VEVEY, Switzerland – For a healthy and balanced nutrition, the type and quality of the carbohydrates is as important as the quantity. Carbohydrates are an essential part of a healthy diet and it is recommended that carbohydrates provide between 45 – 65% of our daily calories.
Slow digestible carbohydrates and non-digestible fibers which have shown to have a beneficial effect on gut health and blood sugar control, are often lacking in diets, that rely mostly on easily digestible sugars and starches.
Nestlé scientists, in collaboration with internationally recognized experts from leading institutions, such as Tufts University in Boston, U.S., Nutrition Research Australia and the National University of Singapore, have developed and validated a unique nutritional concept for carbohydrate quality.
The concept, called GRAINSMART balance, consists of a defined ratio between carbohydrates, fibers and sugars that aims to limit the amount of free sugars and increase the amount of fibers, which in consequence helps to shift to healthier products and balanced diets.
This ratio is 10: 1: 2 and indicates that for every 10g of total carbohydrates there should be minimum 1g of fiber, and no more than 2g of free sugars when developing certain products such as cereals.
Products which meet the 10:1:2 ratio, can include the GRAINSMART balance logo on pack. Nestlé has now launched the first products based on GRAINSMART balance, consisting of a porridge product range with Nutri-Score ‘A’ rating in Europe.
The GRAINSMART balance nutritional concept aims at providing better guidance to consumers on how to improve carbohydrate quality for a balanced diet. Additionally, it will help to inform future product development.
“This new nutritional concept aims at facilitating a choice of higher quality carbohydrate products, helping consumers to increase their consumption of fiber-rich grain such as whole-grains, while at the same time reducing their intake of added sugars,” says Kim-Anne Lê Bur, nutrition expert from Nestlé Research. “With GRAINSMART balance, both goals are met, while still ensuring a tasty product.”
“We are very proud to pioneer this unique nutritional concept that supports products with higher nutritional quality,” says Mayank Trivedi, Head of Nestlé Strategic Business Unit Dairy. “We want to make sure consumers can trust products bearing the GRAINSMART balance logo as healthy options for themselves and their family because of their composition, which has been co-developed and validated by internationally recognized nutrition experts.”
Nesvita and Nestum Super multiportion healthy porridges and the Nesquik All Natural Porridge for children with the new GRAINSMART balance recipe have been launched in several European countries, and additional markets will be reached in 2022. The GRAINSMART balance concept is being applied to the product development for Nestlé’s cereal portfolio.
