Carb payments

Prepared Foods, March, 2004

The latest in the carbohydrate-lowering trend has seen levels of the maligned energy booster reduced in juice, ice cream and even pizza. Old Orchard Brands LLC (Sparta, Mich.) has lessened amounts in its LoCarb fruit juice line. The five flavors--apple, apple kiwi strawberry, apple cranberry, apple raspberry, and grape--promise 75% less sugar, carbohydrates and calories than other fruit juices.

Trimming carbs from its line of no sugar added products, Velvet Ice Cream Company's (Utica, Ohio) sucralose-sweetened flavors include raspberry fudge, Oregon cherry fudge and mint chocolate chip. Each has 6g to 10g of carbohydrates per serving and no additional sugar.

The carb crunch even has expanded into foodservice, where T.G.I. Friday's (Carrollton, Texas) and Ruby Tuesday's (Maryville, Tenn.) are just a pair of fast-casual chains with low-carb offerings, but Figaro's Italian Pizza (Salem, Ore.) seems ready to raise the bar with its low-carbohydrate pizza. Claiming that competitors' low-carb pizzas have 12g net carbs per slice, Figaro's boasts an 8-in. pizza with 12g net carbs per pizza, in such varieties as pepperoni & cheese; supreme with pepperoni, bacon, beef, sausage, salami & cheese; and garlic club with bacon, chicken, onions and diced tomatoes.

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