Many looking to shed a few pounds gravitate to the keto diet which is a popular low carbohydrate regimen consisting of high fats and protein intake. Because these bakery foods use keto ingredients such as nut and seed flours and dairy proteins, they tend to dry out and stale which shortens the shelf-life. Citri-Fi® citrus fiber holds onto water and provides emulsification at low usage levels (<1%) to improve the freshness over time in these type of baked goods.
Can you imagine giving up pastries, potato chips or strawberry licorice? Some people do to lasso their health back into line. According to the CDC, the obesity prevalence in the USA is 42.4% in 2017 – 2018 (Adult Obesity Facts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC). Though the statistics are ominous, most individuals look into the mirror before calculating their BMI to determine whether they need to diet. Because of this, many adopted new meal plans such as the Keto diet. By definition, this diet curbs carbohydrates so that the majority of the keto ingredients comprise of 70% fat, 20% protein and 5% or less simple carbohydrates. (Catching the keto wave | 2019-04-02 | Baking Business).
Keto foods popularized quickly due to the quick results – weight loss. Eating a keto diet long term, eventually puts the body into ketosis which in the end forces the body to shed pounds. At first this sounds like the holy grail. However, one slip-up or “cheat day” could cause the individual to bounce out of ketosis and start gaining weight. Not only is abiding to the diet a challenge, but creating keto-friendly bakery foods poses another dilemma.
Keto Bakery Crux and Key Success
Bakery foods like breads, pancakes and cookies rely on grain-based flours like wheat. As mentioned, grain-based flours are forbidden due to the high carbohydrate content. As a result, bakers result to using keto ingredients such as nut and seed flours, egg white protein and collagen. Although proteins do provide binding, they lack innate carbohydrates like starches which typically help bind water in the keto bakery. Foods with protein bases tend to be denser and dry out faster. And this leads to staling, breakage and shorter shelf life.
Citri-Fi® citrus fiber is one natural ingredient that holds a lot of water and provides emulsification. The high fiber content of both insoluble and soluble fiber in the form of pectin works well in keto bakery products. At low usage levels (<1%), this natural fiber improves the moisture retention which helps extend freshness over time. Because of this, Citri-Fi is an ideal keto ingredient since it provides water management versus using caloric food starches.
Sugar is the other culprit in keto bakery. In traditional bakery products, sugar is used not only for the sweetness factor but also to help bind water. Without it, water releases causing the baked good to dry out. Citri-Fi citrus fiber along with non-caloric or high intensity sweeteners, which are keto friendly ingredients, will help retain the moisture while creating a tasty product.
Keto Bakery Opportunities
In the end, the keto diet will continue to be a niche trend for those looking to tip the scales the other way. However, over time, many stray off the diet because they get burned out with the limited keto food options. As a result, they cheat and consume carbohydrates which resets their ketosis condition. Bakery and snack manufacturers have the opportunity to create gateway foods to keep their consumers on track with their goals. Today, the market is exploding with new high protein ingredients which can be used in a variety foods including baked goods, bars, shakes, beverages and savory snacks to name a few.
