The present invention provides protein (or peptide)-polysaccharide (or oligosaccharide) conjugates (PPC) as nanocapsular vehicles for nanoencapsulation of biologically active compounds, particularly nutraceuticals. The PPCs efficiently protect both hydrophobic (i.e., water insoluble) and hydrophilic (i.e., water soluble) nutraceuticals, to provide a composition which, when added to a beverage, disperses so as to provide a clear or transparent solution. In some embodiments, the PPCs are Maillard reaction based PPCs. Advantageously, the conjugates of the present invention protect the nutraceuticals from degradation, both during shelf life and upon gastric digestion.
