With summer finally here, I have adopted a “no excuses” mantra in my quest to shed some weight and get healthy. I’ve been munching carrots instead of chips, drinking more water and resuming my regular walking routine. And when my son uses the “D” word, as in “diet,” I tell him it’s not about diet and deprivation but, rather, it’s about adopting a healthier overall lifestyle.

Ingredion Inc., Westchester, Ill., a provider of ingredient solutions, announced that Health Canada granted approval of its quillaja extract (type 2) as an emulsifying agent for oil-based coloring formulations, unstandardized oil-based flavoring preparations and other unstandardized oil-based ingredients.

To help food and beverage companies develop products that satisfy health-and-wellness trends without sacrificing taste, Cargill developed EverSweet, a zero-calorie sweetener made with the same sweetness found in the stevia leaf, Reb M and Reb D.

More than 15,000 attendees from 50 states and 60 countries attended the 19th annual SupplySide West tradeshow, which took place Oct. 5-9 at Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center.

Research and Markets announced the addition of the "Global Market Study on Stevia: Beverages Will Remain the Dominant Application Segment Through 2020" report to its offerings.

Oak Brook, Ill.-based PureCircle unveiled a new family of stevia ingredients for specific category applications, which perform similarly to sugar to enable deeper calorie reductions.

Obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 78.6 million adults are overweight or obese, with 12.7 million children and adolescents in the same category.

Tate & Lyle announced the launch of Dolcia Prima low-calorie sugar to transform the way the food and beverage industry develops low- or reduced-calorie products.

Health concerns are a major issue for many people. The United States’ first lady Michelle Obama has headed up the Let’s Move program to educate consumers about “America’s Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids.” Her efforts also have led to trying to get more adults and children involved in healthier food and beverage choices.