Mixtures of fructose and lactose as a low-calorie bulk sweetener with reduced glyemic index

Abstract

Mixtures of fructose and lactose are useful for reducing caloric intake and glycemic index for individuals who are overweight, glucose-impaired, diabetic, or who just consume too large a fraction of their calories from “added sugars”. The fructose/lactose sweetener is included in the daily diet as a one-for-one replacement for “added sugars” in various edible formulations without sacrificing quality of taste. Sucrose can be used as a replacement for all or part of the fructose in the claimed sweetener to increase sweetness or improve certain functional properties without substantially changing caloric value. The claimed mixtures of fully-caloric sugars work synergistically to reduce available calories and blood sugar concentration. Specifically, fructose interferes strongly with normal small-intestinal absorption of lactose and interferes moderately with sucrose absorption, while lactose interferes with normal small-intestinal absorption of both sucrose and starch. Unabsorbed di- and oligosaccharides pass into the colon and cause increased growth of healthful bacteria, making the new sweetener useful as a prebiotic. No gastrointestinal symptoms of sugar intolerance were observed when the claimed sugar mixtures were ingested at normal dietary levels.

We claim:  
     
         1 . The mixture of sugars comprising in percent by weight of the mixture of sugars: lactose 10 to 80, and a mixture of fructose and sucrose, 20 to 90, wherein the mixture of fructose and sucrose consists of in percent by weight of the mixture of fructose and sucrose, sucrose 0 to 100 and fructose 0 to 100, excluding the following mixtures, in percent by weight of the mixture of sugars, lactose 75, sucrose 25, fructose 0; and lactose 50, sucrose 50, fructose 0; and lactose 40, sucrose 60, fructose 0; and lactose 25, sucrose 75, fructose 0.  
     
     
         2 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the sugars are crystalline sugars of similar crystal size, are co-crystallized or spray-dried from an aqueous solution of sugars, in the form of an aqueous syrup or in the form of a solution in a water and alcohol mixture.  
     
     
         3 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  wherein lactose is in the form of the α-lactose monohydrate or the anhydrous β-anomer.  
     
     
         4 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the fructose is in the crystalline form or in an aqueous syrup.  
     
     
         5 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the sucrose is in the granulated crystalline form, confectioner's form, brown sugar form, or as molasses.  
     
     
         6 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  further comprising food-grade additives and processing aids which keep the mixture dry and flowable.  
     
     
         7 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  further comprising high-intensity sweet materials.  
     
     
         8 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 7  wherein the high-intensity sweeteners comprise aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-K, saccharin, cyclamates, stevia, thaumatin, alitame, and neotame.  
     
     
         9 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  further comprising diluents.  
     
     
         10 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 9  wherein the diluents are maltodextrins, polydextrose, and cellulose.  
     
     
         11 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the percentage of weight of lactose is 10 to 80 and the percentage of weight of fructose is 20 to 90 and the percentage of weight of sucrose is 0.  
     
     
         12 . The mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the percentage of weight of lactose is 25 to 60 and the percentage of weight of fructose is 40 to 75 and the percentage of weight of sucrose is 0.  
     
     
         13 . The mixture of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the percentage of weight of lactose is 10 to 80 and the percentage of weight of sucrose is 20 to 90 and the percentage of weight of fructose is 0.  
     
     
         14 . The mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the percentage of weight of lactose is 25 to 60 and the percentage of weight of sucrose is 40 to 75 and the percentage of weight of fructose is 0.  
     
     
         15 . The mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  wherein the percentage of weight of lactose is 24 to 51 and the percentage of weight of sucrose is 24 to 51 and the percentage of weight of fructose is 24 to 51.  
     
     
         16 . The use of the mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  as a reduced-calorie sweetener.  
     
     
         17 . The use of the mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  as a reduced-calorie sweetener in sweetened edible formulations.  
     
     
         18 . The use of the mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  as a reduced-calorie sweetener in pharmaceutical products, nutraceutical products, and pet foods.  
     
     
         19 . A process for the preparation of a sweetened edible formulation in which the sweetening agent is less calorific than glucose which comprises the step of mixing a foodstuff with an amount sufficient to sweeten such foodstuff of the sugar mixtures in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         20 . The mixture of sugars, in percent by weight of mixture of sugars, consisting of: lactose 10 to 80, and a mixture of fructose and sucrose, 20 to 90, wherein the mixture of fructose and sucrose consists of in percent by weight of mixture of fructose and sucrose, sucrose 0 to 100 and fructose 0 to 100, excluding the following mixtures, in percent by weight of the mixture of sugars, lactose 75, sucrose 25, fructose 0; and lactose 50, sucrose 50, fructose 0; and lactose 40, sucrose 60, fructose 0; and lactose 25, sucrose 75, fructose 0.  
     
     
         21 . The use of the mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  to control postprandial blood glucose levels by persons with a need to control postprandial blood glucose levels.  
     
     
         22 . The use of the mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  to control glycosylated hemoglobin levels by persons with a need to control glycosylated hemoglobin levels.  
     
     
         23 . A process for the preparation of a sweetened edible formulation in which the sweetening agent is less calorific than sucrose which comprises the step of mixing a foodstuff with an amount sufficient to sweeten such foodstuff of the sugar mixtures in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         24 . The use of the mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  to maintain a healthy population of intestinal microbes.  
     
     
         25 . The use of the mixtures of sugars of  claim 1  as a prebiotic.