Sugars from Fiber: A Revolution in Human and Planetary Health
Imagine if there was a completely new category of sugars available. One that tasted great, possessed properties and performance that cane sugar does in food (like browning and caramelization), contained only half the calories and a healthy dose of fiber, and caused a lower blood sugar response in the body.
What if you knew that the prebiotic benefits of these new sugars called “sugars from fiber” could improve your digestive health, which is linked to a range of human health benefits including a more stable central nervous system, and improved mental and emotional health?
What if, additionally, this new category of sugars was shown to have — unlike cane sugar — lower impact on the natural environment because it’s made from upcycled agricultural products?
Would you try it?
What exactly is “sugars from fiber”?
Sugars from fiber is a completely new category of sugars made by The Supplant Company. Supplant™ sugars from fiber has completed self-affirmed GRAS and can now be sold in the United States.
To make sugars from fiber, The Supplant Company takes unused plant fiber from corn cobs, oat husks, or wheat straw and applies enzymes from fungi to break them down into sugars comprised of both short-chain sugar molecules (oligosaccharides) and fiber molecules (cellulose).
What are the benefits?
Because there is less available carbohydrate when you eat Supplant™ sugars from fiber, the glycemic response is much lower.
Glycemic response is the increase in blood sugar levels after food consumption. When blood sugar increases, the pancreas will release the hormone insulin to remove sugar from the bloodstream. Foods that trigger a strong glycemic response tend to also have a corresponding “insulin spike” which over time wears down the pancreas and reduces its ability to help digest carbohydrates — the condition known as Type 2 diabetes.
Supplant™ sugars from fiber also contain less than half the calories per gram compared to traditional sugars. So you can enjoy it more frequently if you wish.
What’s a prebiotic?
A prebiotic is any food that feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Supplant™ sugars from fiber have prebiotic properties that have been shown in studies to help good bacteria (such as Bifidobacteria) to grow and survive in your gut.
Good gut health has been linked to a healthy central nervous system, improved mental health, and more.
Is it actually good for the planet?
Supplant™ sugars from fiber is made using upcycled agricultural side streams — basically unused plant materials like corn cobs, oat husks, or wheat straw that are otherwise of low value for human use. This means no ecosystems are destroyed to create new farmland for Supplant™ sugars from fiber.
On the other hand, sugarcane crops have an enormous negative impact on the environment.
According to World Wildlife Fund:
“The production of sugarcane has probably caused a greater loss of biodiversity on the planet than any other single crop. Substantial areas of biodiversity-rich habitat have been cleared for cane cultivation, such as tropical rain forest and tropical seasonal forest.”
Runoff from sugarcane has been shown to harm marine ecosystems including coral reefs.
I’m in! Where can I try it?
Supplant™ sugars from fiber are coming soon to a food retailer near you. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and here on Medium.com to follow along.
