How is Zeugar Foods Sweet, but still safe for diabetics and have low calorie?

• Zeugar Products are made by substituting Sugar in the product with Sucralose. Sucralose is product,
• which is made from Sugar, but it has been scientifically modified to replace 3 Hydrogen – Oxygen groups on the Sugar molecule with Chlorine atoms (Same chlorine which is part of Table Salt
• The resultant Sucralose product is much sweeter than Sugar but has zero calories and zero glycaemic index.
• Zero Glycaemic Index indicate that Sucralose compound does not get absorbed in the blood stream like normal Sugar and therefore does not increase blood Sugar levels at all, making it fully safe for use by diabetics
• Zero calorie of Sucralose help people reduce the overall calorie content of the dish and hence help weight control

Outside of Sugar, how safe are the other ingredients?

• We are careful to avoid fruits or vegetables with high calorie / Glycaemic Index. That is why you will never see a Mango or Watermelon used in our dishes. We use fruits like Apple, Papaya, Berries etc which in reasonable quantities are safe for diabetics and health watchers
• We always strive to use healthier ingredients – For e.g. We use skimmed milk (Milk where fats are removed) instead of normal milk, thereby reducing calories
• We suggest to take your physicians advice on exactly how much quantities of our products you can have on a daily basis, but from our extensive testing done, up to 5 packs of our products is very safe to consume daily

When was Sucralose discovered? Who discovered it?

• Sucralose was discovered in 1976 as the result of a joint sweetener research project conducted by Tate & Lyle and Queen Elizabeth College in London, UK. The scientists, who were investigating the structure-taste relationship of the sugar molecule, discovered that by modifying the structure of sugar in a certain way they could intensify the sweet taste of sugar whilst at the same time making it non-caloric.

How is Sucralose made?

• Sucralose is made through a patented, multi-step process that starts with sugar and selectively replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms. The result is an exceptionally stable sweetener that tastes like sugar, but without sugar’s calories

Are the Sucralose sweeteners used in Zeugar safe?

• Sweeteners used by Zeugar is 100% safe. This is the view of every regulatory agency that has reviewed the scientific research on the ingredient. Sucralose has been approved by both Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in USA
• Since its introduction over a decade ago, millions of people have safely enjoyed foods and beverages sweetened with sucralose. It is conclusively tested, and its safety has been confirmed by regulatory authorities representing more than 80 countries worldwide. An extensive database of scientific research demonstrates sucralose has no harmful effects and is safe for all consumers

Can Diabetics consumer Sucralose?

• Yes. Numerous studies have shown that sucralose is suitable for people with diabetes. Sucralose is not recognized by the body as sugar or as a carbohydrate. It is not metabolized by the body for energy and does not affect blood glucose levels. Sucralose has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism or insulin secretion and is therefore suitable for diabetics. For more information please visit The American Diabetes Association Web site www.diabetes.org and the SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener Web site, www.splenda.com (See: Living with Diabetes section)

What is Sugar Free?

• Sugar Free products are produced by replacing table sugar (Sucrose) with low calorie substitutes known as Sugar substitutes
• Sugar substitutes are also known as sweeteners or low calorie substitutes (LCS)
• There are more than 10 types of Sugar substitutes that are available in the market, approved by government agencies

What sugar free substitutes do Zeugar use? Are they natural?

• Zeugar uses 3 types of sugar substitutes – Stevia, Sucralose and Maltitol. All of them are made from natural substances
• Stevia is directly extracted from a plant, whereas both Sucralose and Maltitol are made from Sugar itself
• We do not use lab-produced chemical substances like Aspartame

How does Sugar Free foods help reduce calories in the food? Does reducing calories help diet control

• A large part of calories from Sweet dishes come from sugar itself. Sugar provides 420 Calories per 100 gm. The substitutes we use have extremely low calories. For e.g., both Sucralose and Stevia has <1 calorie to provide the same amount of sweetness as 10 gms of Sugar. Therefore, by avoiding Sugar and replacing them with low calorie substitutes like Sucralose and Stevia, the total calories in a dish will be significantly lower
• Calories are also reduced as we use low fat milk instead of full fat milk (low fat milk has <65% of the calories of full fat milk)
• Reducing calorie intake help in managing weight. A normal human being requires 1500-2000 calories per day. Any excess consumption will get converted as fat and get deposited in the body. By reducing calories therefore, weight management is achieved

Is Zeugar products safe for diabetics?

• In limited quantities (1-2 pack at a time), it is safe as there is no Sugar Added.
• However, there maybe other ingredients in the dishes (E.g., Flour, Butter, Cream), that may not be very ideal for diabetics. Hence always consume in moderation
• We only sell single serve portions, to avoid excess consumption
• We also use only diabetic friendly fruits (We do not use fruits like Mangoes, Pineapple, Watermelon, Banana etc)

What is Glycaemic Index (GI)? How is it important for Diabetics? What is the GI for the substitutes you use?

• Glycaemic index is a number. It gives you an idea about how fast the body converts the carbohydrates in the food to glucose. Two foods with the same amount of carbohydrates can have different glycaemic index numbers.
• The smaller the number, the less impact the food has on your blood sugar.
  • • 55 or less = Low (good)
    • 56- 69 = Medium
    • 70 or higher = High (bad)
• GI is very important for diabetics as it determines how fast your blood sugar level increases after consuming a particular food
• • Normal Sugar has a GI of 70, whereas the substitutes we use has much lower GI
    1. Sucralose and Stevia has GI <1
    2. Maltitol has GI of 35
  • Replacing Sugar with low GI substitutes help lower the overall GI of the dish hence making it safer for diabetics
• How safe are these Sugar Substitutes? Are they chemicals?
  • All our Sugar substitutes are either naturally occurring or made from naturally occurring materials (explained in #2)
  • All our ingredients are approved by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), the govt body in charge of food safety
  • They are also approved by the American Food standards Authority (FDA)
  • These products are widely available globally, used by millions of people
  • Some of the first-generation sugar substitutes like Saccharin and Aspartame used to have some side effects, but we do not use any of them

If these foods are so beneficial, why are they not popularly available

• Many of the reputed Food companies like Amul, Haldiram’s, Coke, Britannia all have Sugar Free products. Even Milma has sugar free ice creams
• They are, however, not widely available as it is a low focus item for these large companies

Are there any side effects for the sugar substitutes we use? Google gives scary results!

• Excess consumption (More than 400 gms at a time) may cause laxative effects in few people. It is nothing to worry about and is the same as having other dishes like Tapioca or Jack Fruit
• If you google “Negative side effects of Sugar Free”, you may find scary results. But try the same for any normal dishes you love (Tea, Coffee, Eggs, anything) and you will find such similar results. They are neither scientifically proven, nor has any proven basis.
• One alert, we do not recommend our products to be given to kids <3 years – This is as per statutory requirements