Natural Sweeteners Market Remains Unfazed with Looming Obesity Problem

The most preferred or desirable flavor is arguably sweet taste which affects the senses and decides the acceptance or rejection of the food product. People often link sweetness with something energizing, safe and strength. Sweeteners are chemical compounds which are found in nature and chemically synthesized.

Sweeteners are non-nutritive substance implying it can’t be used for energy. Some of the compounds are synthetic chemicals which are produced to mimic taste of sugar. On the other hand, natural sweeteners are refined from chemicals found in plants, such as stevia, xylitol, to name a few. Among sweeteners there are compounds having a sweet taste and contain no calories or intense sweetness so that it can be used at a very low concentration, so that the impact on the products’ total caloric value is negligible. Sweeteners can be classified on the basis of:

• Origin: Natural or Synthetic Agent;
• Technological Function: Sweeteners and Fillers;
• Texture: Powders and Syrups;
• Nutritional Value: Caloric and Non-caloric

Natural sweetening substances encompass sugar alcohols, carbohydrates, stevia and thaumatin. Apart from providing well tasting foods, sweeteners have influence on products’ color, texture, caloric value and preservation. Sugar alcohols, which are both food additives and natural sugar substitutes are becoming popular owing to its low caloric values and glycemic indexes along with anticariogenic effects. Often sugar alcohols are combined with other sweeteners to enhance the sweetness of products. Meanwhile, Stevia is 200 times sweeter than sucrose and provides 4 kcal/g.

Apt Properties of Sweetening Agent

Sweetening agent are supposed to have the following apt properties:

• Stability at a wide range of temperature to which the formulations have chances to be exposed is required;
• When used in small concentration, sweetening agent is required to be effective;
• Prolonged use of sweetening agents containing preparations should not produce carcinogenic effects;
• They are supposed to have very low or non-calorific value;
• They should not reveal batch to batch variations;
• They should be compatible with other ingredients in formulations.

Uses of natural sweeteners agents

• Pharmaceutical Uses: Natural sweeteners agents are used in oral preparations, liquid, lozenges, tablets and pills. Besides, in liquid orals, sugar is used to make syrup base, to maintain the viscosity, consistency of the preparation and to camouflage bitter taste of the drug. Sugar is also being used in the coating of pills and tablets. Meanwhile, honey is being used in exponentially in Ayurvedic system of medicine.
• Food Industry: Profound use of sweetening agents are perceived in the preparation of chocolates, jams, sweets, cakes, ice-creams, candies, beverages, chewing gums and other food items.

Natural sweetening agents are saccharides sweetening agents comprising of sucrose, glucose, honey, etc.

Sucrose is a disaccharide sugar mainly obtained from the cane juice of saccharum officinarum and from the roots of beta vulgaris. In food preparation, sucrose is ubiquitous, which could be attributed to its functional properties and sweetness. It has been used in foods, including cookies, biscuits, candy canes, ice cream and also helps in the preservation of foods.

Honey is a solution of laevulose (40-50%), dextrose (32-37%) and sucrose (0.2%) in water (13-20%). Honey is used as sweetening agent, demulcent and good nutrient to infant and patients. Honey is antiseptic and applied in wounds and burns. As such, honey is widely used in cough mixtures, cough drops and in the preparation of lotions, soft drinks, candies and creams.

Stevia is by far the safest natural sweetener which can substitute sucrose in number of preparations and formulations. Steviosides are extracted from leaves of small herb Stevia Rebaudiana (composite), originating from Paraguay, South Brazil and cultivated in the U.S., Japan, South East Asia, namely.

Stevia sweetener can be stored for long periods, is not fermentable and does not witness browning reaction. Several studies have found that stevioside presents anti-microbial activity, however, further research is required. Further, in countries such as China, Japan, Russia, Paraguay, Korea, Indonesia, Australia, steviol glycosides are applied as intense sweeteners in medicines, teas and food and beverages. As such, natural sweeteners market presents sanguine picture in the global arena.

Owing to diet-related chronic diseases and obesity looming as global health issues, it is suggested to consume small amount of sugars, specifically those added in the course of technological processing. Given the differences in fructose and glucose metabolism in the human body, qualitative composition of carbohydrates in the diet is indispensable, consumers analyze the composition of food products and pay attention to the label. Having said that, several nutrition surveys reveal that children and adults consume more sugars than recommended as part of a balanced diet. The use of stevia has soared which provides the taste desired by many; without adding unnecessary calories.

Accordingly, many countries have come up with sugar tax to boost the health of their citizens. In light of it, food and beverages companies are modifying their products to include low or zero-calorie sweeteners in lieu of sugar.

Arslan Khan is currently living in Delhi, working as a Senior Research Manager @ Fact.MR. He is a blogger with unique content each time.