Sweets in the "fit" version vs. traditional sweets. What do the experts say?

Carefully reading and analyzing the sugar content of foods or choosing the right yoghurts, ice cream or desserts has become the daily life of a large group of Poles. Behind this is the desire to minimize the amount of sugar consumed, the negative consequences of which affect health. International Cheesecake Day, celebrated on July 30, has become a driving force for Food and Design team to talk about sweets, which consumers attitudes have changed significantly in recent years. What do experts said?

Trend for being „fit”. Is it for 100% a trend?

Weight gain leading to obesity, hypertension, fatigue, atherosclerosis, or finally type 2 diabetes. The health consequences of too much sugar in the diet can lead to a number of serious diseases. For many years, limiting sugar intake among children has been encouraged, but this does not remain insignificant for the rest of the age groups. Increasingly, both young and older people are paying attention to formulations, choosing healthier food options. This is not surprising-many of us do not want to completely give up sweets that give pleasure. In response to these needs, we are seeing a flourishing supply of products with reduced or no sugar content at all. How do Poles respond to these proposals?

The introduction of sugarfree's sweet offer wasn't just a creative or innovative idea in the Polish sweets advertising industry. There was a clear market need behind this. Custom-made branded sweets, which are loved by customers not only for their shape and appearance, but above all for their delicious taste, had to find themselves in a world that cares about health and is clearly committed to reducing sugar. These are big challenges for manufacturers of sweets, but in order to grow and be attractive to the widest range of customers all the time, we had to and wanted to present this option. It's also great for people who still couldn't afford the taste of chocolate, and among them a large group of diabetics. In this way, we were also able to meet their needs - explains Anna Garmada, CEO of SLODKIE.

However, limiting sugar isn't just a statement. Today, this is absolutely necessary, because we live in a world where obesity is classified as one of the diseases of civilization of the XXI century. Growing awareness of the harmful effects of sugar encourages consumers to turn to products with less sugar or sugar substitutes. So you can still enjoy the sweets, but in a healthier version.

photo: Od kuchni creative agency

Classic sweets. What will the nutritionist say?

How to reduce sugar, but still treat yourself to your favorite cakes or desserts? Eat them less often! Such decisions also encourage nutritionists, who understand how difficult it is to completely give up their favorite sweets.

I'm a proponent of the approach that we already sin in dieting this specifically. By this I mean that sometimes eating a traditional cheesecake or apple pie can have a beneficial effect on our well-being and further progress or staying in a particular eating pattern. As it always happens in life – we need moderation, so if I want to reach for sweets, I prefer to do it less often, but nevertheless celebrate it with these traditional, good, often local, but expensive ingredients, rather than confectionery-like desserts baked on an industrial scale at an advertising price. I also noticed that eating so-called sweets gives a temporary sense of satisfaction, which, however, does not end in complete satisfaction, so this solution is likely to be effective only for a certain group of people or for a shorter time. Remember that calories count even when we don't count them, so if we're faced with the choice of eating a traditional meal, we'll have to make sure that we don't count them. It seems intuitively easy to choose between baking and approaching the dessert from an unknown place with an unknown composition. – comments Agnieszka Tokarz, Food Trend & Product Manager, Nice To Fit You.

photo: pixabay

Sweet compromise – does it exist?

Delicious sweetness and low sugar content-a combination of these two worlds at first glance seems difficult, but, as manufacturers say, it is still possible today. The way to make sweet but low-calorie desserts is to use sugar alternatives.

Both from my own experience and from working with manufacturers of sugar substitutes, I know that the need for a good alternative today is undeniable. This is also supported by research that shows that the market for sugar substitutes is developing rapidly, and the pandemic has even accelerated the growing demand for these products. - comments Magda Malutko, CEO and owner of the Od kuchni creative agency.

An alternative to typical sweeteners can also be fruit, which allows you to create a healthier dessert. As Linh Ziółkowska, manager of Wi-Taj restaurant in Warsaw points out:

There are no typical cakes or chocolate sweets in our restaurant. We serve fruit-based desserts that match the Vietnamese-Thai character of our cuisine. Customers are happy to reach for both fried bananas and sticky rice mangoes, and interestingly, some come back to us just for these menu items. Wi-Taj guests know that they will find traditional Asian sweets in our establishment that do not require additional sugar. I think this is an interesting alternative to typical Polish desserts, which we associate with rich sweet masses of cakes or ice cream cups with whipped cream, jelly and garnish.

The future of the sweet industry 

After many sweet years where the consumer didn't read the label on yogurt and count the calories in their favorite slice of Viennese cheesecake, are we in for a lean time?

I think that we live in a time when these trends are changing quite dynamically. So let's turn to the current situation - now traditional products and desserts are absolutely more popular. This is the result of the limitations that the pandemic has given us, and we don't want to go back to it. We want to be in shape, but we allow ourselves small deviations from the diet. What's more, confectionery is experiencing a Renaissance as consumers begin to understand that delicious pastries often equal the high price we can and want to pay. The best example here is the berries that we look forward to all year long, and when they appear, we can spend these 18-25 PLN on them in the best pastry shops to enjoy the delicious taste and appreciate the skill of our confectioners. The consumer begins to appreciate and understand that a good product is not only the price of individual raw materials, but also the labor of human hands, energy for utilities and the artisan nature of traditional baking – dodaje Agnieszka Tokarz, Food Trend & Product Manager, Nice To Fit You.

photo: pixabay

A dozen or even more than 20 zlotys for baked goods is an exorbitant price, which – in an economic crisis-can scare off some potential customers. What is the future of the sweet market in an era of inflation? Can we afford a piece of our favorite cheesecake?

According to experts, too soon we will not say goodbye to inflation, and its impact on the category of sweets or cakes is very large. Last fall, we read that: In September, sales in traditional stores increased by more than 7%. less in quantitative terms than last year. Many households can only save on food. On the other hand, it is worth remembering that sweets are unusual products in the entire FMCG group. In light of the crisis, consumers turn to them to reduce stress and improve humor. Thus, the future of this industry remains unclear, and certainly its shape dictates the wealth of Poles ' pockets.

Will they benefit from balance and common sense?

However, leaving aside the problem of inflation, to which each of us must adapt individually and possibly revise our budgets, finding a middle ground in the matter of diet is extremely difficult and, of course, not universal. Each organism is different, we have different needs or lifestyles, and finally, resources. It is important to implement the right balance in your menu or find a delicious way for yourself that will allow you to maintain a healthy body and at the same time enjoy eating. Maybe it turns out that we don't need to constantly deny ourselves something that gives us so much pleasure?

On the occasion of the upcoming holiday, the Food and Design team wishes you a delicious International Cheesecake Day-with xylitol, with raisins, without raisins or this traditional one that smells like home and childhood.

* Piotr Mazurkiewicz, Sales have already started to fall. More and more Russians are saving on food, rp.pl.