Chicory root fiber: a tasty option for healthier chocolate

April 17, 2025

Chocolate is a global sensation, a treat that people cannot get enough of. But let's be real, the high sugar content can be a bit much and has led to the search for healthier options. Enter Sensus chicory root fiber to shake up the chocolate game. With its sweet touch, you can now enjoy chocolate that is lower in sugar or even completely free of added sugars. This chicory oligofructose not only replaces sugar but also boosts the fiber content of this immense popular treat.

Complete substitution of added sugars

Sucrose has multiple functionalities in chocolate like providing sweetness, bulk, and balancing chocolate flavor. Additionally, sucrose is important to deliver typical chocolate textures (e.g. snap) and mouthfeel (e.g. melting properties). Healthier chocolate alternatives are most successful when they mimic the characteristics of traditional chocolates as closely as possible. Sensus chicory inulin is with its extremely high sweetness a prime candidate as a sugar substitute to deliver on these characteristics and can replace sucrose 1:1.

Using chicory root fiber for sugar replacement in chocolate results in products with a great quality. These chocolates taste, feel, break and melt comparable to the full sugar version. A significant benefit of using chicory root fiber is that no changes to the production process are required, as it acts like sucrose.

Since Sensus chicory inulin is derived from plants, it is the perfect solution for creating vegan alternatives to milk chocolate. This product enables a seamless reduction of sugar or even a complete replacement of sucrose without compromising on taste or texture.

Nutrition and health claims

Using chicory root fiber opens the opportunity to make nutrition claims like reduced sugar or no added sugars. Our formulations of no added sugars chocolate with chicory root fiber result in a lower glycemic response compared to their full sugar counterparts. Moreover, the taste is remarkable and fantastic, making it a healthier yet delicious option for chocolate lovers.

Chicory inulin and oligofructose are plant-based non-digestible soluble fibers. This means they are are not digested by the human digestive tract but instead are fermented in the gut, providing energy for our microbiota. This process means that they have a low glycemic response. A growing body of research highlights the benefits of maintaining a low glycemic response, linking elevated glucose levels to an increased risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, and even obesity—even for those without diabetes.

When at least 30% of sugar is replaced with chicory root fiber, it opens the door to making credible health claims regarding reduced blood glucose rise. This opportunity, authorized by the European Commission, allows producers to offer healthier chocolate options without sacrificing taste or texture.

In conclusion, the innovative use of Sensus chicory root fiber in chocolate production offers a delicious and healthier alternative to traditional chocolate. Join the movement towards mindful indulgence and experience the difference yourself. For more information, contact our sales managers.

Chicory root fiber provides: