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Market & Trends
Why limit carbohydrates?
The rapid increase in the prevalence of overweight and obese people is of great concern to society. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that there will be one billion obese people in the world by 2030. This scenario is not just seen with the adult public, many people are already facing this reality in their childhood or adolescence. Considering that being overweight is one of the main factors leading to loss of life quality and increased risk of diseases, the focus on nutrition has been gaining prominence.
Therefore, food education and weight management have become conscious choices worldwide, with dietary patterns that in certain cases restrict certain types of nutrients, such as carbohydrates.
The main role of carbohydrates is to supply energy to the body, i.e., they are responsible for supplying glucose, which is an essential fuel for our cells. They have been used for thousands of years, as they are naturally found in cereals and grains (rice, corn, oats, wheat, rye, barley, quinoa, and amaranth); in tubers (potatoes, cassava and beets); in honey; in sugar cane and in fruits. Presented in different chemical forms, some have a rapid absorption rate, providing greater increase in blood glucose.
Sugar is an example of a carbohydrate that should be reduced in consumption. In addition, carbohydrates, when balanced within the diet, do not cause any harm. However, there is a growing popularity of dietary plans with restrictions of sugars and/or carbohydrates among consumers who wish to lose weight, and therefore create technological challenges for industries and opportunities for innovations in ingredients and final products to meet this new demand.
The definition of a low carb diet
The term refers to diets, foods and products that are low in carbohydrates (carb, short for carbohydrate). According to the consolidated nutrient intake recommendations, carbohydrates should contribute 45% to 65% of the daily calories consumed.However, on a low carb diet, it is estimated that around 20% to 30% of the nutrient is consumed in relation to the calories ingested daily – i.e., a considerable reduction.
A typical low carb diet aims to reduce consumption to a daily average of 50g to 150g.
Another type of low carb diet is the ketogenic diet. In this diet, there is a more severe restriction, of a maximum of 50g per day (approximately 10% of daily needs), associated with an increase in the amount of fats and proteins.
In 2020, “keto” was the most searched food-related topic on Google worldwide, with 25.4 million entries. Keto has surpassed previously popular diets such as the Atkins Diet and intermittent fasting.
There is continued year-on-year growth in the sector (CAGR of 5.3%), an opportunity for health and wellness brands to invest in low carb, high-fat “keto” products.
The global low carb and “keto” market
The ketogenic diet market is predicted to reach a global value of US$ 15.6 billion by 2027. Historically, the US and Canada have been the leaders in this market, with North America accounting for 43.5% of the market share.
In the coming years, Europe expects to achieve projected market growth of 32%. According to Euromonitor data, between 2020 and 2021, there was an 8% increase in the number of SKUs with low carb and ketogenic diet claims.
Although in Brazil there is no regulation on the use of low carb or “keto” claims, with the validity of the new labeling of packaged foods in 2022, and the adoption of the front label for added sugars, there is an expectation of greater mobilization of the food industry in the search for strategies and solutions that help in reducing this amount of sugar in products, preserving palatability.
The importance of sweetness
When it comes to palatability, the big challenge is to mimic the sweetness that sucrose, a type of carbohydrate, gives to food. Most low carb products exclude it entirely. The biggest challenge is preserving the sensations and sensory experiences that sugar provides, such as flavor, aromatic notes, body, aftertaste and residual flavor, among others.
Below are some technologies used by the industry to meet the consumer’s search for products with reduced carbohydrate/sugar and that preserve the indulgence provided by this ingredient.
Sugar reduction solutions
1. Sweeteners – The role of these substances is to give foods a sweet taste. Consumers tend to prefer those that have no aftertaste. In addition to having a certain preference for natural alternatives, such as stevia, xylitol, maltitol and sorbitol, in relation to artificial ones, such as aspartame, cyclamates, saccharin and acesulfame-k.
For good acceptability, sweeteners used by the food industries must exhibit functional and sensory properties like those of sugar, such as sweet taste and body formation, texture and viscosity, in addition to low caloric density.
In this sense, natural sweeteners, such as stevia, are great options, aligned with trends such as clean label and plant-based. Other options are polyols, also called sugars from alcohols, which can be:
– monosaccharides (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol);
– disaccharides (maltitol, lactitol, isomalt); or
– a mixture of saccharides and hydrogenated polysaccharides (hydrogenated glucose syrup).
2. Decreased sweet taste while maintaining palatability – The sugar content is reduced, without the concern to recover sweetness. The unwanted notes present in the formulations that use proteins and vitamins, for example, are masked using aromatic technology, which increases the intensity of sensory notes. This option allows sugar content to be reduced by 50%.
3. Flavoring – Use of flavorings that enhance the sweetness of foods with reduced sugar, as well as round off unpleasant notes due to the possible use of sweeteners and/or other alternatives. These technologies, present in Duas Rodas´ portfolio, can be natural or identical to natural and are compatible with different uses.
4. Naturally sweetened foods, natural spices and extracts – Include in the nutritional composition foods that are already naturally sweet. Fruits – fresh, dried, in the form of jams or concentrated juices – such as date fruits, apples, grapes and raisins, are alternatives to reduce sugar and still contribute fiber and micronutrients. In addition to these foods, natural spices and seasonings, such as cinnamon, and extracts, such as vanilla, are other options for replacing refined sugar.
Inspirations
In the market, it is possible to find several products, that use unique solutions to reduce carbohydrates in products. Here are some examples:
The demand for a healthier life, especially post Covid-19 pandemic, has increased consumer interest in low carb diets and also in products with ingredient reductions, such as sugar, fats and sodium. A demand also driven by the new nutritional labeling rules.
The projections show that there is increasing room for low carb product launches, in line with the plant-based and clean label movements. Opportunities reach different categories of food and beverages, showing promising prospects for growth in the sector.