Low-sugar Foods Research Articles

UPRER-immunity axis acts as physiological food evaluation system that promotes aversion behavior in sensing low-quality food.

To survive in challenging environments, animals must develop a system to assess food quality and adjust their feeding behavior accordingly. However, the mechanisms that regulate this chronic physiological food evaluation system, which monitors specific nutrients from ingested food and influences food-response behavior, are still not fully understood. Here, we established a low-quality food evaluation assay system and found that heat-killed E. coli (HK-E. coli), a low-sugar food, triggers cellular UPRER and immune response. This encourages animals to avoid low-quality food. The physiological system for evaluating low-quality food depends on the UPRER (IRE-1/XBP-1) - Innate immunity (PMK-1/p38 MAPK) axis, particularly its neuronal function, which subsequently regulates feeding behaviors. Moreover, animals can adapt to a low-quality food environment through sugar supplementation, which inhibits the UPRER -PMK-1 regulated stress response by increasing vitamin C biosynthesis. This study reveals the role of the cellular stress response pathway as physiological food evaluation system for assessing nutritional deficiencies in food, thereby enhancing survival in natural environments.

The role of information in nudging Chinese consumers from choosing sugar to alternative sweeteners

This study investigates consumers' beliefs and valuations toward added sugar and sugar substitutes and assesses the impacts of information intervention in nudging individual healthy food choices, in the context of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in China. Using a between-subject design, a discrete choice experiment, and a sample of 1800 urban Chinese consumers, we find a positive preference among Chinese consumers for sugar-sweetened beverages with low-sugar content, compared to zero-sugar and high-sugar alternatives. Chinese residents dislike sweeteners mainly due to concerns about their safety. However, individual valuations for sweeteners in both zero-sugar and low-sugar food products are significantly improved after providing information about the function and safety of the sweeteners. Policy implications for reducing sugar consumption in China are discussed in light of these findings.

Are Artificial Sweeteners A Public Health Hazard?

It was a shocking news for all of us in India that a 10 year old Patiala girl Manvi died after consuming a cake on her birthday ordered from a local bakery through a food delivery app. Some media reports have blamed high level of saccharine in the cake.(1) According to another media report Health Minister of Punjab has ordered enquiry on her death. Whatever may have been the reason for this unfortunate event one thing is for sure that there is going to be a review/debate about the safety of these artificial sweeteners which are routinely added to various fast foods to enhance their taste including many soft drinks. Some of the commonly used artificial sweeteners are – aspartame, saccharine, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame-K, and stevia. Recently a news was published in Times of India - ‘Artificial Sweetener in sodas possibly carcinogenic: WHO’.(2) In this article it was written that – “World Health Organisation agency declared on Thursday that aspartame, an artificial sweetener widely used in diet drinks and low sugar foods could possibly cause cancer. The declaration by WHO agency of a cancer risk associated with aspartame reflects the first time the prominent international body has weighed in publicly on the effects of nearly ubiquitous artificial sweetener. Aspartame has been a contentious ingredient for decades.”

Evaluating the use of cinnamon-water extract as taste modifier in yoghurt drink by temporal dominance of sensation

Development of low sugar food product has become a trend in food industries as the increase of diabetic prevalence. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmannii) has the potential to be used as a yoghurt drink taste modifier that expected to reduce sugar application. The goal of this study was to obtain the sensory attribute profile of cinnamon yoghurt drink with different concentrations of sugar and cinnamon, and evaluate the ability of cinnamon as sweet and sour taste modifier in yoghurt drink. This study involved 11 trained panelists to describe the sensory attribute profile of cinnamon yoghurt drink using the temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) method with 3 different concentrations of sugar (7,5%; 10%; and 12,5%) and cinnamon (0%; 5%; and 10%). It is important to note that the increase of cinnamon tended to suppress the sourness instead of enhancing the sweetness. Thus, it will lead to further sugar reduction application.

