Craft Beers made with Addition of Umbrian Legumes: Healthy and Nutritional Characterization

Abstract

Legumes are very rich in phytochemicals and in particular isoflavones. In this work we have developed techniques to get the brewing craft beers made with the addition of Umbrian legumes (chickling and lentils), to verify if the healthy and nutritional characteristic of these product change. The results obtained show that probably during the processes of cooking and fermentation a transfer of the biologically active substances from the “special ingredients” to the finished beer takes place. From healthy and nutritional characterization of the beers important results emerged: an interesting mineral profile and a large content of molecules with antioxidant activity like phenolic compounds (350–630 mg/L). It should also be noted that within the group of phenolic compounds present in these beers were also found interesting amount of isoflavones in particular genistin and daidzin, which in addition to being powerful antioxidants have other beneficial effects and therefore can act in the prevention of cancer, inflammatory, cardiovascular, postmenopausal, cognitive, and immune diseases.

Non-Alcoholic and Craft Beer Production and Challenges

“…Also, consumption of CB is perceived as an indication of social distinction and shows an affinity with a group united around this category of products [35]. The producers emphasize the typical and distinctive flavor of these products, due to the addition of fruits, herbs, and spices that can transform regular beer into specialty beer, together with other aroma ingredients and fermentable substrates [51,64]. Above all the ingredients mentioned, hops are without a doubt the most used and the driven force of most craft breweries.…”

Craft beer: An overview

“…Isoflavones are powerful antioxidants and are also able to prevent cancer and other diseases (inflammatory, cardiovascular, postmenopausal, etc.) (Luneia, Zannoli, Farchioni, Sensidoni, & Luneia, 2018). It is known that beer is a source of folate, vitamin B6, and the already cited vitamin B12, compounds involved in the metabolic pathways of homocysteine, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.…”

Functional Foods and Their Implications for Health Promotion

“…A similar study investigated the addition of legumes (spelt, chickling, and lentils) to various malts to determine which beer had the greatest phenolic and antioxidant content of the beer. In this study lentil and chickling-containing beers seemed to exhibit more favorable properties potentially due to higher isoflavones (Luneia et al, 2018). Paiva et al (2021 have reviewed various noncereal adjuncts that may beneficially affect the antioxidant properties of beers.…”