The company, called Sweet Victory, formulated the product with botanical ingredients. It tastes like regular gum and comes in two flavors: mint and ginger-lemon.
It works within two minutes by blocking sugar receptors on the tongue, and its effect can last up to two hours, the company said. During that time, sweet foods or drinks that normally excite the senses will taste bland or even bitter, and the urge to binge on sweets may subside, lasting even longer than the physical effect.
“Most of us struggle with sweet cravings on a daily basis,”said Gitit Lahav, a psychologist who spent nearly a decade researching the link between nutrition and psychology. Lahav co-founded Sweet Victory with nutritionist Shimrit Lev. “Even as awareness grows about the impact of excessive sugar consumption on personal well-being, kicking the sugar ‘habit’ is a real struggle for most of us. This is what prompted us to look for a solution that would help consumers have better control over their nutritional choices.”
With their background in botany, Lahav and Lev turned to the ancient Indian botanical gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre), known in the Ayurvedic tradition for its positive effect on glucose metabolism.
In India, it is known as “gurmar” which is Hindi for “sugar destroyer” and is said to inhibit the absorption of sugar beyond its effect on the tongue. “The atomic arrangement of bioactive gymnemic acid molecules is actually similar to that of glucose molecules.”Lev explained. “These molecules fill the receptor locations on the taste buds and prevent the activation of sugar molecules present in food, thus curbing the craving for sugar.”
sweet success
In India, gurmar leaves are often chewed for the effect. “We were surprised how quickly this works,” Lev pointed out. “We looked for a more effective, fun and convenient delivery method for this herb, and we set out to overcome its characteristic bitter taste.”
At first, the duo experimented with homemade gumball recipes, using homemade gumball kits. They then combined the techniques with their nutritional knowledge to derive an ideal recipe using a few select natural sweeteners. The formula was further refined with the help of a major Israeli candy manufacturer. Today, after sourcing organic gymnema leaves in India, the startup manufactures its chewing gum in a facility in Italy approved to produce functional supplements.
The gum has undergone a successful pilot study at the Sheba Medical Center Obesity Research Center in Israel. One of the participants stated: “I chew gum twice a day when I feel like something sweet, and I find that the candy I eat has no flavor. I even tried a chocolate mousse and it tasted sour! The most surprising thing is that I don’t feel like eating.”
According to the Innova Market Insights Global Health and Nutrition Survey, in 2021, 37% of global consumers indicated that they reduced their sugar intake in the past 12 months. These efforts reflect the widely held view that high sugar intake is a causative factor in a variety of conditions, including tooth decay, weight gain, and diabetes. Research has suggested a role for sugar in activating opiate receptors (reward centers) in the brain, which could explain its attractive nature.
“Gum works both physically and psychologically,”Lahav added. “Most people crave something sweet at certain times of the day, usually after lunch and in the evening. Over time, it becomes an automatic instinct that makes the habit even harder to break. Chewing Sweet Victory gum during those tough times can slowly break bad habits and help you develop better, healthier habits.”More clinical trials are underway to determine its effect on blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
Sweet Victory is commercially available in France, where it costs 7.7 euros for a pack of 12 pieces, Panama and Israel. It will be released in the US and then worldwide. He plans more flavors for 2022, he said.
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