World Chocolate Day celebrated 7 July

Published: 9-Jul-2018

Who really needs an excuse to eat chocolate? Well there was one on Saturday 7 July for World Chocolate Day

Despite concerns about health and obesity, chocolate remains a popular treat worldwide. However, there has been a slight shift in consumer tastes. According to a recent report by Euromonitor, the healthy chocolate confectionery category (which includes fine chocolate), including fortified functional, organic, reduced fat and sugar, is set to grow by almost double the rate – in retail value and volume consumption – compared to regular chocolate confectionery by 2021.

The focus on obesity and the health agenda has made many consumers transfer allegiance to lower sugar and fat confectionery products. However, to ensure chocolate is still a firm favourite for many years to come, confectionery manufacturers have been working hard to offer healthier versions of existing products, as well as new innovations.

Thanks to ingredients, such as BENEO’s functional carbohydrates, isomalt and palatinose consumers can benefit from chocolate products that offer less calories or a balanced source of energy and increased fat oxidation.

Another route to healthier indulgence is available through its chicory root fibres, inulin and oligofructose, which enable manufacturers to develop chocolate treats that are sugar-reduced, rich in fibre, lower in calories and can even help to balance blood sugar levels, while maintaining a mild, pleasant taste.

In fact, trials at the BENEO-Technology Center have found that by including inulin in the recipe, the sugar content of a milk chocolate can be easily reduced with one-third, whilst still conveying the same indulgent taste as the full-sugar equivalent.

Sugar reduced chocolate made easy

World Chocolate Day celebrated 7 July

Above is a BENEO sugar reduced milk chocolate recipe with inulin, to show how easy it is to achieve a 30% sugar reduction, while allowing for a high fibre claim on the pack.

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