorders is increasingly highlighted in the scientific literature, making them a valuable addition to functional foods. Confectionery products belong to a group of food products characterised by high consumer acceptance due to their attractive sensory qualities. Unfortunately, despite high popularity, traditional confectionery mainly provides empty calories in the form of simple sugars and saturated fats while lacking valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals or bioactive compounds. This review focuses on the composition and bioactive properties of selected herbs and spices, presenting current knowledge on their potential use in the production of functional confectionery products.
草药和香料是生物活性化合物的丰富来源，具有多方面的促进健康作用。它们的生物活性主要与酚酸、黄酮类化合物、类胡萝卜素、精油、生物碱、单宁、皂苷和其他植物生物活性化合物的存在有关。科学文献越来越多地强调了草药和香料在预防氧化应激、炎症、细菌感染和代谢紊乱方面的潜力，使其成为功能性食品的宝贵添加物。糖果制品属于一类因其诱人的感官品质而受到消费者高度认可的食品。不幸的是，尽管传统糖果很受欢迎，但它主要以单糖和饱和脂肪的形式提供空热量，同时缺乏维生素、矿物质或生物活性化合物等有价值的营养素。本综述重点关注所选草药和香料的成分及生物活性特性，介绍它们在功能性糖果制品生产中潜在用途的现有知识。
