Development of a new functional beverage formulation with positive effects on appetite control in weight management

Aim: This study was planned to develop new formulations in the field of food science and health by focusing on increasing the bioactive components of five different functional beverages (K, A, B, C, D) developed based on Rooibos, Gurmar, Karahindiba, Mate and Ginseng plants for appetite control in weight management. Materials and Methods: The physical, chemical, and sensory properties of functional beverage samples were systematically evaluated. Results: Drug C (10.78%) had the highest Brix value and drug K (0.24%) had the lowest total acid level. Drug D (78.36 mg GAE/100 mL) exhibited a strong antioxidant potential with the highest total phenolic content. The highest values for DPPH (34.12 µmol Trolox/mL), FRAP (39.80 µmol Trolox/mL), and ABTS (29.55 µmol Trolox/mL) capacities were determined in drug D; for CUPRAC activity, the highest value was determined in drug A (46.19 µmol Trolox/g). Drug D showed the highest performance in terms of alpha-amylase (34.45%) and alpha-glucosidase (30.11%) inhibition. Additionally, drug C (31.07% amylase inhibition and 27.98% alpha-glucosidase inhibition) exhibited strong inhibition due to the effect of Mate, while drug K had the lowest inhibition capacity for both enzymes. In terms of Fe, Ca, Mg, K, and Na minerals, drug D had the highest values (2.20 Fe, 46.59 Ca, 70.09 Mg, 167 K, 37.19 Na mg/L). Its high mineral content also supports the evaluation of drug D as a functional beverage. When sensory parameters were evaluated, drug B received the highest overall acceptability score (7.80) and stood out in certain parameters such as color and appearance (8.28) and taste (7.28). Conclusion: The findings demonstrated the superiority of drug D in terms of health-supporting components, while drug B led in consumer satisfaction with its favorable sensory properties. Furthermore, this study provided an important scientific basis for the development of new-generation functional beverages using other drugs compared to the control group.