Modern health issues including diabetes, obesity, and hypertension have prompted many scientists to look for food-based solutions. Research into dietary solutions for modern health problems has increased exponentially in the 21st century. Finding a healthy and reliable substitute for sugar in food production has been one of the most important areas of study.
d-allulose has traditionally been studied as an antioxidant. Modern research has started to look at other properties of d-allulose, specifically as a sugar substitute. Replacing sugar with a healthier additive has been an ongoing struggle for food scientists, as most additives have come with potential harmful side effects.
d-Allulose as a Sugar Substitute
Why is d-allulose being researched as a potential substitute for sugar? First and foremost is the fact that d-allulose is sweet–it has nearly 70% of the sweetness of sugar. Other potential sugar substitutes lack the sweetness of d-allulose, making them much less appealing as a substitute. Many people have a palate that is accustomed to sugary foods. Changing the sweetness of foods by a large degree would make certain foods unappealing.
Caloric value is a property most artificial sweeteners are missing. Sugar, while appealing due to its sweet taste, is high in calories. d-allulose contains a significantly lower amount of calories than standard sugar while still providing a sweet taste, making it a potential healthy middle ground between sugar and artificial sweeteners.
d-allulose is also naturally found in some of the same places as sugar; wheat, processed sugar cane, and fructose. The benefit of this fact is that crop yields may not have to significantly change to harvest d-allulose in place of sugar.
Where can d-Allulose be Used?
The potential applications of d-allulose start with sweet foods. Desserts, candies, and other confectionery products can have production difficulties using sugar substitutes. Recent studies have been evaluating the use of d-allulose and deemed it an excellent candidate for dietary restriction mimetics.
The satiety of foods using d-allulose in place of other sucrose-derived ingredients has been positive as well. Artificial sweeteners may lack any calories while d-allulose has a low natural calorie content. Satiety refers to how full a person feels after consuming a specific amount of food. A sweetener with natural calories and sweetness is a very interesting prospect for researchers.
Initial studies have also shown that d-allulose has better water holding capacity when used in place of sucrose in certain foods. Water capacity can help an ingredient to be used as a binding agent, among other things.
Research at Biofortis
Biofortis is dedicated to protecting consumer health throughout the world by delivering a wide range of testing and consultancy services to the food, supplement, and nutrition industries. Biofortis supports this mission in two ways—through clinical trials and sensory and consumer insights testing. We specialize in clinical research targeting foods, ingredients, and dietary supplements that affect body structures, function, and overall health. Contact us with any clinical trial or scientific consulting needs.
Tags: Clinical Research