CLINICAL STUDY CONFIRMS: REVOLUTIONARY SUGAR REPLACEMENT FORMULA CAN SOLVE THE WORLD'S SUGAR PROBLEM
Trigger for many diseases: Experts from science and industry draw attention to the global sugar problem at a press breakfast
- Hidden sugar traps, psychological factors and learned behavior in childhood: There are many reasons for sugar consumption
- Sugar substitute formula ENSO 16 as a game changer: Study by the Medical University of Vienna shows little effect on blood sugar and insulin levels
- Great future for use in industry: “ENSO 16 can be easily applied to all foods and in a wide variety of areas.”
Sugar has become a global health problem. But how dangerous is sugar really? What effects does it have on the body and what alternatives are there? At the invitation of the local food tech NEOH, experts from industry and science got to the bottom of these questions at a press breakfast in Café Leopold in the Museumsquartier. NEOH founder and managing director Manuel Zeller discussed together with internist and nutritional doctor Dr. Elisabeth Krippl, nutritionist Holly Wilkinson, BSc, and Stefan Kotynek, authorized signatory and sales manager at STAMAG Stadlbauer Malzfabrik GmbH, talked about the effects of excessive sugar consumption and presented a promising solution for the future with the sugar substitute formula ENSO 16 - now also scientifically for the first time through a study by the Medical University of Vienna confirmed.
WHAT MAKES SUGAR SO DANGEROUS: TRIGGERS FOR ILLNESS AND HIDDEN SUGAR TRAPS
Current figures show that sugar is omnipresent in Austria: daily per capita consumption in this country is an average of 82 grams of sugar. “Too much sugar causes our blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. Only our hormone insulin has the ability to reduce this again - supported by exercise," says internist and nutritional doctor Dr. Elisabeth Krippl continues: “The more often we give our body sugar, the more insulin it has to produce in order to lower blood sugar again. This can lead to insulin resistance in the cells and subsequently to obesity, the development of serious illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, vascular, kidney, eye and nerve damage, poorly healing wounds and depression. Too much sugar can also promote tooth decay and fatty liver disease.”
The big problem here is processed sugar in food as a hidden trap: “Whether frozen pizza, cornflakes, muesli, store-bought salad dressings or sauces – heavily processed foods in particular are real sugar traps. Many products that we consume every day and that you wouldn't even suspect are often very high in sugar. This processed sugar is also called free sugar, which must be differentiated from bound sugar in fruits, vegetables or dairy products,” explains nutritionist Holly Wilkinson, BSc.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS: SUGAR CRAVINGS ACQUIRED FROM CHILDHOOD
Studies suggest that sugar, like a drug, triggers addiction symptoms. According to Holly Wilkinson, BSc, this phenomenon can be traced back to learned conditioning in childhood: “Learned behavior from an early age is the main reason for our desire for sweets. We all know this from the past: many children are comforted, calmed or, above all, rewarded with sweets when they have done something well. In order to achieve this reward effect in our brain, the sweet taste is particularly crucial.”
However, sugar is not necessarily necessary for our reward system, but rather the right alternatives: “Sugar substitutes can also provide the right sweetness. Unfortunately, the existing sugar substitute products on the market are not really useful because they lead to other problems and usually still affect blood sugar," says Wilkinson and adds: "In addition, we should also work on the cause, not just the symptoms. With professional advice, previous coping mechanisms for stress and emotions can be replaced with other, preferably healthier, habits.”
ENSO 16: CLINICAL STUDY CONFIRMS POSITIVE EFFECTS OF NEOH'S SUGAR SUBSTITUTE FORMULA
So far there has been no broadly applicable solution to the often hidden sugar consumption. Until now, because a current clinical study by the Medical University of Vienna has now provided scientific evidence that the sugar substitute formula ENSO 16 developed in Austria has no or only minimal effects on blood sugar levels compared to sugar. The effects of 30 grams of ENSO 16 compared to 30 grams of sugar on blood sugar and the release of insulin after a single, blinded intake of a drinking solution in healthy people were examined. The result: It was shown that with ENSO 16, blood sugar as well as insulin and the insulin cleavage product C-peptide in the blood increase significantly less or not at all compared to the blood levels after ingesting the same amount of sugar.
“We at NEOH have been researching the perfect sugar replacement formula for over twelve years. The study results are a milestone for us and confirm that we are on the right path,” says NEOH founder and managing director Manuel Zeller.
He goes on to say: “Our sugar replacement formula is an absolute game changer. ENSO 16 100% replaces conventional sugar and can be easily applied to all foods and in a wide variety of areas. And the best thing: whether it’s Sachertorte, ice cream or our new NEOH products – the sugar substitute formula tastes great and can hardly be distinguished from industrial sugar.”
“NO INFLUENCE ON BAKING RESULTS”: ENSO FORMULA CAN BE USED IN MANY PRODUCTS
A newly developed recipe from STAMAG, Austria's largest manufacturer of baking mixes based in Vienna-Stadlau, shows how easily sugar can be replaced with ENSO. Tried-and-tested recipes for pastry shops, bakeries and restaurants were adapted in the STAMAG baking academy with the sugar substitute formula ENSO and processed in the traditional way with STAMAG baking ingredients. The intensive development of this baking mix confirms that both the processing and taste of the sugar substitute formula ENSO come very close to a sugar-containing recipe and are therefore optimally applicable both industrially and in crafts. “NEOH’s ENSO raw materials replace conventional sugar in almost all applications without having to adapt the recipe and without affecting the baking result,” confirms Dipl. oec. troph. Albert Ponzelar-Becker, head of development at STAMAG.
“The demand for low-sugar foods is increasing rapidly. However, consumers are not prepared to buy the sacrifice of sugar by sacrificing enjoyment. In collaboration with NEOH, we have succeeded in producing baked goods that do not differ in sensory terms from products made with sugar. We are proud to be part of this innovative development and are pleased about the positive feedback from the different markets," says Stefan Kotynek, Sales Manager at STAMAG. In addition to Biogena, Eis-Greissler and REWE, STAMAG is also one of the major customers of NEOH, which is already relying on the innovative raw material ENSO before the official marketing planned next year.
