Antioxidant and Sensory Properties of Herbal Teas Formulated from Dried Moringa (Moringa Stenopetala) and Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni) Leaves

Herbal teas are gaining popularity and acceptance due to their sensory and health benefits. The demand for moringa tea currently increased in Ethiopia due to its nutritional and medicinal values. However, using moringa alone is difficult due to its poor sensory appeal and adding sugar to enhance the sensory has implications for health. The purpose of this study was to optimize the sensory properties (taste and aroma) of formulated herbal teas in addition to evaluating the antioxidant properties of the formulated herbal tea from dried moringa and stevia leaves. Seven moringa-based herbal teas were brewed with stevia ranging from 0 to 35% with five-level (5) and compared for their sensory and antioxidant properties. The moringa tea infusion and commercial green tea were considered as control. The results of sensory analysis showed that herbal tea brewed with 20-35% stevia in the formulation results in  higher sweetness compared to 100%-moringa and green tea. Herbal tea brewed with 20-35% stevia in the formulation results in the highest in antioxidant (DPPH scavenging capacity, ferric reducing power and total antioxidant activities) values comparable to 100%-moringa. This study provides evidence that adding stevia to moringa improves the sensory and antioxidant properties without compromising its health-promoting compounds. Keywords: Moringa, stevia, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, herbal tea, sensory, herbal infusion. DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/102-01 Publication date: November 30 th 2020