As of late, sugar has become more and more demonized by health-conscious consumers; accordingly, companies are adapting their products to make sure that people who want to reduce their sugar intake continue to be loyal customers.
Now, international brand Nestle has jumped on the sugar-free bandwagon -- or at least it wants you to believe it's on the right path, because it announced on Nov. 30 that it has developed a way of restructuring sugar, which will ultimately result in a reduced amount of sugar in its candy products.
"It is sugar, but it is assembled differently so it can disassemble easily in your mouth with less going into your gastrointestinal tract," Dr. Stefan Catsicas, the company's chief technology officer, told the New York Times.
The new sugar, according to Nestle, should start being implemented into products around 2018, so the company has a few more years to perfect its new recipe and test it out. However, Nestle isn't sharing just how the new sugar is made, because it is in the process of pursuing patents for it.
"Reducing sugar is the holy grail of food companies these days -- but does it work?" Marion Nestle, a professor in the department of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, told the New York Times.
While you might find it a bit dubious that Nestle, the masterminds behind a significant amount of the world's favorite sugar and candy products, has decided to make its own particular recipe instead of sticking with its tried-and-true (albeit unhealthy) products, it actually makes sense, considering the company might eventually decide to sell its special sugar to other food companies.
In other words, if the recipe is a success, Nestle stands to make a huge profit.
"It’s all about thinking: How can I expose my sensory system to the taste I’m looking for but with the minimum of that ingredient -- and without replacing it with something else," Dr. Catsicas explained.
What do you think? Are you excited for Nestle's new sugar line in 2018?