Santhan Ponnutheerthagiri

Ponsanthan Botanicals Private Limited, India

Abstract Title:

A study on the importance cookies(Biscuits) made with herbal ingredients

Biography:

Dr Santhan is a senior botanist, Plant taxonomist spent 3 decades in the industrial research and development centres of India. He maintains Herbarium, medicinal aromatic plant garden, working as a consultant to several organizations. He published books on Medicinal and aromatic plants, and Microscopy of popular botanicals. He involves in Ecology and Biodiversity survey activities. Currently he is concentrating on developing herbal biscuits and teas.

Research Interests:

Cookies are essential food stuff for this hectic human life. Origin of biscuits is several centuries ago, right from Mogul rule. Biscuits have long shelf life, tastier and healthy. It is used as a staple food during long journey. It is a ready to eat (ready to serve)product. When more sugar, fat and refined wheat flour added it became a restricted food for elders. Nowadays herbal and millet biscuits come to market. Millets( Kodo millet, Fox millet, Pearl millet, Little millet, Finger millet, Jowar, maize, Wheat, Barley), Pulses(Green gram, Black gram, Chick pea); spices such as black pepper, Cumin, Ajwain, Clove, Cinnamon, Cardamom,Nutmug, Fenugreek etc. and small amount of salt are used in the cookies. Besides there are patents and research article about the the usages of medicinal herbs like Ashwaganda (Withania somnifera), joy weed(Alternanthera sessilis), drumstick leaves(Moringa oleifera), Liquorice(Glycyrrhiza glabra), Brahmi(Centella asiatica), Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)etc in the Biscuits. They have fibres, proteins and good quality HDL cholesterol. The biscuit market is an ever growing strong market both in the domestic and internationally.Youth community and people involved in physical activities prefer food habits without restrictions. On the other hand people involved in sedentary work habits and aged people more conscious about their food intake.Herbal biscuits with millets and spices are open to all, who ever used to it will consume regularly. Medicinal plants have galactagogue properties, adaptogenic and anti-stress properties etc. In the the present study Cynodon dactylon, holy Durva grass , Aloe vera gel, Liquorice are added in the millet cookies. Preparations are made with sugar and without sugar. Both are tastes well. It may be considered as one of the super foods.