As innovators strive to create the next generation of healthier, lower-calorie food products, consumers are confronted with an endless array of smartly packaged, vividly colored items with equally endless product claims. “No Sugar,” “No Sugar Added,” “Sugar-Free,” “Low Sugar,” and “Reduced Sugar” are terms strategically placed front and center on today’s supermarket shelves.
There is good reason for this increasingly sugar-averse product landscape. The overconsumption of sugar is ever-present in society, evidenced by skyrocketing rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetics. With growing awareness of these public health issues, the race is on to reformulate everything from beverages to baked goods in ways that are less laden with addictive sugars while still satisfying our collective sweet tooth.