Share:
Perfect drink for sports and wellness Pure vegetable protein drink from lupins
In recent years, foods containing lupine seeds have become more and more popular. The healthy legumes are already referred to by some people as the new soy. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have now developed a protein-rich drink based on sweet lupins that tastes both sour and refreshing.
Vegetable protein drink
For many people who want to keep their meat consumption low or who eat vegetarian or vegan, often come on the table, which are produced from soy or milk protein. Some people do not like it that much. Not only for them are lupines a suitable substitute. Schnitzel, sausages, flour and ice are produced from the plant. In addition, these legumes can be made into a vegetable protein drink ideal for athletes.
German researchers have developed based on sweet lupins, a protein-rich drink that tastes both sour and refreshing. The drink is ideal for athletes - but not yet commercially available. (Image: vadymvdrobot / fotolia.com) High protein diet
Especially athletes often take many proteins. A protein-rich diet can help build a natural muscle and help you lose weight.
Although many people think of eggs with eggs and steaks. More recommendable, however, are vegetable proteins. Because they are considerably healthier than animal protein, as scientists have reported.
The seeds of lupine also contain nutritious proteins. Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a protein-rich drink based on sweet lupins that tastes both sour and refreshing.
Refreshing-sour taste
According to a statement, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV have developed a process that uses lupine seeds as the basis for a protein-containing drink with a refreshing and sour taste.
As a cooperation partner, the Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology at the Technical University of Munich was involved in the project.
According to the researchers, some hurdles had to be overcome in the project. The combination of proteins and a refreshing taste profile is a real challenge. Proteins are generally not soluble in the acidic pH range.
The lupine is an exception here because it contains a protein side fraction, which can be solved even in the acidic pH range. But the plant presented the experts with another problem: it contains phytic acid. This binds valuable minerals, inhibits enzymes and is therefore considered less digestible.
Nutritious and refreshing drink
The Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a method that preserves the valuable proteins when processing the sweet lupins and at the same time reduces the unwanted phytic acid.
They rely on a combination of cereal salts and special microorganisms. The latter decompose the phytic acid hydrolytically, ie with the help of water. Here, a two-stage mashing and fermentation process is used.
This actually uncomplicated but sensitive process was optimized and adapted by the researchers in several places. At the end is a lupine extract in the form of paste or powder.
This serves as a starting point for a digestible, nutritious and at the same time refreshing drink. By using the extract as a beverage base, the protein content can be adjusted specifically. There are many different flavors possible, the lupine extract tastes relatively neutral.
Procedures similar to beer brewing
If you think of grains, mash and fermentation of beer, that's right. The production process is similar to beer brewing and uses apparatuses such as mash pan, lauter tun or fermentation tank, which every brewery has. Large additional investments are therefore not required.
"Even small breweries have the opportunity to offer soft drinks in the field of sports, wellness or health with little economic risk", says Dr. med. Caroline Fritsch, research assistant at the Fraunhofer IVV.
"The production of lupine drinks is ultimately no more difficult than brewing beer," adds Raffael Osen, project manager at the Fraunhofer IVV.
Refreshing as a cool Pils, but rich in protein and guaranteed non-alcoholic - who just comes back from sports, gets with the lupine drink a fortifying, low-calorie and tasty drink from the refrigerator, it says in the message.
Comparable to a cool whey beverage, which is carbonated, but on a vegetable basis so lactose free and vegan.
Conscious consumers of the environment can therefore also opt for the lupine drink, because the raw materials come from regional cultivation. However, the drink is not yet available in stores.
Legumes as a refreshment drink
The sweet lupine is not the only plant that Fraunhofer researchers focus on. Other legumes such as beans or peas could serve as a basis for healthy and protein drinks.
The manufacturing processes have to be adjusted only slightly. "The process is now well established. In the next step, we try to apply the processes to other raw materials in order to achieve a greater variety of products, "says Osen. "Especially regional protein-rich plants like peas or beans have great potential."
Anyone who comes up with the idea of snacking on a sweet lupine during a summer walk would be warned. Wild lupines contain poisonous bitter substances and are particularly dangerous for allergy sufferers.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) also recently pointed to possible health impairments or imminent poisoning caused by bitter lupine seeds. (Ad)