Drink powder

Abstract

To provide a drink powder that allows convenient compensation for inadequate vegetable consumption with no sense of resistance.SOLUTION: A drink powder according to the present invention comprises a sweetener powder containing inulin and a tea extract powder obtained by extracting tea components.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage powder. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a powder for green juice obtained by granulating a mixture of powder of whole green vegetables and freeze-dried concentrated juice of green vegetables.

[0003] Such green juice powder can easily make up for a lack of vegetable intake by simply dissolving it in water or the like and drinking it. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-086311 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, the amount of vegetables consumed by Japanese people has been declining year by year, and children's dislike of vegetables has become a particular problem. For this reason, there is a need for the development of a product that allows even children to easily and comfortably supplement their inadequate vegetable intake.

[0006] However, conventional green juice powders such as those described in Patent Document 1 have a distinctive bitter and astringent taste, which causes many people to feel reluctant to drink them, and there have been problems such as children who dislike vegetables refusing to drink them.

[0007] The present invention provides a powdered drink that can easily and comfortably supplement insufficient vegetable intake. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The beverage powder of the present invention comprises a sweetener powder containing inulin and a tea extract powder obtained by extracting tea components.

[0009] Preferably, the inulin is sugar cane-derived inulin.

[0010] Preferably, the tea extract powder is barley tea extract powder.

[0011] Preferably, it contains at least one of a plant extract powder and a vegetable powder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, even children who dislike vegetables can easily and without any resistance make up for their lack of vegetable intake, despite the relatively simple configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0014] <Composition of powdered beverages> The beverage powder according to this embodiment is composed of a sweet ingredient powder and a tea extract powder. The beverage powder according to the present invention is sufficient as long as it contains at least the sweet ingredient powder and tea extract powder described above, and may also contain other powders, such as a plant extract powder containing plant vitamins and minerals, or a vegetable powder containing the nutritional value of vegetables. The following description will be given on the assumption that the powders constituting the beverage powder include the sweet ingredient powder, tea extract powder, plant extract powder, and vegetable powder described above.

[0015] (sweetener powder) The sweet ingredient powder according to this embodiment is a powder containing inulin.

[0016] Inulin is a water-soluble dietary fiber found in vegetables such as Jerusalem artichoke. It has the effect of improving the absorption rate of calcium and minerals, suppressing the rise in blood sugar and cholesterol levels after meals, and also has an intestinal regulating effect by increasing bifidobacteria in the intestines and improving intestinal flora.

[0017] Such sweetener powders can be made by adding inulin to various sugar-based sweeteners or non-sugar-based sweeteners, but it is also possible to use a sweetener powder made from sugarcane. In the latter case, there is no need to add inulin or additives separately, and the natural sweetness of sugarcane can be obtained, which makes it possible to simplify the manufacturing process. As the latter sweetener powder, for example, Fuji FF by Fuji Nippon Seito Co., Ltd. can be used, as will be described later.

[0018] Here we will explain the amount of vegetables you should consume per day. According to "Healthy Japan 21 (Second Edition)" published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, in order to prevent lifestyle-related diseases and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that people consume at least 350g of vegetables per day. For the sake of convenience, the recommended amount of vegetable intake will be referred to as the "recommended vegetable intake amount" below.

[0019] If we convert this to the dietary fiber contained in vegetables, lettuce has 1.1g of dietary fiber per 100g (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Food Composition Database). Therefore, if you eat 350g of this, you can consume 3.85g of dietary fiber. In other words, this value of 3.85g of dietary fiber can be viewed as the recommended amount of dietary fiber to be consumed per day (hereinafter referred to as the "recommended dietary fiber intake").

[0020] The "350g" value recommended by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare mentioned above is for people aged 10 and over, so if we calculate the "recommended vegetable intake amount" for people under that age based on the "Food composition of four food groups by age, gender and physical activity level" published by the Japan Women's University of Nutrition, we get the following: Ages 3-5: 240g Ages 6-7: 270g

[0021] Therefore, the "recommended dietary fiber intake" for children under 10 years old is: Ages 3-5: 2.64g ((240g / 350g) x 3.85g) Ages 6-7: 2.97g ((270g / 350g) x 3.85g) This means that...

[0022] For example, if the inulin content of a sweetener powder is 90%, then simply consuming 4.3g of the sweetener powder will meet the recommended dietary fiber intake for all ages (4.3g x 0.9 = 3.87g).

[0023] (Tea extract powder) The tea extract powder according to this embodiment is a powder made from tea components extracted or the like.

