If there ever was a better year for low-carb products it was 2004. Mintel's Global New Products Database (Chicago) reports that compared to 2003 (in which some 130 low-carb products were launched January through October), dieters in 2004 witnessed the launch, reformulation or repositioning of more than 10 times that many low-carb products in the same time frame.
The low-carb phenomenon also is responsible for the “overnight success” stories many ingredients experienced in 2004. Products bearing sucralose and sugar alcohols put the sweet back into the grocery aisles. Protein popularity increased as whey and soy became obvious substitutes not only for animal proteins but also carbs. All the while, less common ingredients like flax, inulin and resistant starches found their way into the annals of dietary fiber reformulations.