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Produce Show Daily 5 9 Saturday, October 21, 2017 Intrinsic Sugar vs. Added Sugar with a Focus on Raisins as a Sugar Substitute By Dr. Jim Painter, PhD, RD, Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health, University of Texas – Houston Sugar in recent months has risen to the forefront of manufacturers', retailers' and consumers' minds with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ruling to label added sugars on the food label. Although the compliance date for this law has been postponed, added sugar will remain a long term issue as the trifecta of science, government guidelines and con- sumers agree that added sugar consump- tion needs to be reduced. In 2015, the World Health Organization issued a pub- lic declaration recommending individu- als limit added sugars to 10 percent or less of total calories and that further reduction to five percent or less of total calories is beneficial. Added sugars refer to sugars that are not naturally occurring in foods but have been added in processing; intrinsic sug- ars are naturally occurring in whole fruits, vegetables and dairy. So why are added sugars an issue? As calories from added sugar increase, nutrients such as potassium and calcium (both nutrients of concern for U.S. adults) decrease. Next, digestion and assimilation of added sug- ars differ from intrinsic sugars. Research comparing foods with equal amount of carbohydrates shows that whole fruits (such as raisins, apples and oranges) raise blood glucose levels less than when com- pared to foods containing added sugar, because of the lower glycemic index of intrinsic sugars. Glycemic index is a measure of blood glucose levels after eat- ing foods that contain carbohydrates. In 2016, the FDA issued a rule requiring ingredient labels to display the percent daily value for added sugars and set a limit that added sugars should con- stitute no more than 10 percent of daily total calories within a health- ful diet. This change in label- ing will provide consumers with the information to determine what foods con- tain added sugar, enabling them to make better choices. In response to this change in labeling and increasing con- sumer demand for fewer added sugars, manufacturers are reducing added sugars in their food products. Since consumers still desire sweet tasting foods, suitable sugar alternatives must be found. The FDA's label ruling provides an interesting opportunity as the law states that dried fruit, fruit paste, fruit puree and single strength fruit juice will not be considered added sugar on the nutrition facts label. These fruit ingredients are natural alter- natives to added sugar while providing nutrients and fiber in addition to the sweetness without being categorized as added sugar on the nutrition facts label. In addition to cleaning up the label, con- suming dried fruit is associated with decreased blood pressure, decreased blood glucose levels for individuals with dia- betes, cardiovascular disease protection and improved digestive health. When consumers and product manufactur- ers use dried fruit as a sugar substitute, not only does it sweeten foods but also provides the addi- tional nutritional benefits from fiber and nutrients. An excellent example of how raisins can be used as a sugar substitute is the Cocoa Coconut Torte recipe on Sun- Maid's website: http://bit.ly/2x5smkl which is sweetened solely with raisins and dates and contains almonds, cocoa, eggs and coconut. This dessert contains nutritionally dense ingredients that create a delicious, decadent chocolate cake that is free from added sugars. For more information, go to www.sun maid.com, call 559.896.8000, email info@sunmaid.com or stop by booth #2559. Just Add Consumer-Friendliness An interview with Anthony Mongiello, The Big Cheese™, President and Chief Executive Officer, Formaggio Brand. PSD: Tell our readers about the Just Add Lettuce line and the new flavor. AM: Just Add Lettuce is the kind of prod- uct that I see as a truly consumer friendly item; something that can make our lives easier but without compromising the flavor profile. Formaggio set out to create three different kinds of salad mixers that experi- ence told us would be received well. We decided on three flavors initially – Greek, Italian and Spanish – and now a fourth, Blue Cheese & Berries. Utterly delicious. PSD: Describe these flavors. AM: Of course! Greek would be one of them. It's like a traditional Greek salad – feta cheese, kalamata olives, red onion, fresh oregano, etc – everything you would want in a Greek salad in a restau- rant. We have a Spanish flavor which is absolutely one of the most flavorful ones we offer. There's such a nice vinegar bite that comes from the banana ring peppers. I like them because they're not overly spicy like hot cherry peppers and people seem to love it that way. We also have the Italian version with sundried tomatoes, olives, bits of provolone cheese and seri- ously savory traditional seasonings. Very popular. PSD: Who is the Just Add Lettuce cus- tomer? AM: People who are busy and who want to have a delicious gourmet salad but don't have the time to gather all the ingredients together and then prepare everything themselves. They don't want to compromise when it comes to flavor or quality. Instead of taking 25 minutes to prepare a delicious gourmet salad, it will take them less than 25 seconds. And don't forget all the time you would spend shopping for these items. Additionally, if the customer doesn't use all these differ- ent fresh produce items right away, they can go bad. With just Add Lettuce, the shelf life is extended dramatically. PSD: Can Just Add Lettuce be used for anything aside from salads? AM: The cool thing about Just Add Lettuce is that you can use it in other recipes. If you type Just Add Lettuce into the YouTube search, you should see what people are coming up with! Just Add Lettuce is a flavor profile in a jar. Seafood for example – cook your fish in it and then put that over rice. You can put some over red potatoes before you roast them. They'll come out crispy, crunchy with a flavor that is over the top. So many more ideas, too. PSD: Just Add Lettuce was recently fea- tured on a few episodes of the TV series "All Mixed Up" from the producers of Designing Spaces on Lifetime TV where you also appeared as one of the judges. Tell our read- ers about that. AM: It was a great expe- rience. The three contest- ants had to use it as the main ingredient in an entrée. One of the contestants, Krystal Battle, minced up our Greek Just Add Lettuce and made the most amazing loaded mashed potatoes that had a fantas- tic flavor profile. Imagine mashed pota- toes filled with kalamata olives, feta cheese, oregano, herbs and spices, some garlic. Absolutely delicious! She blew my mind with what she did with Just Add Lettuce Greek. I think it will blow any- one's mind who tries it! For more information, go to www .formaggiocheese.com or www.just addlettuce.com. The Award-Winning Taste of Venta del Baron Venta del Baron by Mueloliva is an intensely fruity and complex extra virgin olive oil made only from the first Picuda and Hojiblanca olives of the season. On the palate, green herbal notes mingle with peppermint, almond shells, banana and apple, resulting in a tasting experience that is at first sweet, then slightly bitter and spicy, with a nutty finish. Balanced and harmonious, Venta del Baron is delightful as part of an elaborate meal, or simply drizzled over crusty artisanal bread. Venta del Baron has consistently won gold medals at olive oil competi- tions, including the New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC) and the Los Angeles Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards, and this past season has been no exception for excellent results. Venta del Baron earned both best in class and the gold medal this past May in Los Angeles, and ranked seventh in the "World's 50 Best Olive Oils 2016/2017," which is based on the results of the 14 leading international olive oil competitions. For more information, call 713.660.0577, email wholesale@frenchfarm.com or visit www.thefrenchfarm.com.