[0024] Such tea extract powders can be powdered versions of commercially available teas such as barley tea, green tea, Job's tears tea, brown rice tea, black tea, etc. When the drinking powder according to this embodiment is also intended for young children (e.g., 3 to 7 years old), it is preferable to use caffeine-free barley tea extract powder from the viewpoint of ensuring safe and comfortable drinking.

[0025] In this embodiment, the beverage powder contains tea extract powder as well as sweet ingredient powder, so it is possible to provide a sweet tea-based beverage by dissolving it in water, etc. Therefore, the beverage powder according to this embodiment can be readily consumed by even young children, allowing them to naturally ingest dietary fiber, which is often lacking in dietary fiber.

[0026] (Plant extract powder) The plant extract powder according to this embodiment is a powder made from plant-derived vitamin and mineral components extracted from various fruits, seeds, leaves, etc.

[0027] The plant extract powder may be made from one type of fruit, seed, leaf, etc., or may be a mixture of multiple fruits, seeds, leaves, etc. Examples of such fruits, seeds, leaves, etc. that can be used include, but are not limited to, amla fruit (Phyllanthus emblica), holy basil leaves (Ocimum sanctum), lemon peel (Citrus limon), curry tree leaves (Murraya koenigii), and guava leaves (Psidium guajava).

[0028] By adding such plant extract powder to a beverage powder, it becomes possible to easily ingest not only the dietary fiber described above, but also vitamins such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, and vitamin C, and minerals such as potassium, calcium, selenium, copper, iron, and zinc.

[0029] (vegetable powder) The vegetable powder according to this embodiment is, for example, a powder of several kinds of dried vegetables.

[0030] The vegetable powder may be a single type of dried vegetable, or a mixture of multiple dried vegetables. Examples of such dried vegetables include, but are not limited to, angelica tree (Ashitaba), sweet potato (Amacha), peas, young barley leaves, okra, pumpkin, mulberry leaves, kale, burdock, komatsuna (Japanese mustard greens), sweet potato, taro, shiitake mushroom, sudachi (Japanese citrus fruit), radish, chimpi (Chinese citrus fruit), bitter melon (Bitter melon), carrot, Chinese cabbage (Chinese cabbage), broccoli, spinach, purple sweet potato (Yuzu), red beet, lemon, bamboo grass (Kumazasa), asparagus (Ginger), celery, onion, parsley, mugwort (Mugwort), and lotus root.

[0031] By incorporating such vegetable powder into a powdered beverage, in addition to the dietary fiber and plant-derived vitamins and minerals mentioned above, it becomes possible to easily ingest the nutritional value of various vegetables (e.g., protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals) that are often lacking.

[0032] Next, examples will be described. Note that the examples shown below are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0033] In this example, the sweet ingredient powder, tea extract powder, plant extract powder, and vegetable powder were blended as powders for beverages in the ratios (proportions) shown in Table 1 below.

[0034] The weights in Table 1 are values ​​assuming that the beverage powder will be dissolved in one cup (e.g., 200 cc) of water, etc. Beverage powder of this weight can be packaged in small portions of the weight shown in Table 1, for example, in stick-shaped packaging bags.

[0035] [Table 1]

[0036] (sweetener powder) The sweet ingredient powder used in this example was a powder containing inulin derived from sugarcane (sugar) ("Fuji FF" by Fuji Nippon Seito Co., Ltd.). The proportion of inulin in the entire powder was approximately 90% (94.7% or more). In other words, if 4.3 g of the sweet ingredient powder (for example, one stick) was dissolved in water and consumed, it was possible to ingest 3.87 g or more of inulin.

[0037] By using such a sweet ingredient powder, when the powder for a drink is dissolved in water or the like and drunk, it becomes possible to ingest dietary fiber from inulin while enjoying the natural sweetness of sugarcane.

[0038] (Tea extract powder) In the tea extract powder of this example, barley tea extract powder was used. Unlike other tea extract powders such as decaffeinated tea, barley tea extract powder is a caffeine-free powder, so there is no risk of stimulating the central nervous system, and even young children can drink it safely. In addition, when combined with a sweet component powder derived from sugarcane, it can be made into sweet barley tea, which is easier to drink than, for example, sugar-free barley tea, and can be enjoyed by young children.

[0039] (Plant extract powder) The plant extract powder used in this example was a powder containing a blend of multiple ingredients shown in Table 2 below (Frontier Foods' "Plant Vitamins & Minerals").

[0040] [Table 2]

[0041] Plant extract powder, which is made by blending various ingredients in the ratios shown in Table 2, contains the vitamins and minerals shown in Table 3 below (see "Plant Extract Standards").

[0042] [Table 3]

[0043] The plant extract powder according to this example contains, for example, about 25 mg of vitamin B1 per gram, as shown in Table 3. That is, as shown in Table 1, if the amount of plant extract powder is 0.1 g, dissolving it in water or the like and drinking it will automatically ingest about 2.5 mg of vitamin B1.

