Riding the Wellness Wave! Potential Ingredients and Innovative Product Examples in the Weight Management Track

Introduction: As health becomes a primary concern for consumers, the underlying logic of food demand is undergoing a shift. Beyond mere taste, factors such as ingredient cleanliness, sugar, oil, and carbohydrate content are becoming crucial considerations for a new generation of health-conscious consumers.

Supply Chain Dynamics: The supply chain is adapting to market demands by continuously iterating weight management solutions. From a raw material perspective, products related to weight management are adjusting their nutritional composition by reducing sugar, fats, or carbohydrates to lower calorie intake. Additionally, there's a trend of adding functional ingredients to control appetite, inhibit fat absorption, or promote fat burning.

Global Ingredient Categories: Four main categories of ingredients closely linked to weight management are observed globally: 1) Nutrient components (e.g., proteins, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals), 2) Plant extracts (e.g., white kidney bean extract, cardamom extract, chia seed extract, senna leaf extract, green tea extract), 3) Natural ingredients (e.g., konjac, quinoa, oats), and 4) Small molecular compounds (e.g., tea polyphenols, L-carnitine).

Emerging Ingredients: Recent developments highlight the discovery of ingredients with positive effects on calorie intake reduction, weight loss, metabolism enhancement, and appetite control. Examples include innovative sweeteners like Brazzein, dietary fibers like Beneo-scL85, novel plant-based fat substitutes, and low-carb flours.

Case Studies:

1. Reducing Sugar Intake:Brazzein: A calorie-free natural sweetener extracted from the fruit of a climbing shrub called oubli, providing sweetness 500-2,000 times higher than sugar. Ideal for diabetic-friendly beverages and chocolates.Beneo-scL85: Derived from beet sugar, this dietary fiber enhances texture and nutritional profile, applicable in baking, dairy, and cereal products

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2. Novel Fat Substitutes:Natural Plant Oil Gel: Developed by Professor San Martin at UC Berkeley, this gel, composed of saponin emulsifiers, sunflower, and rapeseed oil, acts as a fat substitute to reduce unhealthy fats in various food products.FaTrix: A plant-based fat component by Gavan Technologies, mimicking animal fats' functionality but with an 80% reduction in saturated fat levels. Suitable for flavor, vitamins, and Omega-3 delivery in baked goods

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3. Low-Carb Fat Control:Keto-Friendly Flour: Ardent Mills introduces a certified gluten-free flour blend suitable for keto diets, maintaining taste and texture in low-carb baked goods.Lory Starch Saphir Pure: A wheat-derived natural adhesive starch by Loryma, offering a clean label solution to reduce fat absorption in fried products

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4. Metabolism Enhancement:C3 Redux (Curcumin Metabolite): Sabinsa introduces a curcumin metabolite with improved bioavailability, promoting metabolic health and aging. Targeted at health-conscious aging and AMP kinase activation.hyLabs FatSlim Probiotic: Derived from Korean kimchi, this probiotic shows significant reductions in weight-related indicators through modulation of gut microbiota

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5. Appetite Control:Amarasate?: An extract from hops developed by Plant & Food Research, Amarasate? stimulates appetite-suppressing hormones and acts on specific brain regions to reduce food intake.Metabolaid: Developed by Monteloeder from saffron, Metabolaid extract positively influences satiety and appetite reduction, with additional high polyphenol plant components

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Conclusion: With the continuous evolution of research and production technologies, innovative ingredients from sources like kiwi, sunflower and rapeseed oils, tomatoes, chicory roots, beets, hops, and microbial groups are being explored for their positive effects on calorie intake, weight reduction, metabolism, and appetite control. The weight management sector is ripe for innovation, with these novel ingredients offering promising avenues for product development in various categories such as beverages, snacks, baked goods, and functional foods.