Consequences of positive vs. negative information concerning the amount of sugar consumption on appetite, mood, and visual food cue attention: Findings from two online interventions

BackgroundEating too much sugar is associated with many negative health effects. Two brief online interventions were carried out to investigate whether information about the negative consequences of eating high-sugar food vs. positive consequences of eating low-sugar food can change reported appetite, mood, and visual food cue attention. MethodFor Study I, participants (n = 201) were allocated to one of three groups: Two groups were asked to list either the negative consequences of high-sugar consumption (negative focus) or the positive consequences of low-sugar consumption (positive focus). The third group carried out a control task (writing a shopping list). For Study II, 200 participants took part in a quiz with questions focusing on either positive, negative, or neutral consequences of high vs. low sugar consumption. Participants evaluated their appetite and mood before and after all interventions (list, quiz) and additionally completed a visual probe task with images depicting high vs. low-sugar food. ResultsIn Study I, the positive focus increased appetite for low-sugar food. The negative focus reduced participants' positive mood but did not change reported appetite. In Study II, all quiz conditions decreased appetite for high-sugar foods but did not affect mood. None of the interventions influenced visual attention to the food images. ConclusionFocusing on negative consequences of a high-sugar diet is less pleasant and is less effective in changing people's appetite than considering the positive aspects of a low-sugar diet. Thus, future interventions should instead spotlight the positive outcomes of a healthy diet.

The use and health effects of sugar substitute

Due to the rising prevalence of obesity and the growing emphasis on health consciousness, an increasing number of individuals are opting to manage their weight by reducing their caloric intake through the regulation of sugar consumption. Sugar substitutes are commonly selected as primary alternatives to sugar due to their low caloric content and high level of sweetness. Recent research indicates that sugar substitutes may not be entirely effective in reducing overall calorie consumption. The impact on human metabolism is significant. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the classification of sugar substitutes, examines the utilization of sweeteners in low-sugar food products available in the market, evaluates recent research findings regarding the safety of sugar substitutes and their effects on metabolism, and proposes potential considerations for individuals when selecting sugar substitutes as well as the future trajectory of the sugar substitute market.

Naturalistic food categories are driven by subjective estimates rather than objective measures of food qualities

Food-related studies often categorize foods using criteria such as fat and sugar content (e.g., high-fat, high-sugar foods; low-fat, low-sugar foods), and use these categorizations for further analyses. While these criteria are relevant to nutritional health, it is unclear whether they agree with the ways in which we typically group foods. Do these objective categories correspond to our subjective sense? To address this question, we recruited a group of 487 online participants to perform a triplet comparison task involving implicit object similarity judgements on images of 36 foods, which varied in their levels of fat and sugar. We also acquired subjective ratings of other food properties from another set of 369 online participants. Data from the online triplet task was used to generate a similarity matrix of these 36 foods. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) of this matrix identified that the strongest determinant of food similarity (the first PC) was most highly related to participants’ judgements of how processed the foods were, while the second component was most related to estimates of sugar and fat content. K-means clustering analysis revealed five emergent food groupings along these PC axes: sweets, fats, starches, fruits, and vegetables. Our results suggest that naturalistic categorizations of food are driven primarily by knowledge of the origin of foods (i.e., grown or manufactured), rather than by their sensory or macronutrient properties. These differences should be considered and explored when developing methods for scientific food studies.

Adaptation to sorbic acid in low sugar promotes resistance of yeast to the preservative

The weak acid sorbic acid is a common preservative used in soft drink beverages to control microbial spoilage. Consumers and industry are increasingly transitioning to low-sugar food formulations, but potential impacts of reduced sugar on sorbic acid efficacy are barely characterised. In this study, we report enhanced sorbic acid resistance of yeast in low-glucose conditions. We had anticipated that low glucose would induce respiratory metabolism, which was shown previously to be targeted by sorbic acid. However, a shift from respiratory to fermentative metabolism upon sorbic acid exposure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was correlated with relative resistance to sorbic acid in low glucose. Fermentation-negative yeast species did not show the low-glucose resistance phenotype. Phenotypes observed for certain yeast deletion strains suggested roles for glucose signalling and repression pathways in the sorbic acid resistance at low glucose. This low-glucose induced sorbic acid resistance was reversed by supplementing yeast cultures with succinic acid, a metabolic intermediate of respiratory metabolism (and a food-safe additive) that promoted respiration. The results indicate that metabolic adaptation of yeast can promote sorbic acid resistance at low glucose, a consideration for the preservation of foodstuffs as both food producers and consumers move towards a reduced sugar landscape.

Effect of nutritional promotion intervention on dietary adherence among type II diabetes patients in North Shoa Zone Amhara Region: quasi-experimental study

BackgroundDiabetes is a major global public health problem that requires self-management behavior. However, this is difficult to implement in practice and requires new approaches. The purpose of this study was to evaluate nutritional promotion interventions for dietary adherence and lessons learned to improve self-management.MethodsA quasi-experimental study was conducted from January 2020 to February 2021 in North Shoa Zone public hospital. The study enrolled 216 type II diabetic patients from four public hospitals. Study participants were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups at an individual level. Data were measured twice (baseline and end line survey after six months using interviewer-administered questionnaires). Data were entered into Epi Data V.3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Data were presented as means of standard deviations for continuous variables and percentages for categorical variables. Intervention and control groups were compared before and after intervention using independent t tests. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant for all statistical tests.ResultsA total of 216 type II diabetics participated in this study. Nutritional promotion intervention programs increased adherence to the mean number of days adhering to a healthy diet (p < 0.0001). Specifically, the nutrition promotion program improved daily intake of fruits and vegetables, low glycemic index foods, high fiber foods, healthy fish oils, low sugar foods, and healthy eating plans (p ≤ 0.050). Mean fasting blood glucose levels were significantly decreased after the educational intervention (p ≤ 0.05).ConclusionThis study demonstrates that a nutrition-promoting intervention can significantly change patients' adherence to healthy eating behaviors and effectively improve their glycemic control. Health care providers should integrate programs that promote nutrition education into existing health systems service. Primary care platforms such as health posts and health centers can play a key role in integrating health promotion programs to improve self-management behaviors.

Increase in Restless Legs Syndrome due to the Consumption of Food Rich in Added Sugar. Study with a Repeated N-1-trial

Restless Legs Syndrome is a common neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable and unpleasant sensations in the legs with an urge to move. The symptoms occur at rest, are relieved by movement, and are worse in the evening and at night and are a cause of sleepdisturbances. A patient is presented who reports that consuming sugary foods, such as icecream, soft drinks, candy, chocolate and pastries, increases his symptoms of RLS. With an n-1-trial, a study for one patient, he is alternately exposed to sugar-rich and low-sugar food, which shows that his complaints increase or decrease. An increase in the symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) due to the use of high-sugar foods has not previously been described in the literature.

Enhancing sweetness perception with vanilla extract: Strategy for developing low-sugar food formulations for the elderly

Enhancing sweetness perception with vanilla extract: Strategy for developing low-sugar food formulations for the elderly

Анализ рынка функционального питания: российский и международный аспект

The modern food market is undergoing a period of rapid development following the changes in marketing technologies and consumer behavior patterns. Nowadays, people pay more attention to the quality and composition of food products, as well as their functional properties. The present article reviews the international and Russian market of functional foods in order to define the consumer demand for new specialized products.&#x0D; The methods included data comparison, grouping, and systematization. The analysis involved Russian and foreign papers published in 2018–2022 and registered in Scopus, eLibrary, Cyberleninka, and the Library of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. It also covered the National Demography Project, the Healthy Nutrition Project, and the Strategy for Improving the Quality of Food Products through 2030. &#x0D; Consumers’ growing interest in improving their health and immune system proved to be the key factor in the functional food market. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified such trends as the priority of healthy, high-protein, and low-sugar foods. Japan and the USA are the current leaders on this market. Russia supports healthy food policy at the state level.&#x0D; The functional food market is likely to become the most promising and competitive sector of global food economy. Consumer demand for these products is steadily growing: the volume of demand for functional food products will reach 17 trillion rubles by 2027. However, Russian food science needs more research in this area to catalyze import substitution. The Omsk Agrarian University has numerous projects that are meant to increase the competitiveness of the domestic functional food industry.

Volatile and semi-volatile compounds in flavoured hard seltzer beverages: Comparison of high-capacity sorptive extraction (HiSorb) methods

The change in consumer behaviour towards healthier lifestyles since the Covid-19 pandemic has seen a steep rise in popularity of low-calorie, low-sugar food and beverage alternatives, like flavoured hard seltzers. In this study, a fully automated, high-capacity sorptive extraction (HiSorb) technique, coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), was developed to investigate volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs) used for flavouring of hard seltzers. As part of method optimisation we trialled various sample preparation protocols and compared extraction via direct immersion vs. extraction from the headspace. The best headspace and immersive techniques were then further analysed in a ‘stacked’ extraction, whereby extracts from both were collected onto a focusing trap and fired to the GC to produce a single chromatogram. HiSorb probes with 4 alternate phases were compared: Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), divinylbenzene/PDMS (DVB/PDMS), carbon wide range/ PDMS (CWR/PDMS) and a triple phase (DVB/CWR/PDMS), with the DVB/PDMS phase proving to extract the highest number of compounds. The DVB/PDMS probe was further applied to a study of four berry/cherry flavour hard seltzer drinks, produced by 4 different leading commercial brands, with 64 compounds extracted and identified. Chemometrics were able to distinguish each brand's flavour profile by detection of unique compounds, these having potential for use as quality and authenticity markers.

Effects of different diets on glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes: A literature review.

Background: Globally, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common diseases, and the incidence is gradually increasing. Diet management could improve the elevated HbA1c levels. Aim: This review aims to examine the effects of different types of diets on glycemic control in patients with T2DM. Methods: PubMed and Google scholar databases were searched. Reports published from the years 1991 to 2021 that focused on the effect of different diets on diabetes control were selected. Results: All the studies reported that the type of diet can affect insulin secretion and glycemic control in patients with diabetes. The recommended macronutrient distribution for patients with diabetes is 30% of fat, 45-60% of carbohydrates, and 15-35% of protein. Consuming more or less of these macronutrients may lead to changes in glucose metabolism and may affect insulin secretion. In fact, following alow-fat diet improves glycemic control and decreases HbA1c levels. Studies reported that a low-carbohydrate diet had the greatest effect on improving glycemic control and insulin parameters. A low-calorie diet reduced fasting plasma glucose, while a very low-calorie diet resulted in a long-term decrease in HbA1c level. A healthy diet free of processed foods and sugar, and rich in nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals contributed to maintaining controlled blood sugar and lipid plasma levels. Although studies show a low-salt diet improves blood pressure, which is common inT2DM, other findings show that restricting salt intake is associated with increased sugar consumption. Conclusion: Healthy diet with adequate intake of energy and low-fat and low-sugar foods can enhance the glycemic control and reduce T2DM complications.

Microwave-assisted extraction and characterization of pectin from citrus fruit wastes for commercial application

Pectin is an essential hydrocolloid widely used as a gelling, thickening, and stabilizing agent in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry. In the present study, an effort has been made to extract pectin from Pomelo (Citrus maxima), Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and Citron (Citrus medica) peels with microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique using organic citric acid. Pectin extracted with MAE was characterized in terms of yield, ash content, pH, solubility, equivalent weight, methoxyl content, anhydrouronic acid content, and degree of esterification. The extraction conditions had significant effects on physicochemical properties. The results showed that the highest amount of pectin (24.19±0.26%) was obtained from Citrus maxima. Based on DE value all pectins were categorized as low methoxy pectin (LMF). Extracted pectins were highly pure based on AUA content. Structural characterization of extracted pectin from three fruit peels by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy revealed that pectin has functional groups within the 1740–800 cm-1 spectral region. However, pectin extracted in this study can be used in the manufacturing of low sugar foods such as diet jams and jellies.

Effects of Light Sources and Drying Methods on Plant Growth and Steviol Glycoside Content of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) has received great attention with the rise in demand for low-sugar food and beverage additives, and natural alternative to cane sugar and artificial sweeteners. The leaves produce intensively sweet steviol glycosides (mainly stevioside and rebaudioside A). Stevia has been reported as a short-day plant with a critical daylength of 13 h. Daylength less than 13 h causes stevia to flower early, resulting in a low leaf biomass yield and percentage of sweetener content. The effects of night interruption treatment using six light sources for 60 min daily with the aim to lengthen vegetative phase, increase plant biomass and steviol glycoside content of stevia were investigated. Night interruption was shown to extend vegetative phase from 20 days (control) to 120 days; thus, allowing accumulation of plant biomass and steviol glycosides content. Leaf biomass and steviol glycosides of all light sources treated plants increased significantly as compared to control plants especially in week 6 and 8 after treatment initiated. Fluorescent and light-emitting diode (LED) were energy-efficient and effective as light source for night interruption. Fluorescent warm white showed the highest increase in total steviol glycosides content per plant by 190-270% most probably because it contained the highest red light at 614 nm as compared to other light sources. Stevioside content was not significantly affected by drying methods but rebaudioside A content was significantly reduced by 3.38% under oven drying at 70oC. The reduction indicated that thermal degradation of rebaudioside A has occurred at higher temperature.

The Effect of an Online Sugar Fact Intervention: Change of Mothers with Young Children.

Research indicates that high sugar intake in early childhood may increase risks of tooth decay, obesity and chronic disease later in life. In this sugar fact study, we explored whether an online intervention which focused on comprehensive and useful information about nutrition labels impacted mother’s choice of low sugar food. The intervention was developed on the basis of the theory of planned behavior. In total, 122 mothers were recruited. Mothers were divided into an online-only group and a plus group. Knowledge of sugar and nutrition labels, behavioral attitudes, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intentions and behavior towards purchasing low-sugar products with nutrition labels were collected. After the intervention, both groups exhibited significantly enhanced sugar and nutrition label knowledge, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intentions and behavior. Compared to the online-only group, knowledge, perceived behavioral control and behavior of the plus group significantly improved. After the intervention, about 40% of the plus group and 80% of the online-only group still did not know the World Health Organization (WHO) sugar recommendations. Understanding sugar recommendations and using nutrition labels are crucial to help people control calorie and sugar intake. Further research with a larger sample is warranted to evaluate the effects of the intervention on long-term changes in shopping behavior. More efficient and convenient nutrition education is required to increase public awareness of sugar recommendations and help people control calorie and sugar intake.

Mango and carrot mixed juice: a new matrix for the vehicle of probiotic lactobacilli.

This study evaluated the pH, acidity, soluble solids, color, dietary fiber, sensory acceptance and the viability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus in mango and carrot mixed juices. In addition, this study verified the resistance of L. plantarum that presented greater viability to the gastrointestinal tract simulated in vitro. Three formulations were elaborated (varying the pulps concentration) and the products were stored at 8°C for 35days. No difference was found in the total soluble solids and color of the products during storage time at 8°C. A reduction in pH and an increase in acidity were observed in all samples during storage, probably due to the fermentative action of probiotics, which negatively influenced acceptance after 35days of storage. On the other hand, juices with a higher concentration of mango pulp were more accepted and may be a strategy to improve the acceptance of fermented juices. Microorganisms showed greater viability in juices that had higher amount of carrot pulp, probably due to the higher fiber content in these samples. During the 35-day shelf life, all juices with L. plantarum maintained counts above 7 log CFUmL-1 after gastrointestinal conditions simulation. Therefore, mango and carrot mixed juice showed to be as a good vehicle for probiotic bacteria and meets the needs of consumers looking for functional, healthy, non-dairy and low-sugar foods.

