Functional Spice for Food Lowers Caloric Impact, Company Says

A new functional spice can be sprinkled on starchy food, both adding flavor and lowering food’s glycemic index. DietSpice will be presented by Ingredia Nutritional (Arras, France), a division of dairy ingredients firm Ingredia Group, at the upcoming Food Ingredients Europe trade show in Paris.

According to Ingredia Nutritional’s research and development manager Alain Baniel in a press release, “One stick of DietSpice provides the recommended intake of StarchLite, a patented, all-natural extract of white bean. StarchLite has been shown to be a temporary inhibitor of alpha-amylase, the enzyme responsible for starch breakdown into simple sugars. The inhibition of alpha-amylase decreases the digestion and absorption of starch, therefore reducing its caloric impact.” Baniel adds that this effect has been proven by clinical studies.

The product is provided in easy-to-transport stick packs. “One just has to sprinkle DietSpice on a starchy dish to lower its calorie intake: this makes it a very easy product to use, both at home and at the restaurant,” says Mathieu Lucot, junior product manager, in a press release. “The sticks are also very convenient and discreet to carry around in a purse or pocket.”