Allulose

Low Calorie Sugar

Allulose – An Ideal Sugar in Many Applications

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Let’s face it – some crave it more than others, but we all love sweet! When we go to the grocery store, we often look out for sweet-tasting foods and beverages to help satisfy our sweet tooth. But with rising consumer concerns about obesity and diabetes, it is essential that products be reformulated to meet consumer demand foUntitled design (23)r low-sugar products while not sacrificing on taste.

Sugar is a unique sweetener with distinct characteristics which can set it apart from other sweeteners. Some of these characteristics include mouthfeel sweetener properties, bulking, texture, crystallization and browning effect.

So how is one to reformulate products without losing that sweet taste we all crave? One option is allulose, a low-calorie monosaccharide with a taste similar to regular sugar. Allulose has a similar texture as compared to sugar and performs like sugar in many applications, including browning when used in baking. Like sugar, allulose can also add bulk and be used when combining sweeteners.

Allulose has about 90% fewer calories than regular sugar, making it a good choice in products that offer partial or total sugar replacement. It is also about 70% as sweet as regular sugar. Allulose can be used in a wide variety of products, including:

  • Baked goods
  • Protein bars
  • Frozen dairy desserts, such as ice cream and soft serve
  • Carbonated and non-carbonated beverages
  • Chewing gum
  • Gelatins, pudding and fillings
  • Hard and soft candies
  • Jams and jellies
  • Salad dressings
  • Yogurt, including frozen yogurt

Allulose: A New, Low Calorie Sugar

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Many people have heard of low-calorie sweeteners, from aspartame to sucralose to stevia. But there’s a new source of sweet on the block – allulose. This low calorie sugar has a similar taste to regular sugar but with 90% fewer calories. The safety of allulose has been confirmed in the US, as it is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) as a food ingredient by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).There's a NEWlow-cal sugar!

With fewer calories than regular sugar, allulose can be used in reduced-sugar products while helping to maintain the sweet taste many consumers have come to expect from certain food and beverage products. While allulose may not yet be present in many products on store shelves, you will soon be able to find the ingredient in a number of different product applications, including carbonated beverages, pastries, confectionary products and candies, yogurt, frozen desserts, salad dressings, jams, chewing gum and pudding.

And as mentioned, with fewer calories than sugar, consuming products made with allulose will help those trying to lose or manage their weight. Allulose also has a similar texture to regular sugar without all the calories. The ingredient is not completely metabolized in the body which helps it to remain practically calorie-free. This quality also means that there is no impact on blood glucose or insulin levels.

For more information on the benefits and possible applications for allulose, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Allulose – the hottest rare sugar on the block gaining interest in the US — Food Navigator

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‘Rare sugars’ are becoming a buzz phrase in Japan, but interest in the US is currently limited to industry insiders, with allulose increasingly an ingredient of interest, say representatives from Matsutani.

Allulose, also known as psicose, is a monosaccharide and contains virtually no calories. It has the bulk, texture of regular sugar and 70% of the sweetness.

The sugar works well with high potency sweeteners such as stevia and sucralose, can be used to reduce or replace sugar in everything from beverages, yogurt and ice cream to baked products, candies, salad dressings, gum, cereal and sugar substitutes.

Continue Reading at Food Navigator 

A Review of Allulose

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By: Carolyallulosen Reynaud, MS, RD, LD —

What is Allulose?

Worldwide obesity has been climbing at an alarming rate, creating a need to develop a strategy to turn this trend around. One issue of concern that has stood out in recent years is the excessive intake of sugar by consumers. From a dietician’s perspective, it can be tricky to promote amongst clients a reduction in calorie intake while complimenting personal food preferences.

One solution, allulose (also called psicose), is a low calorie sugar that is very similar to actual sugar in taste, texture and utility. It’s a rare sugar found in small quantities in wheat and certain fruits (like jack fruit, figs, raisins) and also found to occur naturally in sweetened foods like maple syrup and brown sugar. It is a monosaccharide that, while absorbed into the small intestine, is not metabolized, making it virtually negligible in calories. Allulose is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA.

Allulose is a Versatile Sweetener

A major benefit of allulose is that, because it performs like sugar, there are very few limitations on what foods and beverages in which it can be used. In baking, it provides browning similar to full calorie sugar. It is easily distributed in batter and dough without the need to mix in water first. Allulose’s freezing point depression allows it to be used in ice cream and other frozen products.

