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Update on FACT You might remember that in last month’s newsletter, we were busy product testing with companies in the U.S. and Canada. Well, we’ve been even busier in October, and as I write this we are getting very close to several important agreements. We are also looking to form expanded co-packing arrangements to meet anticipated demand for some of our products in 2005. But the biggest news is the upcoming launch of our consumer website – selling FACT home-bake mixes to the world! If you aren’t familiar with us, FACT is an innovator and supplier in the functional baked goods arena. Our current product lineup – bread, muffin, cake and various other commercial dough premixes – form the core of FACT’s business. For the complete product listing, click here. Coming right up! Our consumer website is just around the corner. I won’t tell you where you can find it yet, but we will send you a special update as soon as it goes live. Then you can buy our home-bake mixes over the Internet! Products featured on the site will include brownie, chocolate chip cookie, double fudge chip cookie, pancake/waffle/scone and blueberry muffin mixes, as well as an all-purpose bake mix for breads, pizza crust and other home-bake applications. Read on for an in-depth explanation of the Glycemic Index and what it means to us all, and learn how New York’s Bagelworks have expanded their product offering with a FACT premix. We would love to hear from you! If you have any questions, feedback or news of your own that you would like to share, please let us know and we will discuss it in this journal. Jacqueline Danforth, President |
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FACT and the Glycemic Index We know that FACT’s products are ‘functional’ and that they impart specific health benefits. But what does that really mean? Many things. For one, FACT products contain a lot of dietary fiber which aids in digestion. For another, our unique fiber combination also helps to reduce blood cholesterol. Finally, all this fiber helps modulate blood glucose levels, helping FACT products rate low on the Glycemic Index (GI). A low rating is a good thing! The GI is a system of classifying carbohydrate-based foods by how much and how quickly they raise the blood sugar after they are eaten. FACT products have always been formulated with the GI in mind. One of the pioneers in the development of the GI was Thomas Wolever, PhD, MD, professor of Nutritional Sciences and Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Wolever is a renowned expert in dietary carbohydrates and diabetes, and conducted clinical studies on our white bread in 2002. We have plans for additional clinical work on other products in 2005. Many health problems - including diabetes, insulin resistance, heart disease and obesity - can be avoided by choosing foods according to their rating in the glycemic index. Spikes in blood sugar levels contribute to that tired feeling and can ultimately exhaust the pancreas, leading to diabetes. Too much glucose in the blood stream also leads to weight gain as the body converts that excess glucose and stores it as fat! Here is how it works. When you eat a slice of bread, the flour from the bread breaks down into glucose (sugar) in your body and provides you with energy. The same thing happens when you eat fruit, drink milk or eat chocolate. All such carbohydrate-rich foods provide digestible sugars, but the sugars break down at different rates. They either flood your system, spiking your blood-glucose level, or feed it gradually. This is called the glycemic response. Factors affecting your response include not only the kinds of food you eat, but also the amount of food and how it is processed or prepared. For example, pasta cooked 'al dente' (firm) is absorbed more slowly than pasta that is overcooked. Other factors include your age and activity level, what else was eaten and more. It’s a complicated equation, but the long and the short of it is that unless you’re an athlete looking for a quick rush of carbs, it’s best to steer towards food with a low GI. FACT’s low GI products release sugar into the blood slowly, keeping you feeling satisfied longer, which ultimately leads to eating less. It’s easier on your body and gives you more energy. And, with numerous additional benefits associated with our products’ unique fiber combination, what more could you ask for? |
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A Bagel that Works Bagelworks is a New York institution. They have been baking bagels and other pastries since 1983, and also offer a full compliment of salads, cheeses, smoked fishes…and twenty-five kinds of cream cheese (!) Bagelworks bakes their bagels the old-fashioned way, kettle boiling them and using the finest ingredients. In December, 2003 they diversified their bagel portfolio with FACT low-carb bagels in a variety of flavors – something that their New York clientele certainly appreciate: keeping that great New York bagel taste and texture while lowering carbs and adding healthy fiber. Bagelworks was featured in the New York Times this past August regarding the quality of their bagels and “what a genuine New York bagel should be”. So the next time you’re in New York and have a hankering for a bagel that is “not too doughy with a nice chewy crust,” you’ll know where to go. |
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Building the Perfect Bagel If you have a winning bagel, be it New York, Montreal, or West Coast style, keep it! FACT has developed a bagel base that can be used as a healthy ‘core’, either as a separate ‘healthy’ version of your existing bagel, or for an entirely new line. Our clients maintain the texture and flavor that their customers have grown to love from their bagels, but also offer a product that is much better for you with all the benefits of functional fibers and fewer simple carbs. Our line of mixes allows manufacturers to create their style of bagel, with a reduction in carbohydrates of between 33 and 66%, with 40% of the recommended daily allowance of fiber in each bagel. The result is a superior quality bagel with no sacrifice in taste. And it’s healthier than you think! There are many health-claimable benefits, including no added sugar/sugar free, no cholesterol, reduced digestible carbohydrates (suitable for diabetics), an excellent source of fiber and low sodium. FACT has a complete line of bake mixes for a variety of bread based applications including bagels in various formats – all natural, and those that contain preservatives to enhance shelf-life. All of our mixes also have reduced calories and fat for those following eating plans with other dietary restrictions. They are also functional, which means that they offer positive benefits to overall health and have the ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. |
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