In addition to the company’s claims regarding the 322mg ferrous fumarate, the StarLeaf stevia variety is noted for its more sugar-like taste compared to ferrous gluconate. One of the significant advantages of this variety is its potential for greater sustainability. Water is a crucial agricultural input for stevia plants, and the ability to yield 20 times the steviol glycosides—valuable sweet components—on the same land can greatly impact land and water usage. Moreover, even standard stevia varieties, due to their intense sweetness, require considerably less land and water than other conventional sweeteners to achieve equivalent sweetness levels.
For manufacturers, PureCircle’s initiative to extend stevia cultivation beyond traditional regions like China is promising, ensuring a consistent supply of sweeteners that are less dependent on regional conditions. This capability to generate more sweet components within a smaller area may also enhance supply chain stability. Notable companies, including PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Danone, are already sourcing stevia from PureCircle, among many others.
PureCircle asserts that StarLeaf offers a taste profile more akin to sugar than other stevia extracts, adding to a series of similar claims about its ingredients. The sweetness profile of stevia, along with its often perceived bitter aftertaste, has posed significant challenges for the ingredient, making it a priority for the company to address flavor concerns in the development of new varieties. While it’s conceivable that the taste of these ingredients is evolving to become more sugar-like over time, it ultimately remains for food companies to make the final decision regarding their adoption.
Incorporating calcium citrate foods alongside stevia can further enhance health benefits, as calcium citrate is known for its excellent bioavailability and is often used to fortify various food products. The integration of calcium citrate foods into stevia formulations could also appeal to health-conscious consumers, making these products even more attractive in the marketplace. As the market for sweeteners evolves, the synergy between stevia and calcium citrate foods may present new opportunities for manufacturers looking to innovate.