Alternative Sweeteners Modify the Urinary Excretion of Flavanones Metabolites Ingested through a New Maqui-Berry Beverage

Abstract

Dietary sugar has been largely related to the onset of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, among others. The growing awareness on the close relationship between the dietary habits and this health disturbance has encouraged the development of new beverages using alternative sweeteners that could contribute to combat the above referred pathophysiological disorders. To gain further insight into this issue, the present work, upon an acute dietary intervention, evaluated the urinary excretion of flavanones ingested through polyphenols-rich beverages composed of maqui berry and citrus, with the aim of establishing the highest urinary excretion rate and metabolite profiles. The functional beverages evaluated were supplemented with a range of sweeteners including sucrose (natural and high caloric), stevia (natural and non-caloric), and sucralose (artificial and non-caloric) as an approach that would allow reducing the intake of sugars and provide bioactive phenolics (flavanones). The juices developed were ingested by volunteers (n = 20) and the resulting flavanones and their phase II metabolites in urine were analyzed by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography ElectroSpray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS). A total of 16 metabolites were detected: eriodyctiol, naringenin, and homoeriodyctiol derivatives, where peak concentrations were attained 3.5 h after beverage intake. Sucralose and stevia were the sweeteners that provided the highest urinary excretion for most compounds. Sucrose did not provide a remarkable higher elimination through urine of any compounds in comparison with sucralose or stevia. These results propose two alternative sweeteners to sucrose (sucralose and stevia), an overused, high caloric sweetener that promotes some metabolic diseases.

Stevia vs. Sucrose: Influence on the Phytochemical Content of a Citrus–Maqui Beverage—A Shelf Life Study

“…Maqui powder was mixed with citrus juices (lemon juice mixed with other citrus in a certain proportion, in order to reduce acidity and obtain a more acceptable beverage) to obtain the base drink [23,24]. After, sweeteners were added in different proportions, stevia 4 mg per 100 mL and sucrose 7.5 g per 100 mL, in order to give the same sweet acceptance (tested by an informal consumer panel).…”

Beverages Based on Second Quality Citrus Fruits and Maqui Berry, a Source of Bioactive (Poly)phenols: Sorting Out Urine Metabolites upon a Longitudinal Study

“…Despite this controversy, upon a study carried out by Ribas-Agusti et al [ 12 ], positive interactions between sucrose and phenolic compounds have been suggested, which would inform on the relevance of sugar for establishing the actual (poly)phenols bioavailability. This fact has been partially explored by Agulló et al [ 13 , 14 ], who reported stevia and sucralose as valuable alternatives to sucrose, in terms of bioavailability of phenolic compounds after an acute administration of a (poly)phenol-rich beverage. In this regard, the long-term intervention study described in the present work provides helpful information to augment the knowledge about the effect of stevia and sucralose on human health after long-term ingestion.…”

“…On the other hand, citrus fruits are featured by an outstanding flavanone content, with naringenin, eriocitrin, and hesperidin being the most representative flavanones in these fruits. This composition has prompted the selection of, mainly lemon plus other, citrus fruits to design and develop new bioactive beverages [ 8 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Indeed, the phenolic composition described for citrus fruits has been associated with health benefits against cardiovascular disease, cancer, type II diabetes mellitus, and obesity [ 15 , 16 ].…”

Ameliorating Effects of Delphinol®, Anthocyanin Standardized Maqui Berry Extract, on Skin Brightness and Redness in Japanese Females: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study

“…The dark purple fruit is high in anthocyanins [1], including delphinidin glycosides and cyanidin glycosides [2], and exhibits excellent anti-oxidant activity [3], which can protect food from oxidation [4]. It is not only consumed as fresh fruit, but also as processed foods including liquors [5], beverages [6], and functional foods [7]. Recently, the amount of exported maqui berry products has increased.…”