Israeli start-up Sweet Victory has launched a line of botanical-infused chewing gums designed to stop sugar cravings.
The company claims its proprietary composition works within two minutes by blocking the sugar receptors on the tongue, with the effect lasting up to two hours. During that time, it says, sweet foods or beverages will taste bland or even sour.
According to Innova Market Insights’ global Health and Nutrition Survey, in 2021, 37% of global consumers indicated they decreased their sugar intake over the past 12 months. The American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugar to no more than 24g a day, and men limit added sugar to no more than 36g a day.
“Most of us battle with sweet cravings on a daily basis,” said Gitit Lahav, co-founder of Sweet Victory with Shimrit Lev, a professional nutritional instructor. “Even as awareness of the impact of overindulgent sugar consumption on personal wellbeing grows, kicking the sugar ‘habit’ is a real struggle for most of us. This is what spurred us to seek a solution that would help consumers take better control over their nutritional choices.”
The gum includes Indian botanical gymnema, (Gymnema sylvestre) known from Ayurvedic tradition for its positive effect on glucose metabolism. In India, it is known as “gurmar,” Hindi for “sugar destroyer.” It was said to inhibit sugar absorption beyond its effect on the tongue. “The atomic arrangement of bioactive gymnemic acid molecules is actually similar to that of glucose molecules,” said Lev. “These molecules fill the receptor locations on the taste buds and prevent activation by sugar molecules present in the food, thereby curbing the sugar craving.”
In India, gurmar leaves are chewed to elicit the effect. “We were startled by how quickly this works,” said Lev. “We sought a more effective, fun, and convenient delivery method for this herb, and so set out to overcome its characteristic bitter flavour.”
The formula was refined with the help of an Israeli confectionary manufacturer. The start-up now manufactures its plant-based gum in a facility in Italy approved for producing functional supplements. The product is available in two flavours: peppermint, lemon and ginger.
The gum has undergone a successful pilot study at the Obesity Research Center of the Sheba Medical Center in Israel. One of the participants said: “I chew the gum twice a day when I get the urge for something sweet, and I feel that the sweet I eat is tasteless. I even tried a chocolate mousse and it tasted sour!”
“The gum works on both a physical and a psychological level,” said Lahav “Most people crave something sweet at certain times of the day, usually after lunch and at night. Over time, it becomes an automatic instinct that makes the habit even harder to break. Chewing Sweet Victory gum at those challenging moments can slowly break bad habits and help build better, healthier habits.” Further clinical trials to determine its effect on blood sugar levels in persons with diabetes are in the pipeline.
Sweet Victory is available commercially in Panama, France, and Israel.
