Health evaluation of high nutritional value meals for school children

Abstract

This study was done to evaluate the safety and health value of five meals formulated for school children. The constituents used for formulation of these meals were a group of vegetables and legumes such as spinach, cauliflower, carrot, tomato, germinated broad beans, soybean, chickpea, peanut, sesame in addition to whey protein and wheat germ. The evaluation was done through a feeding experiment using rats. Growth parameters such as body weight, and food efficiency ratio proved the high nutritional value of these meals. Assessment of organs function showed that no change in the activities of AST, ALT and γ Glutamyl Transpeptidase occurred indicating normal liver function. The parameters of the kidney function namely the concentration of plasma uric acid, urea and creatinine were all having normal values indicating normal kidney function. The oxidation state of the body is in the positive state with normal activity of each of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase together with low value of plasma malondialdhyde. Rats fed on each of these meals had higher plasma total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and normal triglycerides. The significance of these findings was discussed the conclusion is that these meals are of high nutritional value, safe with regard to the liver and kidney functions, promote antioxidant defense against free radicals and with no serious hazards regarding lipid disorders. This makes such meals worth to be consumed by children alternate to fast food that can exert health problems.