Green beverages

Abstract

To provide a green color-based beverage in which the peculiarity that interferes with cooking is suppressed, and having a taste and aroma comparable to cooking, and also by drinking, the taste of cooking in the mouth can be reset.SOLUTION: Provided is a green color-based beverage, which is a green color-based beverage containing ground green color plant, and in which the contained amount of organic acid is 10 mg / 100 g or more and 70 mg / 100 g or less, the contained amount of sugar is 0.5 mg / 100 g or more and 50 mg / 100 g or less, and the contained amount of free amino acid is 20 mg / 100 g or more and less than 40 mg / 100 g.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to green-colored beverages.

Background Art

[0002] Green-colored beverages mainly composed of green vegetables are used as health foods that allow easy intake of vegetable components. Since it is difficult to commercially sell the raw green vegetables as fresh leaves, they are usually processed into dry powders mainly made from the green leaves of plants, stored and distributed, and dissolved in water or the like immediately before drinking to prepare green beverages.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a powder for high-concentration vegetable green juice obtained by granulating using whole green vegetable powder and green vegetable squeezed juice. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a green juice for suppressing blood sugar level rise containing a dry powder of barley stems and / or leaves.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Conventional green juice beverages have a strong aspect of being a preference beverage for health with the peculiar green smell and taste of green juice, and product development from the perspective of being a beverage during meals to be drunk during meals has not been carried out much.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a green-colored beverage that suppresses the taste that interferes with cooking, has a taste and aroma not inferior to cooking, and can reset the taste of the food in the mouth by drinking.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The inventors diligently studied to solve the above problems. As a result, they found that the above problems could be solved by adjusting the amounts of organic acids, sugars, and free amino acids in a green beverage containing crushed green plant material, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] In other words, the present invention is as follows: [1] A green beverage containing crushed green plants, The organic acid content is between 10 mg / 100g and 70 mg / 100g. The sugar content is between 0.5 mg / 100g and 50 mg / 100g. The free amino acid content is 20 mg / 100g or more and less than 40 mg / 100g. Green drink. [2] The content of the green plant powder is 0.1 g / 100 g or more and 3.0 g / 100 g or less relative to the total amount of the green beverage. [1] The green beverage described in [1]. [3] The median diameter of the aforementioned pulverized green plant material is 3 μm or more and 100 μm or less. A green beverage as described in [1] or [2]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a green beverage that suppresses any off-flavors that might interfere with the food (compatibility with meals), has a taste and aroma that does not get overpowered by the food (flavor balance), and can reset the taste of the food in the mouth when consumed (refreshing feeling). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment"), but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible without departing from its essence.

[0011] [Green drinks] The green beverage of this embodiment (also called "green juice beverage") contains pulverized green plants, has an organic acid content of 10 mg / 100g or more and 70 mg / 100g or less, a sugar content of 0.5 mg / 100g or more and 50 mg / 100g or less, and a free amino acid content of 20 mg / 100g or more and less than 40 mg / 100g.

[0012] Generally, beverages consumed with meals should have few off-flavors that would interfere with the taste of the food, possess a balanced taste and aroma (hereinafter also referred to as "flavor balance") that does not get overpowered by the food, and have a refreshing taste that can reset the palate after consuming the food. On the other hand, green juice beverages have a unique off-flavor derived from green plants, tend to leave a lingering aftertaste, and are popular for their palatability and nutritional value. In order to improve the suitability of green juice beverages as beverages consumed with meals without excessively compromising these characteristics, it is conceivable to slightly suppress the distinctive off-flavor of green juice, maintain the flavor balance, enhance the refreshing feeling, and improve compatibility with meals. The green beverage of this embodiment, by containing predetermined amounts of the above-mentioned components, can be provided as a beverage that is easy to drink during meals.

[0013] A green beverage containing green plant powder is a mixture of green plant powder, water, and any other optional additives as needed.

[0014] (Powdered green plant material) The green plant pulverized material used in this embodiment is obtained by grinding green plants, and the form of the pulverized material includes, for example, powder obtained by dry grinding, and liquid or paste obtained by wet grinding. By using the pulverized material, the components of the green plant can be included in the beverage without waste, compared to juice. Furthermore, among the green plant pulverized materials, green plant powder is preferred from the viewpoint of storage stability and handling.

[0015] The green plants are not particularly limited. For example, they include young barley leaves, young wheat leaves and other Gramineae plants, kale, Komatsuna, Brassica vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, ashitaba, Apiaceae plants such as parsley, spinach, young mulberry leaves, moringa, and leafy vegetables containing chlorophyll such as Brussels sprouts.

[0016] Among these, at least one selected from the group consisting of young barley leaves, young wheat leaves, kale, and moringa is preferable, and young barley leaves are more preferable. According to the present embodiment, a green-colored beverage can be produced without destroying or leaking the nutritional components of such high-nutrient green plants.

[0017] The content of the green plant pulverized product is preferably 0.1 g / 100 g or more and 3.0 g / 100 g or less, more preferably 0.5 g / 100 g or more and 2.8 g / 100 g or less, and still more preferably 1.1 g / 100 g or more and 2.8 g / 100 g or less, based on the total amount of the green-colored beverage. When the content of the green plant pulverized product is within the above range, it has no peculiar smell and is less likely to spoil the taste of the dish, and has a more excellent refreshing feeling that can reset the taste of the dish in the mouth when consumed.

[0018] The median diameter of the green plant pulverized product dispersed in the green-colored beverage is preferably 3 μm or more and 100 μm or less, more preferably 5 μm or more and 80 μm or less, and preferably 8 μm or more and 60 μm or less. When the median diameter of the green plant pulverized product is within the above range, it has no peculiar smell and is less likely to spoil the taste of the dish, and has a more excellent refreshing feeling that can reset the taste of the dish in the mouth when consumed.

[0019] (Content of organic acids) The content of organic acids in the green-colored beverage is 10 mg / 100 g or more, preferably 15 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 20 mg / 100 g or more, still more preferably 25 mg / 100 g or more, and particularly preferably 30 mg / 100 g or more. Also, the content of organic acids in the green-colored beverage is 70 mg / 100 g or less, preferably 65 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 60 mg / 100 g or less, still more preferably 55 mg / 100 g or less, and particularly preferably 50 mg / 100 g or less. When the content of organic acids is 10 mg / 100 g or more, there is a tendency for a refreshing feeling that can reset the taste of the dish in the mouth to be further improved by drinking. Also, when the content of organic acids is 70 mg / 100 g or less, it is suppressed that the taste of the dish is impaired by the sour taste, and there is a tendency for the aftertaste to be further suppressed. In addition, in the present embodiment, "mg / 100 g" refers to the content (mg) of a predetermined component contained in 100 g of the green-colored beverage.

[0020] The organic acids are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and phosphoric acid, or known acids that can be used in foods. Among these, the content of organic acids is preferably the total content of four types, namely citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and phosphoric acid.

[0021] (Sugar content) The sugar content of the green-colored beverage is 0.5 mg / 100 g or more, preferably 3 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 5 mg / 100 g or more, still more preferably 10 mg / 100 g or more, and particularly preferably 15 mg / 100 g or more. Also, the sugar content of the green-colored beverage is 50 mg / 100 g or less, preferably 48 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 45 mg / 100 g or less, still more preferably 40 mg / 100 g or less, and particularly preferably 35 mg / 100 g or less. When the sugar content is 0.5 mg / 100 g or more, there is a tendency for the flavor to be further improved so as not to lose to the dish. Also, when the sugar content is 50 mg / 100 g or less, there is a tendency for an aftertaste that becomes an obstacle such as impairing the taste of the dish to be further suppressed.

[0022] The sugars are not particularly limited, but examples include glucose, fructose, raffinose, and maltose, or known acids available for use in food. Among these, the sugar content is preferably the total content of the four types of sugars: glucose, fructose, raffinose, and maltose.

[0023] (Free amino acid content) The free amino acid content of green beverages is 20 mg / 100g or more, preferably 22 mg / 100g or more, more preferably 23 mg / 100g or more, and even more preferably 24 mg / 100g or more. Alternatively, the free amino acid content of green beverages is less than 40 mg / 100g, preferably 38 mg / 100g or less, more preferably 35 mg / 100g or less, and even more preferably 33 mg / 100g or less. A free amino acid content of 20 mg / 100g or more tends to improve the flavor balance and better maintain nutritional value. Furthermore, a free amino acid content of less than 40 mg / 100g tends to further suppress the characteristic bitterness of green juice.

[0024] In this embodiment, "free amino acids" refer to amino acids that can be detected without hydrolysis, and include the following 10 types: glutamine, glutamic acid, asparagine, aspartic acid, serine, alanine, arginine, methionine, tryptophan, and GABA. Other amino acids are not included. Furthermore, "free" means amino acids that do not constitute proteins or peptides and exist as individual molecules.

[0025] (ratio) The ratio of sugar content to organic acid content (sugar content / organic acid content) is preferably 0.10 or higher, more preferably 0.20 or higher, even more preferably 0.30 or higher, and particularly preferably 0.40 or higher. Furthermore, the ratio (sugar content / organic acid content) is preferably 1.10 or lower, more preferably 1.00 or lower, even more preferably 0.90 or lower, and particularly preferably 0.80 or lower. When the ratio (sugar content / organic acid content) is within the above range, the balance between sweetness and acidity of the beverage is improved, the refreshing feeling that resets the mouth when drunk after eating is enhanced, and the ease of drinking as a beverage during meals tends to improve.

[0026] Furthermore, the ratio of free amino acid content to sugar content (free amino acid content / sugar content) is preferably 0.40 or higher, more preferably 0.50 or higher, and even more preferably 0.65 or higher. Also, the ratio (sugar content / organic acid content) is preferably 5.00 or lower, more preferably 4.50 or lower, even more preferably 4.00 or lower, and particularly preferably 3.50 or lower. When the ratio (sugar content / organic acid content) is within the above range, the balance between the sweetness of the beverage and the flavor unique to green juice is improved, the characteristic odor of green juice is further suppressed, and the drinkability as a beverage to be consumed with meals tends to improve.

[0027] The green beverage of this embodiment can be provided as a beverage that is easy to drink during meals by setting the organic acid content, sugar content, and free amino acid content, as well as their ratios, within the above range. Methods for adjusting the organic acid content, sugar content, and free amino acid content to the above range include appropriately selecting a method for preparing the green plant pulverized material, and appropriately combining green plant pulverized materials prepared by different methods.

[0028] For example, in the manufacturing process of pulverized green plants, the enzymes are deactivated by boiling, steaming, or pan-frying to prevent the plants from degrading in quality due to their own enzymes. These processes result in the destruction and loss of nutrients from the green plants, altering the nutritional content of the raw materials.

[0029] Among these methods, boiling allows the bitterness and other components of green plants to be relatively easily removed by the water, reducing the characteristic bitterness (grassy taste) and aftertaste of green juice, making it easier to use as an ingredient in a drink. Steaming, on the other hand, allows the nutrients of green plants to remain more intact than boiling, slightly reducing the characteristic grassy taste of green juice, while retaining a stronger characteristic taste compared to boiling, making it easier to use as an ingredient in a drink with a good balance of flavor. Furthermore, pan-frying tends to bring out the characteristic bitterness of green juice more strongly compared to boiling or steaming, and also makes it easier to use as an ingredient in a drink that retains relatively good nutritional value. The ingredients obtained through each of these processes are called boiled ingredients, steamed ingredients, and pan-fried ingredients, respectively.

[0030] In this embodiment, the green beverage preferably uses a green plant powder obtained from boiled raw materials, steamed raw materials, or a mixture thereof, and among these, one containing steamed raw materials is more preferable. This makes it possible to easily obtain a green beverage containing a predetermined amount of the above components, which can be served as a beverage to be consumed with food.

[0031] (Mineral content) The mineral content of green beverages is preferably 10 mg / 100g to 400 mg / 100g, more preferably 15 mg / 100g to 300 mg / 100g, and even more preferably 20 mg / 100g to 200 mg / 100g. Having a mineral content within this range tends to improve compatibility with food and enhance the absorption rate of the beverage.

[0032] (Brix) The Brix of green beverages is preferably 0.5 to 5.0, more preferably 0.5 to 4.0, and even more preferably 0.5 to 3.0. Having a Brix within this range tends to further suppress the characteristic odor of green juice and improve drinkability without excessively increasing sweetness. The Brix can be appropriately adjusted by the preparation method of the main ingredient, the pulverized green plant material.

[0033] (pH) The pH of green beverages is preferably 4.0 to 7.0, more preferably 5.0 to 7.0, and even more preferably 6.0 to 7.0 at a product temperature of 20°C. A pH within this range tends to suppress the characteristic odor of green juice and enhance the refreshing taste due to the acidity.

[0034] (Other ingredients) The green beverage of this embodiment contains organic acids, sugars, and free amino acids derived from green plant pulverized material, but may also contain other components besides green plant pulverized material. These other components include organic acids, sugars, amino acids added separately, as well as other known additives that can be used in beverages, such as aroma components, pH adjusters, fruit juice, various nutritional components, colorants, diluents, antioxidants, and thickeners / stabilizers.

[0035] The organic acids that may be added separately are not particularly limited, but examples include citrates such as trisodium citrate, anhydrous citric acid, adipic acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phytic acid, ascorbic acid, or salts thereof.

[0036] The sugars that may be added separately are not particularly limited, but examples include sugars such as glucose, granulated sugar, lactose, and maltose, as well as low-intensity sweeteners such as sucrose, fructose, xylitol, and D-sorbitol.

[0037] The amino acids that may be added separately are not particularly limited, but examples include glutamine, glutamic acid, asparagine, aspartic acid, serine, alanine, arginine, methionine, tryptophan, and GABA.

[0038] (container) The green beverage of this embodiment is provided in a container. The container form is not particularly limited and can include, for example, a metal can (steel can, aluminum can, etc.), a PET container, a paper container, a glass bottle, etc.

[0039] [Method of manufacturing green beverages] The method for producing a green beverage according to this embodiment includes, for example, a blanching step of heating green plants, a grinding step of grinding the green plants after the blanching step to obtain a green plant pulverized product, and a mixing step of mixing the green plant pulverized product with water to obtain a green beverage. The method for producing a green beverage may also include, if necessary, a grinding step of making the green plants finer before the grinding step, or a drying step of drying the green plants. The following describes a series of steps in detail, but the method for producing a green beverage is not limited to these steps.

[0040] [Blanching process] In the blanching process, enzymes are deactivated by heating the green plants. Heating also allows for the adjustment of the amounts of various components contained in the green plants. Heating methods in the blanching process include boiling, steaming, and pan-frying.

[0041] Boiling is a process of heating green plants in water, for example. The boiling temperature can be, for example, 80-100°C, and the boiling time can be, for example, 20-400 seconds. After boiling, the green plants can be separated from the boiling water, cooled to room temperature, and then used in the next process.

[0042] Steaming is a process of heating green plants with steam, for example. The steaming temperature can be, for example, 80 to 130°C, and the steaming time can be, for example, 40 to 600 seconds. After steaming, the green plants can have their moisture removed as needed, cool to room temperature, and then be used for the next process.

[0043] Pan-frying is a process of heating green plants under dry conditions using, for example, a rotating cylindrical pan. The temperature of pan-frying can be, for example, 200 to 400°C, and the pan-frying time can be, for example, 20 to 240 seconds. After pan-frying, the green plants can be cooled to room temperature before being used in the next process.

[0044] In this embodiment, green plants that have undergone different blanching treatments can be combined and used in the following steps. Among these, it is preferable to use green plants that have undergone at least a steaming treatment, and it is even more preferable to use a combination of steamed green plants and boiled green plants.

[0045] Furthermore, in the production of green beverages according to this embodiment, green plants harvested in different regions and at different times may be used, or a combination of green plants from different regions and harvest times that have been subjected to the pan-frying, steaming, and boiling treatments described above may be used.

[0046] In this case, for example, green plants harvested in a certain region at a certain time may be subjected to a steaming or other treatment to obtain a green plant pulverized product, and the organic acid content, sugar content, and free amino acid content of the green beverage obtained using this green plant pulverized product may be measured. This makes it possible to understand the components of the green plant pulverized product according to the region, time, and treatment. Then, the various green beverages may be mixed in any proportion so that the organic acid content, sugar content, and free amino acid content of the final green beverage fall within a predetermined range.

[0047] In the pulverized green plant material, the ratio of boiled green plant material to 100 parts steamed green plant material is preferably 5 to 350 parts, more preferably 8 to 200 parts, and even more preferably 10 to 50 parts. By using pulverized green plant material prepared by combining steamed green plant material and boiled green plant material in the above ratios, it is easy to keep the organic acid content, sugar content, and free amino acid content, as well as their ratios, within the above ranges.

[0048] [Refining process] The method for producing green beverages in this embodiment may include a pulverization step to finely pulverize the green plants after the blanching step and prior to the grinding step. If it is not easy to obtain a pulverized product with only one grinding step, a multi-stage pulverization step can be performed before the grinding step, depending on the size of the green plants. The pulverization step may be performed before or after the drying step described later, or before or after the drying step. In this embodiment, the pulverization step is performed before the grinding step, and the pulverized green plants are larger than the pulverized green plants.

[0049] There are no particular restrictions on the specific operations of the micronization process, but examples include shredding or grinding green plants. As a guideline, it is advisable to crush the green plants until their size is less than or equal to the maximum raw material size specified by the equipment used in the micronization process.

[0050] [Drying process] The method for producing green beverages in this embodiment may include a drying step to dry the green plants after the blanching step and prior to the grinding step. The drying step is not limited to heating to evaporate moisture, but also includes freeze-drying, which evaporates moisture while the plants are frozen. For example, freeze-dried vegetables can be obtained by finely chopping the green plants to a degree that some shape remains, for example, to bite-sized pieces, and then freeze-drying them.

[0051] [Grinding process] The grinding process involves grinding the green plants after the blanching process to obtain green plant pulverized material. Grinding methods include jet mills, ball mills, and hammer mills. The grinding process can be performed either before or after the drying process described above, as long as it follows the micronization process.

[0052] [Mixing process] The mixing process involves mixing powdered green plants with water to obtain a green beverage. This disperses the powdered green plants in the water, allowing for the production of a green beverage. Other additives may also be added during this mixing process.

[0053] [Other processes] Furthermore, in the method for producing green beverages according to this embodiment, for example, a washing step for washing the green plants after harvesting, or a cutting step for cutting the green plants before or after the blanching step, may be performed. [Examples]

[0054] The present invention will be described more specifically below using examples and comparative examples. The present invention is not limited in any way by the following examples.

[0055] [Barley grass pulverized under steaming condition A 1] In Kagoshima Prefecture, young barley grass was harvested in the autumn. After harvesting, the quality of the young barley grass was maintained by blowing air and humidifying it, and then the young barley grass was cut to a length of approximately 2-8 cm. After cutting, it was heated with 100°C steam for 60 seconds (steaming treatment). The moisture content was reduced through a rough kneading process in which dry hot air was blown into the leaves removed from the steamer while pressure was applied. Finally, the moisture content was reduced to 5% in a shelf dryer, which promotes drying by blowing hot air into it, and then it was ground in a ball mill at 25Hz for 30 seconds to obtain crushed young barley grass 1.