[0044] According to the "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2020)" published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the estimated average daily requirement of "vitamin B1" for "3 to 5 years old" is "0.6 mg." In other words, by simply dissolving the powder for drink according to this example in a glass of water or the like and drinking it, it is possible to ingest the necessary amount of "vitamin B1" ("approximately 2.5 mg") per day.

[0045] In addition, if you dissolve 0.1g of selenium powder in water and drink it, you can ingest approximately 0.007mg (7μg). For example, the estimated average daily requirement for selenium for a 6-7 year old is 0.015mg, so simply drinking three cups of the powder dissolved in water (0.007mg x 3 = 0.021mg) will provide the daily required amount of selenium.

[0046] In this way, the beverage powder of this embodiment makes it possible for young children (3 to 7 years old) to easily ingest the vitamins (vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin C) and minerals (potassium, calcium, selenium, copper, iron, zinc) they need daily by simply dissolving 1 to 3 cups of the powder in water or the like and drinking it.

[0047] (vegetable powder) For the vegetable powder according to this example, a powder (Japan Powder Pharmaceuticals' "Domestic Vegetable Premix-35") containing a blend of multiple raw materials (dried vegetables) shown in Table 4 below was used.

[0048] [Table 4]

[0049] In this way, the vegetable powder of this embodiment makes it possible to easily and effortlessly ingest the nutritional value of multiple types of vegetables that are normally difficult to eat in one day, such as spinach, which provides protein and dietary fiber, as well as vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin, and vitamin C, and minerals such as zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper.

[0050] <Configuration and Effects of the Embodiment> As described above, the beverage powder according to this embodiment contains a sweet component powder containing inulin and a tea extract powder obtained by extracting tea components. With this configuration, by dissolving the beverage powder in water or the like, a familiar, sweetened tea-like beverage can be made, which even children can drink without hesitation. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the beverage powder contains inulin, so by dissolving it in water or the like and drinking it, even children who dislike vegetables can naturally and without resistance ingest dietary fiber.

[0051] As a result, according to this embodiment, it is possible to improve the absorption rate of calcium and minerals while suppressing increases in blood sugar levels and cholesterol after meals, and it is also possible to increase bifidobacteria in the intestines and improve the intestinal flora, thereby achieving a regulating effect on the intestines.

[0052] The inulin contained in the sweet ingredient powder is derived from sugar cane. With this configuration, it is possible to use only sugarcane to obtain a sweet taste while also containing inulin, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process, etc.

[0053] Furthermore, the tea extract powder constituting the powder for beverage is barley tea extract powder. Because of this composition, unlike green tea, black tea, etc., it can be made into a caffeine-free tea-based beverage, so even young children can drink it safely.

[0054] The powder for beverage according to this embodiment contains at least one of a plant extract powder and a vegetable powder. Because of this configuration, the beverage powder of this embodiment not only allows you to ingest dietary fiber as described above, but also, if it contains plant extract powder, allows you to ingest vitamins and minerals, and if it contains vegetable powder, it allows you to ingest the nutritional value of multiple types of vegetables (e.g., protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals).

[0055] As a result, according to this embodiment, it is possible to ingest a wide range of nutritional value similar to that obtained by eating multiple types of vegetables, and therefore, it is possible to easily make up for a lack of vegetable intake.

[0056] The materials, chemical substances, etc. of the present invention can be variously changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the beverage powder of the present invention preferably contains a sweetener powder containing inulin, a tea extract powder extracted from tea components, a plant extract powder, and a vegetable powder, but provided that the beverage powder contains the sweetener powder and the tea extract powder, either or both of the plant extract powder and the vegetable powder may be omitted, or other powders may be added. In the above embodiment, no additives were used, but it is also possible to use additives.

[0057] It is also possible to combine two or more materials into one, or conversely, it is also possible to make one material out of two or more other materials. For example, the materials used for the sweetener powder, tea extract powder, plant extract powder, and vegetable powder shown in the above examples are merely examples, and some of the materials that make up these powders may be omitted, or other materials may be added.

[0058] The above embodiment is merely one of the best modes currently available, and can be modified as appropriate as long as it has the desired effect.

Claims

1. The beverage powder comprises a sweet ingredient powder containing inulin and a tea extract powder obtained by extracting tea ingredients.

2. 2. The beverage powder of claim 1, wherein the inulin is derived from sugar cane.

3. The beverage powder according to claim 1, wherein the tea extract powder is barley tea extract powder.

4. The powder for beverages according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising at least one of a plant extract powder and a vegetable powder.

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