IPN students develop dessert suitable for diabetic patients

Diabetic patients 

should avoid or limit their sugar intake since the sugar becomes glucose resulting in high blood sugar levels leading to a series of dangerous complications, this scenery motivated students from the National Polytechnic Institute ( Instituto Politécnico Nacional , abbreviated IPN ) to develop a dessert suitable for diabetic patients with the following ingredients: hibiscus ( jamaica ), agave honey, vanilla extract and gelatin.

Xamaitecatl

is a diuretic and antioxidant jelly that contains vitamins A , B1 , C , E , collagen and minerals such as Iron , Calcium , Phosphorus , and Potassium . The dessert was developed by students at the Center for Scientific and Technological Studies ( Centro de Estudios Científicos y Tecnológicos abbreviated CECyT ) campus 14 , who focused on the marketing of the product, while students at the CECyT campus 6 worked on the selection of ingredients.

Jasibe Guadalupe Velázquez López

, Xóchitl Paola Escobar Álvarez and Erick Rodrigo García Dávalos used hibiscus flower as the main ingredient because it reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels thanks to its polyunsaturated acids. The flower is an antioxidant as well since it avoids free radicals presence.

The students added agave honey since natural sugars act as a dietary fiber that does not increase glucose levels.

Velázquez López explained that they divided the project into two groups. The first group focused on the dessert development while the second group was concerned with the product business development . The main purpose of the marketing area was to portray that the gelatin is a product from Mexico in its integrity and it was reflected in the range of colors they chose (green, white and red) to represent the flag of the country. They even included a label, which includes a Quick Response Code to provide more information about the brand and the product for the consumers.

IPN students commented that Xamaitecatl does not contain any sweeteners nor conservatives, therefore its life span is limited to 10 days in refrigeration.

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