Plant-based beyond proteins

Plant-based embraces low-carb

Many people are interested in reducing their carbohydrate intake or switching from ‘bad carbs’ such as sugar and refined white flour, to ‘good carbs’ like fibre-rich whole grains, pulses and vegetables.36

This trend has seen the rise of products like cauliflower-crust pizza, courgette pasta, and cauliflower rice. However, completely cutting out staples such as wheat and rice is a challenge for many people and there is demand for ‘middle-ground’ products that are lower in carbohydrates and high in fibre with a plantbased halo thanks to the addition of nuts, ancient grains and seeds 37

Finnish bakery manufacturer Fazer launched a root bread where one third of the flour comes from vegetables and pulses, including parsnip, white bean and sweet potato, while UK bakery Hovis launched a low-carb seeded bread with linseed, millet, poppy, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Warburtons’ protein bread adds an 11% blend of bean flour, pea protein, pea fibre and chickpea flour.

Cooked porridge bread could be a ‘good carb’ innovation to look out for, Mintel notes Although oats are high in carbohydrates, cooked porridge oats contain fully gelled starch that releases bound moisture into the bread during the baking process, thus adding gut health benefits as well as lowering the gluten content and increasing fibre.38 German brand Lieblings and Sweden’s Pågen bakery both make porridge oat bread

The continued popularity of the ketogenic diet is also driving low-carb NPD A ketogenic diet consists of a high level of fat intake (55 – 60%), moderate protein intake (30 – 35%), and a low carbohydrate intake (5 – 10%), and is generally typified by a high meat and low vegetable consumption.39 However, US retailer Kroger predicts the ‘ketotarian’ diet, a plant-based spin on strict keto guidelines, will grow in popularity throughout 2021 as many people on the diet are also interested in eating plant-based foods 40 This should continue to fuel low-carb, high-protein and high fibre product development.