Sensus Paper: Healthier, tasty chocolate - indulgence with lower sugar levels

Consumers are looking for healthy indulgence actively and intentionally make choices that have a positive impact on their health. 65% of the global consumers would love a health boosting chocolate, with soluble fiber for example. This is an emerging trend for chocolate confectionery, with proven health benefits like vitamins, minerals, fibers, and flavanols being claimed on innovative new products, including vegan formulations. 

Next to adding sweetness, sucrose also acts as a bulking agent, texture modifier, mouthfeel modifier, flavor enhancer and preservative. In chocolate it plays a pivotal role in reaching the desired sweetness, enhancing the cocoa flavor and mouthfeel. All these factors need to be kept in mind when developing a healthier tasty chocolate. The high sugar content of chocolate has led to the search for lower calorie, low glycemic and healthier alternatives. 

These alternatives are most successful when they mimic the characteristics of traditional sugar as closely as possible. Chicory root fiber, also known as inulin, is a prime candidate as a sugar substitute. 

Download the full paper to read more about the market trends, the benefits of chicory root fiber and formulation possibilities.