Called the Prof. Slow Smart Fibre For Rice, the functional powder, when added to uncooked white rice at a ratio of 10g to 50g could help reduce GI by 38%.
White rice is a high GI food, with a GI of 80. Low GI foods have a GI of under 55, while anything above 70 is considered high GI.
The product is formulated with 20 types of nuts, legumes, beans, and seeds.
Consuming two scoops of the functional powder also fulfils 70% of daily dietary fibre needs.
The high amount of dietary fibre helps reduce post-meal blood glucose spike, as well as providing a sense of satiety - which could help reduce appetite and food intake, which could lead to better weight management.
“Fibre, being a main ingredient of the product, acts like a shield to the food consumed. It slows down the breakdown and digestion of food,” Chua Kai Jia, professional care and development manager told NutraIngredients.
Since GI of a particular food is measured by how quickly it raises blood glucose levels after consuming it, foods that are digested slower would lead to a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels and come with lower GI.
In contrast, foods with higher GI would cause a sudden spike in blood sugar levels.
While there are other ingredients out that such as mulberry leaf extract that has been shown to support blood glucose control, she said that the unique part about Prof. Slow’s formula was using the 20 different nuts, legumes, seeds, and beans in specific ratio.
Fitting into daily lifestyle
The purpose of developing the functional powder is to help consumers take in a healthier diet without changing their food options drastically.
The functional powder could be added to uncooked food, cooked food, and beverages for consumption before meals.
“We have told patients to switch to healthier options like brown rice, but they did not like the texture or taste.
“White rice is after all a staple food in Malaysia, and we are proud to provide an easier solution for them through this high fibre functional powder,” Chua said.
The launch is part of Alpro Pharmacy’s efforts in providing healthier food options that fit into the masses’ lifestyle, as diabetes is prevalent in the country.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, roughly 1 in 6 Malaysian adults (15.6%) was living with diabetes.
Earlier this year, the pharmacy chain also conducted 20,000 free diabetic screenings.
Of which, nearly 50% were found to be pre-diabetic but were unaware of it, said Chua.
Other low-carb, low GI offerings
Apart from the functional powder, the pharmacy chain also launched two food products under the Prof. Slow banner concurrently.
The products include W-Cookies with a GI of 37 and Chia Seed Peanut Butter Jam with a GI of 29.
Last year, the pharmacy also launched a low-carbohydrate sourdough bread.
Together, these foods can be consumed at different parts of the day as part of a healthier diet for healthy individuals, as well as pre-diabetic, and diabetic patients.
Aside from its over 300 outlets across both East and West Malaysia, the products are also sold in BMS Organics chain.
The chain also has over 200 outlets in Indonesia and the products could potentially be launched in the market. Other potential markets for launch include Vietnam and Singapore.
As the functional powder currently comes in the form of a tub, there are plans to launch it in sachets to provide greater convenience.
From app, services, to products
In fact, the pharmacy chain’s diabetes-related efforts started as early as 2019, when it launched sug0365 to help diabetic patients manage their condition.
Sug0365 includes a blood glucose monitoring test strip, blood glucose monitoring metre, as well as a mobile app for real time blood glucose data synchronization.
Patients subscribing to the program can also consult nutritionist and dietitian for free.
However, Chua decided to take a step further by developing products.
“We received much feedback from patients saying they can’t eat several types of foods due to their diabetic condition.
“I told my patients to avoid nasi lemak, curry mee, which are delicious but are not as healthy. But then again, what are the options left for them? What are we really offering to our patients?
“That’s how my journey in developing low carb and low GI food products started,” said Chua.
This culminated into development of low carb sourdough bread as a healthier breakfast option since 2022, and the product was finally launched last year, and further new launches this year.
