Nutritional, Physicochemical and Organoleptic Evaluation of Low Calorie Muffins Using Natural Sweetener Stevia ( Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni)

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) natural, safe, non-toxic, non-caloric sugar substitute can be used in the preparation of different food products for diabetes and weight maintaining approaches. In the current study, low calorie muffins were prepared by the substitution of dried stevia leaves powder with sucrose at different levels (25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0%) as sugar substitute and investigated their nutritional, physicochemical and organoleptic properties. The results demonstrated that stevia is rich source of crude protein (14.87 ± 0.10%), fiber (9.65 ± 0.19 %), K (22000 ± 96.65 ppm), Ca (13300 ± 74.22 ppm), Mg (4500 ± 32.22 ppm), P (3200 ± 23.12 ppm), total phenols (20.3 ± 0.15 (mg GAE/g), total flavonoids (14.32 ± 0.09 mg Catechin/g) and has strong DPPH activity (58.24 ± 0.30 mg Trolox/g). Addition of stevia leaves powder significantly increased the nutritional profile (chemical, mineral and antioxidant properties) of stevia muffins except carbohydrates from T1 to T4. Furthermore, stevia leaves powder notably affected the physicochemical (diameter, thickness, spread factor, firmness, springiness and color) and organoleptic parameters (color, flavor, texture, taste, appearances and overall acceptability) of all the treatments. Muffins with 25:75% (stevia: sucrose) were most liked by judges. Conclusively, stevia could be used as natural sweetener in food products.