Ageing is a part of life for everyone, and more and more people are wanting to live their lives to the fullest for as long as possible. Here, Myriam Snaet, Head of Market Intelligence and Consumer Insights at BENEO, details the latest consumer insights on ageing and how people are proactively using nutrition to support their heart health and a positive ageing process. The research also demonstrates the important role functional ingredients are increasingly playing, helping producers build healthy ageing into their bakery product development and reformulation.
Demand for healthy ageing on the rise
In latest research from BENEO’s Global Healthy Ageing Survey, 73% of consumers globally now recognise that the journey to ageing healthfully starts early on in life. While there are a wide number of influences on healthy ageing, one area that has always been recognised for its positive benefits is nutrition.
Consumers increasingly understand that healthy nutrition enables the body to function well. As a result, a holistic approach to supporting body functions is being undertaken, with 67% believing that by choosing healthy food they are in control of their future health. Almost half of those surveyed by BENEO are influenced by ingredients lists and nutritional information when making a first-time food or drink purchase. In addition, to deal with and to prevent health issues, consumers are prioritising the reduction of sugar (61%), salt (45%), and saturated fats (42%) in their diets. More than a third are also trying to increase their fibre intake (35%). Therefore, creating baked goods that provide nutritional benefits can be an important purchasing driver.
Getting to the heart of the matter
When it comes to ageing healthily, more than 80% of consumers agree that a healthy heart leads to a better quality of life, and is essential for long and healthy living, feeling fit and full of energy. With cardiovascular disease the number one non-communicable disease (NCD) globally, it is understandable that 2 out of 3 people are interested in food and beverages that support their heart health.
Heart health is influenced by a person’s behaviour and environment and pursuing a healthy lifestyle, including diet, from early on is a key factor in ageing well. Diet positively or negatively influences factors such as body weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Knowledge around the negative impact of raised cholesterol levels on the heart is high amongst consumers, with three quarters agreeing that lowering these levels supports heart health. The connection is also being made between heart health and improved blood sugar management, with ‘supporting heart health’ the number two benefit being cited by consumers interested in blood sugar management, after improved weight management.
Ingredients for promoting heart health
With such a strong interest amongst consumers for products that support heart health, functional ingredients can help bakery manufacturers tap into this trend. One way to satisfy this demand is by including beta-glucans from barley in recipe development. These soluble dietary fibres have been scientifically proven to reduce blood cholesterol concentration, as well as to lower the blood glucose response. The addition of beta-glucans helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and their beneficial effect can also be claimed on pack with a daily intake of 3g barley beta-glucans, depending on the regional regulatory situation.
BENEO’s Orafti®β-fit barley beta-glucan ingredient is a natural and clean label wholegrain barley flour that includes 20% beta-glucans and has a total fibre content of 40%. As it can be labelled as barley flour, it offers manufacturers consumer-friendly labelling options. Almost 4 in 5 consumers (79%) consider barley flour as healthy and 84% as natural. This makes Orafti®β-fit a good solution for producers wanting to create baked goods that promote heart health and help to bridge the fibre gap in an affordable way.
With its neutral taste, beta-glucan rich barley flour can be used in a wide range of baked goods, such as cakes, muffins, bread, and biscuits. To help producers create heart-healthy and tasty foods, the BENEO-Technology Center has developed a range of new baked good recipes such as biscuits and sourdough bread that contain Orafti® β-fit and allow for heart health and high fibre claims in the EU, with the possibility of improved Nutri-Scores.
With so many consumers concerned about ageing well, functional ingredients that support heart health are an important purchase driver. The proven effects of beta-glucans in lowering blood glucose response and cholesterol levels enable producers to meet growing consumer demand for baked goods that will promote healthier ageing and keep them coming back for more.
Editorial content:
Editor: Kiran Grewal kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk
