The search for foods without added sugars, with low calories and without artificial sweeteners continues to grow. In 2020, a survey was conducted by FMCG Gurus with approximately 23,000 people. All the questions raised in the survey were around new habits that consumers became aware of or want to experience during and after the COVID-19 pandemic period. One of the questions asked was: “Do you say you plan to eat and drink healthier? What are you going to do?” and 45% of respondents said they intend to reduce their sugar intake. In addition to this concern, new nutrition labeling legislation comes to reinforce and make consumers aware of their choices.
In the scenario of such a growing trend, it is already a reality experienced among the sports nutrition public, as the pursuit of not ingesting sugar occurs, mainly during the period of diet and training, as consumption is associated with high intake caloric and problems related to excessive consumption of carbohydrates.
Regardless of the public, the search for healthy products is constantly growing, but the taste is an essential point required by the consumer for the repurchase of a certain product. So, how to sweeten products that are sold to the sporting public? Today, there are a variety of options for substituting sugar in formulations and among so many possibilities, we must highlight the natural sweeteners that hold good perceptions from consumers.
Stevia is an excellent option for replacing sugar, after all, it is an ingredient of natural and vegetable origin. Furthermore, its use is declared safe for diabetic consumers and for those who do not wish to increase the glycemic index while consuming sweetened products.
This plant has, naturally in its leaves, sweet molecules that, when extracted, guarantee flavor and sweetness for various types of food and consumption. This extraction guarantees optimal quality and performance in the most diverse applications.
Also, did you know that, due to the extraction method and part of the leaf, there are different fractions of stevias and that they act in different ways on our taste buds?
Some help in the perception of the initial sweetness, others help in filling and can even act as a combination of sweetness and aromatization. Currently, the combination of different stevias is widely used, ensuring a better sensory result to the final sweetness of the product.
The most interesting thing is that it can be applied in different markets, such as beverages, dairy, confectionery, bakery.
Want to know more about stevias?
See https://www.purecirclesteviainstitute.com/
MasterSense has a complete PureCircle portfolio to help you find the ideal stevia for your application.
Written by:
Bruna Maron – Innovation
Letícia Pereira – Marketing
