Looking for ingredients for a complete weight management approach?
Page summary
Weight management is a long-term challenge that goes beyond calorie reduction alone. Consumers increasingly look for everyday food solutions that help manage energy intake, support satiety and contribute to overall metabolic health.
BENEO’s functional ingredients support a holistic weight management approach – from sugar and fat reduction to blood sugar management, fibre intake, protein quality and diet balance. By enabling small, sustainable nutritional improvements, they help food manufacturers develop products that fit naturally into consumers’ daily routines.
Rising rates of overweight and obesity are driving demand for consistent, everyday approaches to weight management. Alongside lifestyle changes, the growing adoption of GLP-1 assisted weight loss is shaping people’s expectations.
Consumers are widening their focus beyond weight loss alone. They increasingly seek functional food solutions that support satiety, metabolic health, and overall nutrition (portion-controlled formats, high-fibre and high-protein options). As such driving demand for convenient, health-focused products that combine nutrient density with smart appetite and energy management.For the food industry, this creates an opportunity to support consumers through nutritionally balanced products that help manage energy intake, support metabolism and preserve body composition. Small, consistent dietary improvements can make a meaningful contribution when enabled by smart formulation and high-quality ingredients (fibres, carbohydrates, proteins, specialty rice ingredients).
What to know about weight management
How can functional ingredients support consumer weight management needs?
Successful weight management relies on balanced energy intake, satiety and effective fat metabolism. BENEO ingredients support these key pillars:
- Palatinose™ helps manage blood sugar and insulin levels, supports fat burning and provides sustained energy to aid in weight and fat mass reduction
- Orafti® Inulin and Oligofructose: apart from lowering calories through sugar or fat reduction, these prebiotics support satiety through gut fermentation, helping people feel fuller for longer and supporting healthy body weight
- Orafti® β-Fit (barley beta-glucans) increases fullness by slowing digestion
- BENEOPro Faba and RemyPro (plant proteins from faba and rice) support satiety and diet quality, comparable to animal proteins
- Remy rice starch: can replace fat by delivering a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel, supporting calorie reduction while maintaining indulgent texture
Diet quality (Nutrient density)
Calorie-restricted diets increase the risk of nutrient gaps. BENEO ingredients help maintain diet quality during weight loss programs:
- Orafti® Inulin and Oligofructose support calcium absorption and bone health
- Palatinose™ provides steady energy thanks to its low-glycaemic profile
- Orafti® β-Fit helps enrich the diet with whole-grain fibre and fibre diversity
- Plant proteins (BeneoPro and Remypro) support protein enrichment with high-quality amino acid profiles
Muscle mass
During weight loss, lean mass is often lost alongside fat. Adequate protein intake and physical activity help support muscle preservation. BENEO ingredients can contribute to this goal:
- Orafti® Inulin and Oligofructose help promote fat loss while preserving lean mass
- Palatinose™ supports fat oxidation and lean mass
- BeneoPro (faba bean) and Remypro (rice proteins) provide high-quality amino acids to support muscle maintenance
Blood sugar management
Stable blood sugar levels are important for effective weight management and metabolic health. BENEO ingredients help support balanced glucose responses:
- Palatinose™ provides steady energy with a low glycaemic response, avoiding sharp rises in blood glucose and insulin
- Orafti® Inulin, Oligofructose and BENEO-scFOS help reduce the glycaemic impact of foods when replacing high-GI carbohydrates
- Orafti® β-Fit (beta-glucans) supports glycaemic control by slowing nutrient absorption and helping stabilise post-meal blood glucose
For a deeper understanding of BENEO’s blood sugar management supporting ingredients, read how to reduce blood glucose with low-glycaemic diets
Digestive health
Digestive comfort can be challenged during weight loss due to changes in diet and physiology. BENEO ingredients support gut health and overall well-being:
- Orafti® Inulin and Oligofructose are prebiotic and selectively nourish the gut microbiota, helping support regular bowel movements and digestive comfort
- Orafti® β-Fit (barley beta-glucans) supports bowel function by increasing stool bulk
For a deeper understanding of BENEO’s digestive health supporting ingredients, read how to improve digestive health with prebiotic and dietary fibres
Heart health
Cardiovascular health is strongly influenced by diet quality, including balanced blood sugar responses.
