You are here: HomeNews Releases

Both Sugary and Artificially Sweetened Beverages Can Impact Health Risks

GILBERT, AZ (May 18, 2020) – According to a study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health(1) and published in the journal, Circulation, women who drink four or more sugar-sweetened beverages per day not only increase the risk of diabetes, but also have an increased risk of cardiovascular death.

Another recent study(2) published by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that women who drank two or more artificially sweetened drinks daily were 31% more likely to have a clot-based stroke, 29% more likely to have heart disease and 16% more likely to die from any cause than women who drank low- or no-calorie drinks fewer than once a week or none at all. And yet, the AHA4 says that Americans are striving for less sugar in their diets.

Some alarming statistics were recently released: Consuming more sugary or artificially sweetened beverages is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association(3). At least one additional half-serving increases that risk by 16%, but when the sugary or artificially sweetened drink is replaced by water, coffee or tea, the risk drops to as low as 2%, according to the study. Researchers analyzed data from 80,647 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study (1980-2014) and from 37,716 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2014). For both studies, participants answered questionnaires about lifestyle factors and health status every two years.

“The American Heart Association recommends a daily added sugar limit of no more than 9 teaspoons/36 grams for men and 6 teaspoons/24 grams for women and children ages 2 through 18; zero added sugar to children below the age of 2,” said Carol May, CEO of Wisdom Natural Brands®, maker of SweetLeaf® Sweeteners. “While one 12-ounce soda (nearly 10 teaspoons/39 grams of sugar) a day exceeds the recommended amount of added dietary sugars, SweetLeaf provides a zero calorie, no artificial sweeteners, no sugars option for those wanting to reduce added sugars in foods and beverages—with all the great taste and desired sweetness.”

“The first, easy step to adopting a better diet is to start by reducing added sugars in your foods, beverages, and recipes,” says May. “No matter what diet you are following, using a sweetener to keep the taste you desire with zero calories and no sugars is a very simple but effective beginning to a healthier lifestyle.”

SweetLeaf Sweeteners are a plant-based sugar alternative that will reduce added sugar intake without losing the sweetness. With zero calories, zero carbs, no sugars and no artificial sweeteners, SweetLeaf adds award-winning taste without the negative health effects of added dietary sugars. From SweetLeaf’s natural and organic packets to fruit-flavored Water Drops® for a delicious upgrade to still or sparkling water to 16 flavors of Sweet Drops® in everyday beverages and foods, SweetLeaf provides endless options to reduce or eliminate added dietary sugars.

SweetLeaf has developed a conversion chart on its website to help make that change.

For more information about SweetLeaf, visit SweetLeaf.com. For product home delivery go to: Shop.SweetLeaf.com

Share the news – BCFB Award Nominations are open until June 1!

BC Food & Beverage Award nominations have officially opened!

Celebrate the achievements of colleagues who are breaking ground in the food and beverage space in our community. Tell us about them by nominating this person and/or their product(s) for a BC Food and Beverage Award. Award nominations close June 1, 2020.

Marquee Sponsor: Fasken

GLBC and Ideon - Better Together Press Release

Ideon Packaging Acquired By GLBC, a Leading Canadian Packaging Manufacturer

Packaging leaders enter a new phase of focused growth to accelerate innovation and values-based leadership

May 1, 2020, (Vancouver, BC) -- Great Little Box Company (GLBC) and Ideon Packaging today announce the coming together of two aligned organizations in one of the most significant acquisitions the industry has seen in recent years. The acquisition of Ideon by GLBC - an award-winning manufacturer and distributor of packaging solutions since 1982 - brings together two independent and locally owned businesses with a shared focus on quality, innovation, people and culture. Ideon, a fast-growing leader in custom packaging, had grown to excel and differentiate in a competitive landscape. As both organizations enter the second generation of leadership, talks of uniting began in late 2019.

Read more: GLBC and Ideon - Better Together Press Release

FeraMAX® Named #1 Recommended Iron Supplement by National Pharmacists and Physicians for Fifth Consecutive Year

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, May 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioSyent Inc. (“BioSyent”, TSX Venture: RX) is pleased to announce that for the fifth consecutive year, FeraMAX^®has been named the #1 recommended iron supplement brand in a national survey of Canadian pharmacists and physicians.

The 2020 Survey on OTC Counselling & Recommendations was conducted by Ensemble IQ, Research, Insights and Innovation team and the following publications and websites: Pharmacy Practice + Business, The Medical Post, Profession Santé, CanadianHealthcareNetwork.ca and ProfessionSanté.ca. This annual online survey was conducted between October 2019 and January 2020 with Canadian retail pharmacists and physicians. In total, 1,426 surveys were completed by Canadian pharmacists and 654 surveys were completed by Canadian physicians. FeraMAX^® was named as the most recommended iron supplement brand nationally both by pharmacists and physicians. The percentage of recommendations was 48% among national pharmacists and 47% among national physicians. This is a significant achievement, considering the competitive iron supplement landscape.

“We are very proud that FeraMAX^®has maintained its #1 ranking among Canadian healthcare professionals for a fifth consecutive year,” commented Mr. René Goehrum, President and CEO of BioSyent. “We are grateful for the ongoing support of these healthcare professionals in continuing to recommend FeraMAX^® to their patients. We look forward to continuing to build on the success of FeraMAX^® in Canada.”

Baby Colic Probiotics achieves NPN License approval

Newark, CA — Kaneka Americas Holding, Inc., has successfully achieved the self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for its Baby Colic product, in accordance with stringent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety guidelines. The Baby Colic formulation safety was demonstrated to the expert panel through a combination of published clinical trials, phenotypic data, and genotypic analysis. Published clinical trials for the strains and species were evaluated for evidence of safety and the absence of adverse effects.

Mike Kolifrath, Vice President, Sales and Marketing of the Probiotics Division at Kaneka, commented, “GRAS determinations are based on rigorous scientific procedures. We are proud to inform the industry that the safety of the Baby Colic product has been reviewed by experts, qualified by both scientific training and experience to evaluate the safety of these clinical strains”.

Baby Colic is a clinically studied probiotic combination of two strains that specifically helps to reduce the duration of crying episodes and promote infant gut health. Tested in both breast-fed and formula-fed infants, the strains used in the Baby Colic formula were initially isolated via a screening process specifically designed to identify strains that have a beneficial effect on infant intestinal health while also showing the ability to adhere to the gut and provide microflora balance. Unlike some other strains, Baby Colic probiotics are not gas-producing in the intestine, based on in vitro studies.

Baby Colic is part of the Floradapt™ Probiotic Portfolio, which are products based on a mechanistic approach to identify optimal strains for specific health applications. Our strain library collection has over 1,000+ strains strategically sourced from populations around the world with conserved microbiomes. Floradapt™ includes strains for Cardio, Digestive, Intensive G.I., Gum Health, Mature Immune Defense, Vaginal Health, and Urinary Tract. Floradapt’s efficacy is rooted in its clinical strains and accomplished through a unique mechanism of action (MoA) not seen in other probiotic products.

Kaneka has once again created a probiotic product that speaks directly to the dietary supplement consumer. Kaneka is committed to promoting business development to provide solutions that support healthy and energetic lives.