Globally, more than 2 billion children and adults suffer from health problems related to being overweight or obese, and an increasing percentage of people die from these health conditions, according to a new study. The food and beverage industry is under pressure from consumers and governments alike to make healthier products amid rising obesity and diabetes rates. Under pressure, Nestle SA has found a way to create chocolate without adding any sugar, relying on leftover material from cocoa plants for sweetening as consumers look for natural and healthier fare. This fall in Japan, Nestle will start selling KitKat bars with 70% dark chocolate under the new recipe, which doesn’t include any added sugar, the Vevey, Switzerland-based firm said. Until now, the pulp has never been used as a sweetener for chocolate, and usually it’s mostly thrown out.
Nestle’s move may bolster its position as a leader in the industry, and it comes three years after finding a way to alter the structure of sugar to boost its sweetening power. The company is exploring exciting new technologies that improve nutrient profiles without compromising on taste. By 2020, Nestle aims at reducing the sugars added in its foods and beverages by 5% to support individuals and families in meeting global recommendations – the company claims it has already removed 0.8% of sugar from its foods and beverages; reduce the sodium it adds in food products by 10% to support individuals and families in meeting global recommendations – 2% of sodium removed from its foods and beverages, the company claims; and complete the 10% commitment taken in 2014, to reduce saturated fat by 10% in all relevant products that do not meet the Nestlé Nutritional Foundation (NF) criteria with respect to saturated fat – the company claims that it has achieved 7% of this objective and is working on the remaining 3% gap.
Reducing sugar intake
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calories allowance. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons. The AHA recommendations focus on all added sugars, without singling out any particular types such as high-fructose corn syrup.
Moreover, dozens of countries around the world have decided to put taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks. Malaysia, where obesity eats up to 19% of the national health budget, introduced a sugar tax last month. All these countries are doing it for a reason – a sugar tax does something that has been elusive for far too long: a simple measure that works to improve our health, trim our nationally expanding waistlines and sugar intake to take the strain off our NHS.
The sugar tax is a relatively new proposal and law but already there have been some positive effects on sugar consumption. In Mexico the 10% sugar drink tax reduced sugar consumption by 12% in the first 12 months. Today the revenue from the tax in Mexico has collected 2.5 billion dollars. Similarly, in Hungary the sugar tax led to 40% of manufacturers to reduce or eliminate sugar entirely in their products to avoid the tax.
However critics say it doesn’t work as the sugar consumption doesn’t seem to decrease and the taxes create an unfair situation as not all sugary products are included. However, it is probably too early to say. And the best news is, contrary to received wisdom, it is the poorest who benefit most.
FSSAI’s campaign to eliminate trans fats by 2022
Globally, trans fat intake leads to more than 500,000 deaths of people from cardiovascular disease every year. In India, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a new mass media campaign calling for the elimination of industrially produced trans fat in the food supply. The apex food regulator, in the past one year, has launched a massive campaign against industrially produced trans fats to reduce it to 2% and has even taken a vow to completely eradicate it from the Indian food system. The FSSAI wants the country to reach the 2% level by 2022, though it is aiming at making it free from hydrogenated trans fats or industrially produced trans fats by 2022.
Sodium is a concern for consumers
Researchers at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) studied people who consumed varied amounts of sodium in their daily diet. Not surprisingly, it found that people who consumed 6 or more grams of sodium each day had a higher risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Meanwhile, the product development team at PepsiCo is focused on making its snacks healthier. The company has committed to limiting sodium and saturated fat while adding whole grains, vegetables and protein. In its Performance with Purpose 2025 Agenda, PepsiCo outlined its nutrition goals. By 2025, at least three-quarters of the company’s global foods portfolio is expected to contain 1.3 mg of sodium or less per calorie and 1.1 grams of saturated fat or less per 100 calories.
The increased focus on nutritious snacks has led to such recent innovations as Simply Tostitos Black Bean tortilla chips, with 4 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving; Sun Chips Veggie Harvest chips, made with vegetables and whole grains; and Smartfood Delight popcorn, with 35 calories per cup. There’s also a new line of Lightly Salted snack chips under the Lay’s and Fritos banners. These products contain 50% less sodium than the original varieties.
PepsiCo told the Wall Street Journal that the powdery salt contains crystals with a shape and size that slashes the amount of sodium ingested by people when they gobble down potato chips.
The WSJ reports: Normally, only about 20% of the salt on a chip actually dissolves on the tongue before the chip is chewed and swallowed, and the remaining 80% is swallowed without contributing to the taste, said Dr. Khan, who oversees PepsiCo’s long-term research. PepsiCo wanted a salt that would replicate the traditional ‘salt curve,’ delivering an initial spike of saltiness, then a body of flavor and lingering sensation, said Dr. Yep, who joined the company in June 2009 from Swiss flavor company Givaudan SA.
