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Top functional beverage ingredients of 2014
Functional ingredients might be divided in many fields. I will try to observe the most important ones.
Sweeteners. As now it is becoming more popular having sugar reduced products or naturally sweetened, so Stevia is keeping the leading position. It is still a popular way to have a low calorie drink using it. Another upcoming novelty is Monk fruit extract or so called Lo – han, which provides all-natural, great-tasting, zero-calorie sweetness. Also deionised grape juice concentrate, Xylitol or agave syrup stays as an option for a natural and more healthy sweetening.
Herbal extracts – as it was mentioned in a previous blog post about Trends of herbal extracts for 2014, most trendy herbal extract are those with a Brazilian origin. Acai, maca, camu camu or Yerba mate and artichoke extracts.
Amino acids. As a heathy lifestyle is becoming more and more important, amino acids are requested in majority of sports drinks also such beverages as relax drinks, with GABA or L-theanine.
Proteins. This is one of the biggest novelties in the market for past few years and the last year extremely. The demand of this type of drinks is growing very fast. Most popular drinks with whey protein isolates, collagen proteins, MCT etc.
Vitamin premixes. Vitamin premixes were always widely used in various drink types. This and upcoming year are very popular to use vitamin blends that contains not only vitamins, but such functional ingredients as Lutein, Omega 3, goji extract, ginseng etc.
Juice concentrates. Superfruits are still keeping their strong position in the beverage labels. Goji juice concentrate, acerola, pomegranate what is interesting – beet root concentrate and see buckthorn. The reason of this trend might be not only the functionality of already mentioned fruits, but also still unusual and innovative for Europeans sound of their names.
Fibers. As our lifestyle is becoming more and more fast, we have to take care about our digestive system, here Fibers are giving a hand. This ingredient not only gives a very nice and smooth feeling in the mouth but also provides with positive impact to the digestive system.