The Taste of Allulose Is Similar to Sugar

Sweeteners, while all providing the taste of sweetness, all have a different palatability. Choice of sweetener often comes down to taste preference of the consumer. One of the most prominent selling points of allulose is that it provides a taste and texture similar to sugar.

The Impact of Allulose on Glycemic Index

Studies conducted on allulose have found that there is no impact on blood glucose. When tested as a single ingredient, it was found to bUntitled design (14)e non-glycemic. Furthermore, when tested with other carbohydrate foods within a meal, it was actually found to suppress their glycemic response. This has the potential to have major implications for improving the palpability of diabetic foods and oral medications with a focus on blood sugar management.

Allulose and Gastrointestinal Tolerance

Research has found that allulose does not generally cause gastrointestinal issues. It may also be more appealing for consumers to look for reduced-sugar candies made with allulose if they are concerned about possible gastrointestinal side effects.

Allulose Occurs Naturally

We are certainly seeing a demand for more natural foods among consumers. As mentioned earlier, we do find that allulose occurs naturally in small amounts in certain foods and fruits. Allulose, a sugar, will be accounted for in sugar and carbohydrates on the food label.

The landscape of nutrition is continually changing and is driven by new research and consumer demand. Allulose shows a lot of potential as a tool to for consumers to reduce excess calories and sugar in sweetened food and beverages. This product addresses many of the concerns and shortfalls in other sweetener alternatives.  It will be interesting to see the impact as we see its use grow in different foods and beverages.

creynaud-150x150Carolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian and a paid contributor to Allulose.org. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University. She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals. Follow her on Twitter @ReynaudCari.

 

Allulose for Health Professionals – How To Educate Our Clients

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By:Untitled design (13) Jen Haugen, RDN, LD —

Concern over sugar intake is rising, even with our clients.  According to the 2015 Food and Health Survey (International Food Information Council (IFIC), 2015), sugar found in food is causing consumer concern during food purchasing decisions.  In fact, sugar is one of the top three considerations when purchasing food, only behind whole grains and calories.  And there is a new opportunity to educate our clients on ways to reduce sugar, with a new low calorie sugar, allulose.

Allulose (also known as D-psicose) is a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, which exists naturally in our environment.  Found first in wheat, and later in fruits like jackfruit, figs, and raisins, allulose has 90% fewer calories than sugar.  Allulose is also naturally present in foods like caramel sauce, maple syrup, and brown sugar.

Allulose is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) per the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will soon be used as an ingredient in manufactured foods and beverages.  We can educate our clients on the meaning of GRAS by explaining that any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive has undergone extensive evaluation.  The evaluation includes a scientific review to demonstrate safety of the substance under its intended use.  Allulose has been found to be safe for people of all ages for use in moderate amounts.

Allulose is unique in that while some of it is absorbed, the body does not recognize it as a carbohydrate.  And because of this, it is not metabolized and researchers have found allulose to have no impact on blood glucose levels.  It provides negligible calories at 0.2 kilocalories/dry gram.

With a flavor that is similar to sugar, yet only 70% as sweet, it’s an appealing lower calorie alternative for clients that wish to reduce sugar intake, as well as those who are working towards a healthy weight or for use with clients with diabetes.  Researchers have also found allulose to be well tolerated without causing any gastrointestinal symptoms as it is not fermented during digestion.

You may soon find allulose in carbonated or non-carbonated beverages, as well as frozen and non-frozen desserts, yogurts, jams and jellies, chewing gum, candies, sweet sauces and syrups, gelatins and puddings, as well as fat-based cream used in modified fat/calorie cookies, cakes, and pastries.

IFIC Resource:

http://www.foodinsight.org/sites/default/files/2015-Food-and-Health-Survey-Full-Report.pdf

jenhaugen1-e1406904523734-150x150An award-winning dietitian, Jen Haugen, RDN, LD, is a paid contributor on Allulose.org and the author of the new book, “The Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden.”  Jen specializes in inspiring moms to create the recipe to a nourishing life through gardening, good food, family, and faith. Her TEDx Talk, “How Moms Can Change the World”, features two simple ideas that can transform a family. Connect with her at www.jenhaugen.com or on Twitter @jenhaugen.