If sugar had a personality, it might be described as independent. Given the task of providing sweetness, it is comfortable standing alone. Called upon to add function to formulas, it performs beautifully. Whether asked to impart crust color or moisture binding to baked goods or to provide fullness to beverages, sugar’s work is always dependable.
Unless used in moderation, sugar will present a dark side. It quickly adds calories to foods and beverages. Over consumption can lead to hyperglycemia. When blood sugar levels are frequently high, nerves, blood vessels and organs may be damaged. As health conscious consumers are increasingly choosing foods with reduced sugar, food developers are challenged to create products that taste and perform like their sugar-rich counterparts. Their tools have been limited. Until very recently, no other sweetener offered the same sensory and functional attributes as sugar.
The sweetener allulose is a game changer. KetoseSweet D-Allulose offers that promise. Allulose is a sugar that occurs naturally in wheat, figs, raisins and jackfruit. Ketchup contains nearly 40 mg/100 g of allulose. Brown sugar contains approximately 71.1 mg/100 g allulose. Also called D-Psicose, it is a low-energy monosaccharide sugar. It is a C-3 epimer of fructose, and has the same molecular formula as fructose and glucose. But unlike fructose and glucose, allulose is not rapidly digested and absorbed. It passes through the body without being metabolized. It behaves similarly to erythritol. It does not have a laxative effect.
Non-digestible carbohydrates are associated with body weight reduction. Compared to sugar’s 4 calories per gram, allulose has only 0.2 calories per gram. Even though it is only 70 percent as sweet, it has the same temporal profile as sugar. Plus, it provides the expected mouthfeel that sugar imparts, leading to a more satisfying flavor without requiring the addition of bulking ingredients.
Considered GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by FDA (Food and Drug Administration), allulose may be used as a sole source of sweetness or in combination with other sweeteners. Allulose exhibits a synergistic effect with other sweeteners, so optimal flavor development and cost benefits are realized when formulating reduced, low, or calorie-free foods and beverages.
0 Comments