- Orafti® β-Fit (beta-glucans) helps reduce LDL cholesterol and supports healthy blood glucose responses
- Palatinose™ supports insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular function thanks to its low-glycaemic profile
For a deeper understanding of BENEO’s heart health supporting ingredients, read how to improve heart health with lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels
Mood and cognition
Weight management can sometimes affect mood and mental performance. BENEO ingredients can help support emotional well-being and cognitive function:
- Orafti® Inulin and Oligofructose support the gut microbiota, which is linked to mood and stress regulation via the gut–brain axis
- Palatinose™ provides steady energy that supports mental performance, memory and mood
For a deeper understanding of BENEO’s mood & mental performance supporting ingredients, read how to improve mental wellbeing with functional ingredients
Hydration
Adequate hydration is important for metabolic and cardiovascular stability, particularly during weight management. BENEO’s low glycaemic carbohydrate can help support effective hydration:
- Palatinose™ is slowly digested, supporting more gradual water absorption and better fluid retention compared to rapidly absorbed sugars
Prebiotic fibre and satiety regulation
Feeling full and satisfied is key to long-term weight management. BENEO’s chicory root fibres support natural satiety mechanisms:
- Orafti® Synergy1 and Orafti® Oligofructose nourish beneficial gut bacteria, helping support feelings of fullness and natural appetite regulation, helping people eat less without conscious restriction
- Daily 12g intake of Orafti® Synergy1 has been shown to support reduced calorie intake and long-term weight maintenance
- According to national law, claims on pack are possible. For example, in the US the following structure-function claims are: “eat less” – “Reduced food intake” – “less calorie intake” – “weight management” – “keeping weight stable”.
Palatinose™ and metabolic steering (GLP-1)
The type of carbohydrate plays an important role in healthy weight management. BENEO’s slow-release carbohydrate, Palatinose™ helps guide metabolism in a favourable way:
- Palatinose™ is slowly digested, supporting lower blood sugar and insulin responses and promoting fat burning compared to fast carbohydrates
- Its gradual energy release supports a more sustained release of the gut hormone GLP-1, which is linked to appetite control and metabolic health
- Diets containing Palatinose™ have been shown to support greater weight and fat mass loss compared to sucrose, even under calorie restriction
- According to national law, claims on pack are possible. For example, in the US the following structure-function claims are: “promotes fat oxidation” – “increased GLP-release”.
Calorie reduction: less sugar or less fat
Reducing calories in foods and drinks is a key lever for healthier product concepts, but taste and texture must remain appealing. BENEO ingredients enable effective calorie reduction through sugar and fat reformulation:
- Orafti® Oligofructose, BENEO-scFOS and Isomalt help reduce sugar and calories while maintaining sweetness and taste, offering significantly fewer calories than sugar
- Rice starch supports fat reduction by delivering a creamy mouthfeel in low-fat applications
- Orafti® Inulin (HP and HPX) can mimic the sensory properties of fat, enabling calorie reduction while preserving texture and indulgence
For a deeper understanding of BENEO’s sugar-replacement supporting ingredients, read how to hit the sweet spot in sugar replacement and reduction
Discover how Palatinose™ supports healthy weight management
This animation explains the unique mode of action of Palatinose™ – a smart carbohydrate that is fully digestible, but more slowly broken down due to its strong molecular bond. This special structure allows Palatinose™ to reach the lower part of the small intestine, where it triggers the release of the gut hormones GLP-1 and PYY. These hormones play an important role in appetite regulation, satiety and balanced blood sugar levels – key factors in weight management. Learn how this science-based mechanism sets Palatinose™ apart from conventional sugars.
For a deeper exploration of how nutrition and product design are adapting in the age of GLP-1, read our detailed blog post.
Support the GLP-1 journey, every step of the way
To improve their overall health, consumers are turning to this wide range of functional ingredients. Whether or not they support themselves with medication, they look for approaches to benefit their weight management efforts, on top of their general well-being. Each of BENEO’s solutions, from fibres and carbohydrates, to proteins and specialty rice ingredients, offers distinct benefits that help in these individual consumer journeys.
52% of consumers’ top weight loss goal is to improve their overall health 1
69% of global consumers would be interested to buy a food/beverage that stimulates GLP-1 hormones in a natural way 2
1 Innova Health & Nutrition Survey 2025
2 FMCG Gurus Report, GLP1: Diet Food Killer or Market Opportunity?, Nov 2025
Learn more in this in-depth paper
Discover how our range of functional ingredients support weight wellness journeys with their specific benefits and solutions!
Innovation for better weight management
Results from a systematic review with meta-analysis
Strongest available science confirms weight management support by chicory root fibres.
What is GLP-1 and why is it crucial for healthy weight management?
GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate appetite, blood sugar, and digestion. By signaling fullness and supporting balanced metabolism, GLP-1 plays a crucial role in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Discover how understanding and supporting GLP-1 can help you feel satisfied, stay energized, and reach your wellness goals.
Key takeaways for holistic weight management
- Weight management is more than weight loss: Satiety, energy metabolism, diet quality and body composition all play a role.
- Functional ingredients support everyday solutions: BENEO’s fibres, carbohydrates, proteins and rice ingredients address multiple nutritional needs.
- Reformulation enables progress: Sugar and fat reduction, fibre enrichment and protein fortification help lower calories while maintaining taste and texture.
- Designed for long-term use: Nutritionally balanced products can support consumers during and beyond structured weight loss phases, including GLP-1-assisted approaches.