Some sugar-replacement efforts have focused on high-potency sweeteners. Essentially delivering little more than sweetness, these do not offer sugar's textural or bulking properties—or its intrinsic nutritional benefit, calories. Recent developments, however, offer ingredients with discernible benefits beyond simply eliminating sugar from the diet.
Brown rice syrup is derived by culturing rice with enzymes to break down the starches, then straining off the liquid and cooking it until reaching the desired consistency. One supplier notes that its product has a shelflife of about a year.