Development of yoghurt fortified with beetroot powder, dates powder and stevia and its physicochemical characterization

The rising prevalence of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular illness has intensified the public interest in functional foods that go beyond the basic nutrition. Low glycaemic index (GI) dairy products with natural, plant-based components have become an area of current interest. The present work is focused on the standardization of fortified yoghurt enriched with beetroot powder, stevia and dates powder. The ingredients are selected for their natural health benefits such as antioxidant properties, low calorie sweetener and colour enhancement. The formulation with 3% beetroot powder, 0.03% stevia and 2% dates powder exhibited excellent sensorial properties. The developed yoghurt recorded a slightly higher protein content (3.41%) compared to the control (3.12%). Total antioxidants and total phenolic content in functional yoghurt was found to be 23.71g and 4.61mg per 100 mL respectively against 8 g and 0 mg in control yoghurt. The dietary fibre in the fortified yoghurt was found to be 0.54% and had 3.41% protein and 0.99% minerals. The current research optimized the production of a diabetic-friendly traditional yoghurt.