Reducing Sugar, Enhancing Taste: Tips for Sugar Reduction in Sweet Goods

16 Aug 2024

Consumers are ever more conscious of the risks of a high sugar intake, but in patisserie and dessert products, sugar is a vital ingredient not only for sweetness but for other important functions too. This has long been a dilemma for bakers, patissiers, and chocolatiers trying to create indulgent products that are better for consumer’s health. Read on to discover the innovative ways to tackle it. 

Contents

Why do we need to reduce sugar?

Sugar is the ingredient consumers most want to reduce in their diets as excessive sugar consumption leads to a higher risk of developing obesity and several other chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dental cavities, and certain types of cancers.

On top of this, research suggests that type 2 diabetes is set to double by 2050. To tackle this, various governments are implementing measures including sugar taxes, restrictions on junk food advertising, and restrictions on selling energy-dense food in public places such as hospitals and school vending machines.

For producers of baked goods, finding solutions to reduce sugar content is key to improving the overall health of consumers.

Puratos golden rules for reducing sugar

Reducing sugar in our products is a priority for us at Puratos. It is one of our 10  commitments to health and well-being. To achieve this commitment to sugar reduction, we use 3 golden rules:

  1. We offer alternatives for every product
    Puratos provides a sugar-reduced solution for every layer in a patisserie, pastry, or sweet bakery product, from the base and filling to the decoration.
  2. We never compromise on taste or texture
    Extensive consumer research has shown us that consumers never, ever, want to compromise on taste or texture. Eating patisserie is enjoying a moment of indulgence and we respect their pleasure.
  3. We provide clean(er) label
    Puratos uses natural fibers to replace sugars. This enables us not only to keep the label as clean as possible but also means added fiber consumption - another health plus for your customers!

Puratos reduced-sugar solutions

Based on these 3  golden rules, Puratos has developed a number of sugar-reduced products for every stage of the finished good. The products deliver the high standards of taste and texture your consumers expect, but contribute to meeting the sugar consumption guidelines developed by the WHO.

Cakes

For cake-making, our Tegral Satin Cream Cake Sugar Reduced is an all-purpose cake mix that delivers, on average, a 35% sugar reduction.

You can also use our Acti Sugar Reduction, a clean-label cake improver that offers a sugar reduction of up to 35%. 

Chocolate

Our range of sugar-free chocolates has a superior nutritional value, reducing overall calorie intake by 10% to 15%. They are available as dark, milk, and white chocolate — perfect for chocolatiers, for decorating or infusing baked goods.

For example, our Belcolade Selection Noir with 55% cocoa is also available in the sugar-reduced version, which contains 40% less sugar. With this, you can create incredible dark and milk chocolate products without adapting the process or recipe.

Fillings

Our custard cream mix, Cremyvit Sugar-Reduced, which contains 30% less sugar than the average custard cream, can help significantly lower the sugar content of your pastries.

This easy-to-use mix is perfect for tarts, Danish pastries, and pies, or as a filling in éclairs and viennoiserie or in slices like cremeschnitte.

Interested in our sugar-reduced products? 

Contact your local Puratos sales representative to learn more about our sugar-reduced solutions.