The all-natural cane sugar has been dubbed LoGiCane and has the same physical properties as normal white sugar, but instead of a GI of 65 it has a GI of 50.
The federal government and the Queensland government provided A$5.4m funding to the two research companies, Horizon Science and Mossman Sugar Mill, who have been working on creating the low-GI sugar for the past three years.
Dr Kannar of Mossman Sugar Mill explained that, in addition to having a low GI, the sugar has the added benefit of naturally occurring antioxidants, with no chemical additives, artificial colours or preservatives.
“Traditional refining of raw sugar removes the majority of bioactive phytochemicals,” he explained to the North Queensland Register. “Retention of these phytochemicals in the sugar reduces the amount of glucose absorption.”
The sugar has been independently tested by Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service and has the backing of pioneering GI advocate and human nutrition expert, Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, University of Sydney. The researcher told reporters that although she wasn’t trying to encourage people to eat more sugar, “a replacement of current sugar intake by this one would sound like a good idea”.
Source: AAP
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