A Beverage A Day Keeps the Pounds Away

Weight-loss beverages are an ideal medium for handheld, convenient nutrition. Ten years ago they were, in effect, meal replacements that contained enough sugar to taste really good, enough fat to be creamy and a moderate amount of protein and fiber. Consumers lost weight primarily through calorie reduction. But today, consumers know about macronutrients and are more likely to purchase products after looking at carbohydrates, net carbohydrates, protein, fat and fiber.

In addition to calorie reduction, then, for a weight-loss beverage to achieve its purpose, it must taste good enough for consumption and be palatable; cause fullness during consumption, or satiation; cause a continued sense of fullness until the next meal, or satiety; and remain palatable over the course of the diet.

One of the hot, and healthful, ingredients in weight-loss beverages is protein. “Many beverages today are targeting ranges greater than 10 grams per serving,” said Jean Heggie, marketing leader for the Solae Co., St. Louis. “This trend appears to be driven by the nutritional reality that protein is a very satiating nutrient and an important macronutrient in creating products optimized for satiety and hunger management.”

In addition to contributing nutritional value to a product, proteins also can add viscosity, emulsification, opacity and flavor. To optimize the attributes from the protein component of the beverage and minimize cost, product designers will often use a blend of proteins.

The major milk proteins are casein and whey. Caseins predominate, and they are separated from milk through acid precipitation. Caseinates are created through neutralization with a mineral salt, typically calcium, sodium or a combination of the two. The desired functionality determines whether to use acid casein, calcium caseinate, sodium calcium caseinate or sodium calcium.

For example, sodium caseinate assists in the emulsification and aeration of a beverage, lending itself to shakes and full-fat products, while calcium caseinate has a low viscosity and is very dispersible in water for applications with high levels of protein.

Whey, the other major milk protein, and formerly a low-value byproduct of cheese-making, has developed into a valuable functional ingredient. Among whey’s health benefits are its high concentrations of branched-chain amino acids that protect lean muscle mass, glycomacropeptides (GMP) that stimulate the release of the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) to suppress appetite, and rich levels of minerals, including calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and zinc.

Like whey, soy, a plant-derived protein, has many health benefits beyond its protein content. A heart-health claim can be made for products that contain at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving and that are low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

In addition, “soy protein isolates, which are commonly used in such beverages, are over 90 percent protein on a dry basis, and are virtually carbohydrate-free. Soy protein concentrates are typically 70 percent protein on a dry-weight basis, and contribute dietary fiber as well. Both ingredient forms fit well in products that are designed to be ‘low carb’ or ‘low net carb,’” said Heggie.

For weight-loss beverages with protein, Russ Egbert, director of protein research for ADM, noted: “With soy, and any of the proteins that are used in weight-loss drinks, you typically see the protein content on the order of 8 to 15 grams per serving. Some of the juice-based products tend to be lower, around 4 to 6 grams of protein per serving.”

Soluble and insoluble fiber have been linked to the reduction of blood cholesterol and certain cancers, respectively. There is no question that soluble and insoluble fibers should be a part of every healthy diet. In the event that fiber-rich grains, fruits and vegetables are replaced by weight-loss drinks, it’s essential that fiber be incorporated into the beverage.

Share this article: Email, Slashdot, Digg, Del.icio.us, Yahoo!MyWeb, Windows Live Favorites, Furl
Add this article feed to: RSS, My Yahoo, Newsgator, Bloglines