Mesolimbic white matter connectivity mediates the preference for sweet food

Dopaminergic brain structures like the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are thought to encode the incentive salience of palatable foods motivating appetitive behaviour. Animal studies have identified neural networks mediating the regulation of hedonic feeding that comprise connections of the NAc with the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the lateral hypothalamus (LH). Here, we investigated how structural connectivity of these pathways relates to individual variability in decisions on sweet food consumption in humans. We therefore combined probabilistic tractography on diffusion imaging data from 45 overnight fasted lean to overweight participants with real decisions about high and low sugar food consumption. Across all individuals, sugar preference and connectivity strength were not directly related, however, multiple regression analysis revealed interaction of mesolimbic structure and sugar preference to depend on individuals’ BMI score. In overweight individuals (BMI: ≥25 kg/m², N = 22) higher sugar preference was thereby specifically related to stronger connectivity within the VTA-NAc pathway while the opposite pattern emerged in participants with normal BMI (BMI: <25 kg/m², N = 23). Our structural results complement previous functional findings on the critical role of the human mesolimbic system for regulating hedonic eating in overweight individuals.

A multilevel, multicomponent childhood obesity prevention group-randomized controlled trial improves healthier food purchasing and reduces sweet-snack consumption among low-income African-American youth

BackgroundConsumption of foods and beverages rich in sugar remains high across all races and ages in the United States. Interventions to address childhood obesity and decrease sugar intake are needed, particularly in low-income settings.MethodsB’more Healthy Communities for Kids (BHCK) was a group-randomized, controlled trial implemented among 9–15-year olds in 30 low-income areas of Baltimore. We increased access to low-sugar foods and beverages at wholesalers and small food stores. Concurrently, we encouraged their purchase and consumption by children through youth-led nutrition education in recreation centers, in-store promotions, text messaging and a social media program directed at caregivers. Sugar consumption (sugar sweetened beverage (SSB), sweets) in youth was assessed pre- (n = 534) and post-intervention (n = 401) using the Block Kids Food Frequency Questionnaire. Purchasing of 38 healthier and 28 less healthier food/beverage varieties in the previous 7 days was assessed via self-report. Multilevel models at the community and individual levels were used. Analyses were stratified by age (younger: 9–12-year olds (n = 339) vs older: 13–15 (n = 170)). Models were controlled for child’s sex, race, total daily caloric intake, and caregiver’s age and sex.ResultsOverall baseline mean healthier food purchasing was 2.5 (+ 3.6; min. 0, max. 34 items per week), and unhealthier food purchasing 4.6 (+ 3.7; 0–19 items per week). Mean intake at baseline for kcal from SSB was 176 (+ 189.1) and 153 (+ 142.5), and % of calories from sweets (i.e. cookies, cakes, pies, donuts, candy, ice cream, sweetened cereals, and chocolate beverages) was 15.9 (+ 9.7) and 15.9 (+ 7.7) in comparison and intervention youth, respectively. Intervention youth increased healthier foods and beverages purchases by 1.4 more items per week than comparison youth (β = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.1; 2.8). After the intervention, there was a 3.5% decrease in kcal from sweets for older intervention youth, compared to the control group (β = − 3.5; 95% CI: -7.76; − 0.05). No impact was seen on SSB consumption.ConclusionBHCK successfully increased healthier food purchasing variety in youth, and decreased % calories from sweet snacks in older youth. Multilevel, multicomponent environmental childhood obesity programs are a promising strategy to improve eating behaviors among low-income urban youth.Trial registrationNCT02181010 (July 2, 2014, retrospectively registered).