09 May 2012 Sweetener Sweet Spot: Avoidance vs Indulgence
Consumer interest in sugar avoidance can be traced to the eminent book, Sugar Blues by William Dufty. The book’s central argument is that a small dietary change, eliminating refined sugar, can make a huge difference in how good one feels physically and mentally.
Today, as progressive health and wellness consumers rethink their sweet tooth, they seek lower-calorie natural sweeteners, such as stevia and agave to sweeten everyday habitual items such as beverages, but look to traditional natural sweeteners (e.g., local honey, pure maple syrup and Sucanat) when baking or on special occasions.
For generations of consumers, sugar has been an integral part of personal and social occasions centering on indulgence, celebration and reward. Starting in the 1970s, however, rising sentiment portraying sugar as a “demon” gained momentum culminating with the rise in popularity of the Atkins and South Beach Diets, both of which “taught” consumers to avoid refined white sugar and high fructose corn syrup.
Like all macro trends, the root causes here are complex and inter-related because of:
- Concern with sugar
- Overall concern with health
- Desire to drink more water
- Desire for more interesting flavours
- Weight management
So, let’s begin understanding this great ingredient demon of the health and wellness arena with our infographic: