Beyond The Headlines: Top Gum unveils organic nutritional gummies, Protein Rebel launches maple syrup energy gel

This week in nutrition news, Top Gum launched a collection of sugar- and sweetener-free organic gummies in the nutritional supplements category. Protein Rebel unveiled its energy gel Maple Ignite, following a crowdfunding campaign. Meanwhile, Nutritional Growth Solutions (NGS) began a clinical trial for a sports supplement aimed at athletic children.

In brief: Nutrition news

Nutraceutical gummy innovators Top Gum released a collection of five gummies fortified with B-vitamin biotin, ashwagandha, zinc, vitamin D and an antioxidant blend. The new gummies contain no sugars, sugar alcohols or sweeteners of any kind. Rather, the company stated that it relies on the “natural sweetness” of the ingredients used – such as berry – in the matrix of the gummies to provide flavor in flavor-challenging ingredients like zinc.

UK-based natural sports nutrition company Protein Rebel launched Maple Ignite, a sports energy gel made from maple syrup harvested from Canadian maple trees. According to the company, the syrup is naturally high in carbohydrates, potassium and calcium. The syrup is also blended with sea salt to help provide sodium, manganese, iron and antioxidants. Moreover, the gel is chemical-free and contains low amounts of maltodextrin and fructose, which make it easier to digest. Additionally, Protein Rebel stated that maple syrup is a renewable energy source as the trees can produce sap for up to 200 years and trap an estimated 45 kg of carbon dioxide for every 3.5 liters of sap produced.

Meanwhile, NGS started a clinical trial on a new sports supplement for young athletes. The trial recruited 50 soccer players between the ages of eight and 15 and will be conducted over the course of 16 weeks in Q3 of 2023. The volunteers will be given a supplement containing 17 g of protein per serving as well as creatine, L-arginine and 14 vitamins and minerals for the first 8-week period, followed by a non-supplementary period of eight more weeks for comparison.

Protein Rebel’s Maple Ignite is the first pure maple syrup-based energy gel. Credit: Protein Rebel

In brief: Industry news

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) is commemorating the organization’s 50th anniversary with a memory or milestone every week, culminating in a celebration at its annual conference in October. Some of the milestones to be celebrated include the organization’s role in the Rogers-Proxmire amendment of 1976, which prohibited the US Food and Drug Administration from regulating the potency of vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as the passing of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.

At the same time, Danone North America began accepting applications for its 2022-2023 Gut Microbiome, Yogurt and Probiotics Fellowship Grant. The company will award two US$25,000 grants to graduate students to explore and research probiotics and yogurt and their effects on the gut microbiome, with the goal of providing a clearer understanding of how probiotics and yogurt help support and maintain human health and wellness. Now in its 11th year of funding, the company noted that in past iterations, the grant had been used to research the gut-brain axis, the effects of probiotic yogurt consumption during lactation, the adaptation of fermentative microbes for milk, the use of foods to support beneficial bacteria and the effects of protein fermentation on the human microbiota and digestive health, among other endeavors. The application will close on February 14 and the winners will be announced on April 3 this year.

In brief: Research and studiesNGS will run the first clinical trial on a nutritional sports supplement for children.
A study published in PLOS Medicine, which included 104,168 adults from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort study, found that nitrates in foods have little to no dietary value and could increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 27%. However, it could not establish a clear corroboration between the two. The authors stated that the findings could influence regulations surrounding the use of nitrites and nitrates as food additives since the incidence of Type 2 diabetes increased in conjunction with increased consumption. 

Additionally, researchers at the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital in Finland, reported that obesity during pregnancy, as well as the development of gestational diabetes, had a negative effect on the cognition, motor and language skills of children at two years of age. According to the study, published in Pediatric Research, gestational diabetes and high body fat can cause inflammation in the mother’s body and impact the mother’s metabolism. Furthermore, the researchers stated that they are the likely causes of these neurodevelopmental delays.

Lastly, researchers at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, revealed that the wild-growing and native UK plant, Buglossoides Arvensis (commonly known as Ahiflower), may significantly improve the health of chronically ill patients such as those with Crohn’s Disease or bowel cancer. The study used oil from the seeds of the common weed, and compared them to soybean and fish oil in a mouse trial. The results showed that the Ahiflower oil significantly lowered inflammation, improved gut microflora and raised insulin sensitivity.

By William Bradford Nichols