Rethinking sweetness in an age of sugar skepticism

Nearly 80% of Americans want to cut back on sugar consumption, according to recent analysis by the International Food Information Council, but it notes many still exceed recommended daily intake because they don’t know how much is too much, are confused about different sweeteners and don’t want to compromise taste – prompting savvy brands to rethink not just how much sugar they use, but what replaces it.

From indulgent trends to functional foods – companies like better-for-you bakery brand Good Journey and energy gummy startup ōku are experimenting with alternative sweeteners, fibers and formulations to meet changing diet preferences.

“Our food industry has designed foods to be hyper-palatable. So, they put in a lot of sugar. Sugar also has a dopamine effect” that gives consumers a “high” that causes them to crave the product and keep buying it, explained Good Journey Co-founder Kristoffer Quiaoit.

“Unfortunately, that is detrimental to people’s health, because it is leading to insulin resistance and more people are getting diabetes, and it is also leading to a lot of metabolic health and mental health issues,” he added.

The information gap fueling sweetener skepticism

In an effort to feel better, many consumers want to reduce their sugar intake, but they aren’t sure how because available information about alternative sweeteners is “muddy,” Quiaoit said.

Indeed, polarizing public opinions and attention-grabbing headlines that don’t tell the full story about sugar and sweeteners are compounding consumer confusion, causing 41% of Americans to view low- and no-calories sweeteners negatively, compared to just 27% who view them positively, according to recent IFIC analysis.

For example, a widely publicized study correlating erythritol to negative health outcomes caused consumers to avoid products with the ingredient. However, follow up analysis questioning the connection did not earn as much coverage – leaving many shoppers with incomplete information.

“People don’t look at the studies. No one really has time for that, and so they look at the headlines,” which makes it even more important that press, influencers and public health leaders ground their messages about sweeteners in fact, Quiaoit

Brands respond with reformulation and education

Reducing sugar and confusion around sweeteners is the starting point for Good Journey, ōku and other better-for-you brands showcasing at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Faire in San Diego earlier this month.

Good Journey makes low carb donuts and cookies that deliver sweetness without compromising ketosis with the rare sugar allulose, which Quiaoit says won’t spike blood sugar but still tastes and functions like sugar.

Allulose’s promise, perception and market barriers

While allulose has Generally Recognized As Safe status in the US, it is not permitted in Europe – prompting some US grocers to prohibit it from sale in their stores, which IFIC data and Quiaoit suggests could hold back products made with it.

Quiaoit argues Whole Foods’ decision to prohibit the sale of allulose in products on its shelves leads some people to assume “there is something bad with allulose,” despite research that suggests it could offer health benefits or at a minimum less detrimental effect.

Retailer standards shape consumer trust

Whether because consumers are actively avoiding allulose, are unfamiliar with it or because there are fewer products made with it, IFIC found the average likelihood consumers report eating or drinking products with allulose is far lower than those with caloric sweeteners or low- and no-calorie sweeteners.

This also may be because the ingredient is rarer and more expensive than other sweeteners, or because consumers assume it is bad.

Good Journey tries to share the benefits of allulose on packaging, but Quiaoit notes there is limited space to go into the details.

Balancing sugar reduction with taste and function

Startup ōku also uses allulose to boost the sweetness of its caffeinated gummies, but it adds cane sugar and fiber to offer a well-rounded taste profile and mouthfeel as well as added functional benefits.

ōku is a functional energy snack that brings together natural caffeine from green tea and yerba mate, 4 grams of fiber, antioxidants from goji berry and natural electrolytes from coconut water in a gummy format, company Founder Carolyn Hamlet said.

She explained that the gummies “energize without compromise” and “taste like a treat, but work like wellness” thanks to a combination of organic allulose, organic cane sugar and organic fiber which work together to deliver sustained energy and the taste profile and mouthfeel people expect from fruit snacks.

“We didn’t want something that tasted artificial, and we believe that some sugar in your diet is okay,” Hamlet said, citing the old adage “everything in moderation.”

‘We put the fun back in functional’

As illustrated by both brands, less sugar doesn’t have to be less fun.

“We have put fun back in functional,” Hamlet said, explaining that consumers can enjoy the bold flavors, color and chew of ōku guilt-free because they offer benefits consumers want (including energy from 60 milligrams of caffeine per bag of five gummies) with less sugar and only 70 calories per serving.

“You can microdose and have one, or you can have three bags, whatever fits into your day,” said Hamlet.

Trust remains a cornerstone for long-term success

As more consumers monitor blood sugar, energy levels and ingredient lists in real time, trust is becoming the most valuable currency in food, according Quiaoit.

He explained: “It’s up to us as brands to create products that [consumers] can trust that what the label says and also that they can trust it’s going to taste as delicious as what they remember those products used to be.”