“Sikil pa'ak”: A proposed food from the Mayan biocultural cuisine for the prevention of metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Traditional dishes play an important role in the management of diseases linked to metabolic syndrome (MS). In this context, “sikil pa'ak” (SPK), a Mayan cuisine dish made of toasted pumpkin seeds (TPS), tomato sauce with coriander (TSC), and sour orange juice (SOJ), could stand out because of the nutritional and functional properties of its ingredients. This study evaluated the sensory, nutritional, bioactive content, and functional properties of SPK and its ingredients to determine its potential in managing MS. SPK showed a water activity of 1.00 ± 0.04 and color values L* 52.74 ± 0.72, a* 12.59 ± 0.29, b* 30.16 ± 0.67. Microbiological tests confirmed the absence of contaminants. Sensorially, the flavor was the most appreciated attribute, and 29.89% rated it as “I like it very much.” Nutritionally, SPK excelled with high protein, fiber, and lipid contents with values of 24.10, 15.82, and 41.22 g/100g, respectively. The ingredients that contributed most to the content of bioactive compounds in the SPK were TPS in total phenols (TPC: 169.64 μg/mg) and total flavonoids (TFC: 234.93 μg/mg), as well as SOJ in vitamin C (65.49 μg/mg), and TSC in β-carotene (21.12 μg/mg). SPK showed high antioxidant potential (ABTS assay: 53.27%). Although SPK had a moderate effect on lipase inhibition (15.89%) and clot lysis (11.46%), it had high inhibition of α-amylase (55.21%) and plasma recalcification time (507.34 s). The SPK was sensorially appreciated and high in nutrients and bioactive compounds, showing beneficial effects against MS, especially because of TPS and SOJ. This traditional dish could be beneficial for metabolic health.