Foodtech start-up Sweet Victory’s botanical chewing gum designed to curb sugar-cravings has demonstrated the potential to support weight loss, thanks to its active ingredient Gymnema sylvestre, hailed in traditional medicine as the “sugar destroyer”.
Sweet Victory chewing gum is available in a range of flavours and was developed by entrepreneurs Gitit Lahav and Shimrit Lev in an initiative to create a tasty and convenient solution that could bolster consumers’ resistance to sugary temptations.
The results of a consumer study revealed that more than 80 per cent of the participants reported that they had cut down on their intake of sweets, and that it helped result in measurable weight loss in 9 out of every 10 participants.
Gymnema: The “Sugar Destroyer”
The active ingredient responsible for this effect is a native Indian natural botanical, Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre), known in traditional medicine as the “sugar destroyer” due to its sugar suppression activity.
The plant extract in the chewy composition functions by blocking the taste receptors for sweetness.
It also slows intestinal absorption of sugars. After just two minutes of chewing, sweet flavours become blunted, and the immediate desire for confectionery diminishes.
New Sense Research, a company specialising in sensory analysis of products and services, conducted a home-usage experiment to evaluate the product's capacity to reduce the desire for sweet treats.
The study also considered the flavourful treat’s subsequent impact on weight management. The experiment collated general feedback from volunteer participants regarding the product’s overall appeal and effectiveness.
Among the 80 participants, 87 per cent reported experiencing weight loss, at an average 1.3 kilos per 2 weeks, and 80 per cent significantly reduced their consumption of sweets by the end of the trial and reported having ‘better control’ of their food choices.
A survey of the users’ perceptions of the innovative gum also yielded encouraging results. 70 per cent of the users felt that the product was innovative and fulfilled its role of maintaining weight balance. They also expressed a willingness to recommend it to friends and family. Furthermore, the participants described it a ‘fun product’, suggesting that it could be a fun addition to their daily routine.
Sweet Victory is currently working on diversifying the product’s delivery formats, including exploring new gum flavours to join the existing peppermint, spearmint, bubble-gum and watermelon flavoured gums.