[0056] [Barley grass pulverized under steaming condition B 2] In Miyazaki Prefecture, young barley grass was harvested in the autumn. After harvesting, the quality of the young barley grass was maintained by blowing air and humidifying it, and then the young barley grass was cut to a length of approximately 2-8 cm. After cutting, it was heated with 100°C steam for 180 seconds (steaming treatment). The moisture content was reduced through a rough kneading process in which dry hot air was blown into the leaves removed from the steamer while pressure was applied. Finally, the moisture content was reduced to 5% in a shelf dryer, which promotes drying by blowing hot air into it, and then it was ground in a ball mill at 25Hz for 30 seconds to obtain crushed young barley grass 2.

[0057] [Barley grass pulverized under boiling condition A, part 3] In Kagoshima Prefecture, young barley grass was harvested in the autumn. After harvesting, the quality of the young barley grass was maintained by blowing air and humidifying, and then the young barley grass was cut to a length of approximately 2-8 cm. After cutting, the young leaves were placed in a tank of water 20 times their volume and heated at 90°C for 60 seconds (boiling treatment). After removing the leaves from the tank, a rough kneading process was carried out, in which dry hot air was blown onto the leaves while pressure was applied to reduce the moisture content. Finally, the moisture content was reduced to 5% in a shelf dryer, which promotes drying by blowing hot air onto the leaves, and then the leaves were ground in a ball mill at 25Hz for 30 seconds to obtain crushed young barley grass 3.

[0058] [Barley grass pulverized under boiling condition B 4] In Kagoshima Prefecture, young barley grass was harvested around springtime. After harvesting, the quality of the young barley grass was maintained by blowing air and humidifying, and then the young barley grass was cut to a length of approximately 2-8 cm. After cutting, the young leaves were placed in a tank of water 20 times their volume and heated at 90°C for 60 seconds (boiling treatment). After removing the leaves from the tank, a rough kneading process was carried out, in which dry hot air was blown onto the leaves while pressure was applied to reduce the moisture content. Finally, the moisture content was reduced to 5% in a shelf dryer, which promotes drying by blowing hot air onto the leaves, and then the leaves were ground in a ball mill at 25Hz for 30 seconds to obtain crushed young barley grass 4.

[0059] [Barley grass pulverized under boiling condition C 5] In Miyazaki Prefecture, young barley grass was harvested in the autumn. After harvesting, the quality of the young barley grass was maintained by blowing air and humidifying, and then the young barley grass was cut to a length of approximately 2-8 cm. After cutting, the young barley grass was placed in a tank of water 10 times its volume and heated at 100°C for 180 seconds (boiling treatment). After removing the leaves from the tank, a rough kneading process was carried out, in which dry hot air was blown onto the leaves while pressure was applied to reduce the moisture content. Finally, the moisture content was reduced to 5% in a shelf dryer, which promotes drying by blowing hot air onto the leaves, and then the leaves were ground in a ball mill at 25Hz for 30 seconds to obtain crushed young barley grass 5.

[0060] [Green drinks] Each of the crushed barley grass materials obtained as described above was mixed with water in the proportions shown in Tables 1 and 2 to obtain 100g of green beverage. Citric acid and glucose were also added as appropriate. The amount of water added was equal to 100g of the prepared green beverage. In the tables, this is indicated as "Remaining Amount".

[0061] [Method for measuring organic acids] The green beverage prepared as described above was held in an 80°C bath for 30 minutes to extract the components of the pulverized sample into water. The resulting extract was measured using a Prominence organic acid analysis system (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). The "organic acids" to be measured here are citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and phosphoric acid.

[0062] [Method for measuring sugar content] The green beverage prepared as described above was held in an 80°C bath for 30 minutes to extract the components of the pulverized sample into water. The resulting extract was measured using an ion chromatography instrument, Dionex ICS-5000+ (ThermoFisher SCIENTIFIC). Here, the "sugars" to be measured are glucose, fructose, raffinose, and maltose.

[0063] [Method for measuring free amino acids] The green beverage prepared as described above was held in an 80°C bath for 30 minutes to extract the components of the pulverized sample into water. The obtained extract was measured using an automated pre-column derivatization method with HPLC. The "free amino acids" to be measured here are glutamine, glutamic acid, asparagine, aspartic acid, serine, alanine, arginine, methionine, tryptophan, and GABA. Column: CAPCELLPAK C18 TYPE AQ (3.0mm id x 150mm) (manufactured by Osaka Soda Co., Ltd.) Equipment: Waters HPLC

[0064] [Method for measuring median diameter] The median diameter of the green plant pulverized material contained in the green beverages prepared as described above was measured (volume basis) using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (SHIMADZU SALD-2300, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, WingSALDII, Version 3.1.1). As a result, the median diameter of the green plant pulverized material in each beverage prepared in the examples was in the range of 3 μm to 100 μm.

[0065] [Flavor balance] The balance of taste and aroma of the green juice was defined as "flavor balance," and five expert panelists judged the degree of flavor balance of the resulting green beverages, rating them on a scale of 5 points: "very good," 4 points: "good," 3 points: "average," 2 points: "not very good," and 1 point: "not good." The average score was then calculated. Based on the average score, the following criteria were used for evaluation. ×: Average score is 1 or higher but less than 2. △: Average score is 2 or higher but less than 3 ○: Average score is 3 or higher but less than 4 ◎: Average score between 4 and 5

[0066] [Refreshing feeling] The feeling of having your mouth reset after eating is defined as a "refreshing sensation." Five expert panelists judged the degree of refreshing sensation of the green beverages, rating them on a scale of 5 points: "Very much," 4 points: "Somewhat," 3 points: "Average," 2 points: "Not very much," and 1 point: "Not at all." The average score was then calculated. Based on the average score, the following criteria were used for evaluation. ×: Average score is 1 or higher but less than 2. △: Average score is 2 or higher but less than 3 ○: Average score is 3 or higher but less than 4 ◎: Average score between 4 and 5

[0067] [Compatibility with food] "Compatibility with food" was defined as whether the green beverage had no unpleasant aftertaste such as grassy flavor, and whether it possessed a flavor that did not interfere with the meal but was not overpowered by it. Five expert panelists judged the degree of compatibility with food for the obtained green beverages, rating them on a scale of 5 points: "Very good," 4 points: "Good," 3 points: "Average," 2 points: "Not very good," and 1 point: "Poor." The average score was calculated. Based on the average score, the following criteria were used for evaluation. ×: Average score is 1 or higher but less than 2. △: Average score is 2 or higher but less than 3 ○: Average score is 3 or higher but less than 4 ◎: Average score between 4 and 5

[0068] 〔comprehensive evaluation〕 Based on the sum of the average values ​​of the above evaluations, an overall evaluation was conducted to show the balance of the beverage as one to be consumed with a meal, according to the following criteria. (standard) ×: The sum of the mean values ​​is 3 or greater and less than 6. △: The sum of the mean values ​​is 6 or greater and less than 9. ○: The sum of the mean values ​​is 9 or greater and less than 12. ◎: The sum of the average values ​​is between 12 and 15.

[0069] [Table 1]

[0070] [Table 2] [Industrial applicability]

[0071] The present invention has industrial applicability as a green beverage.

Claims

[Claim 1] A green beverage containing, as a green plant powder, a powder of young barley leaves obtained from boiled and steamed raw materials, The organic acid content is 10 mg / 100g or more and 70 mg / 100g or less. The sugar content is between 0.5 mg / 100g and 50 mg / 100g. The free amino acid content is 20 mg / 100g or more and less than 40 mg / 100g. The median diameter of the aforementioned pulverized green plant material is 3 μm or more and 100 μm or less. The amount of the aforementioned crushed green plant material is 0.1 g / 100 g relative to the total amount of the aforementioned green beverage. The above is 3.0g / 100g or less. Green drink.

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