We are beginning to know: excess sugar is (very) bad for your health since it can lead to the development of a whole cohort of diseases – diabetes, obesity, cancers, myocardial infarction, stroke…
To ease the foot on sugar, many of us have therefore adopted healthier alternatives. Stevia, for example: this natural sweetener (of vegetable origin) has a significant sweetening power… but without the calories of traditional sugar.
Allulose is not yet authorized in Europe
Yes, but here it is: the taste of stevia (close to liquorice) does not appeal to everyone. Hence the appearance of other more or less known choices: sorbitol, xylitol… The latest “fake sugar” to date: allulose, a natural “sugar” found in particular in grapes, figs , kiwis, cornstarch or beets.
Very low in calories (with only 0.4 Kcal per 1 gram), allulose does not raise glycemia, that is to say the level of sugar in the blood, which makes it interesting for people suffering from diabetes. On the taste side, researchers at the University of Göttingen (who have studied this product) state that allulose has a “typical taste” of sugar.
For the moment, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has not authorized the marketing of allulose in Europe. This “natural sugar” is however already available in the United States, Japan and Korea: it comes in the form of a powder, to sprinkle over tea or yogurt. New to follow!