Direct Answer: The “Israeli drink” referred to when it comes to preventing or managing diabetes is not a particular brand drink that can be purchased on your local store shelf, but rather is an invention in food technology created by the Israeli startup Better Juice. They’ve invented an enzyme technology that literally materialises natural sugars present in fruit juice (fructose, glucose and sucrose) into non-digestible dietary fibre and non-digestible sugars.
Though it’s marketed as instead you “reversing” diabetes (this is not going to reverse your T-2D folks), the reality in terms of sound science again, yes – this process can lower the glycemic load of fruit juice by 80%, converting something typically taboo for diabetics into a gut-healthy, fiber-rich drink which doesn’t cause huge insulin spikes for the respective diabetic drinking it.
For those of us who’ve already been diagnosed (Type 2 diabetics): Beyond the “Miracle Cure.”
If you’re caring for type 2 diabetes, the thought of a “drink to end diabetes” should feel good– IDentical twins check https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/memory-raised.htm, then some. You have to use your noggin here: a liquid isn’t suddenly going to cure the physiological insulin resistance built up over years. The Better Juice technology’s worth is as harm reduction, not a cure.
The Counter-Intuitive Reality:
Conventional dietary advice has been to eat whole fruit, but avoid juice because of its lack of fiber. Better Juice technology upends that model. By turning sugar into fibre within the liquid, the juice is arguably safer than eating loads of the whole fruit at once, as the ratio of fibre to sugar is artificially engineered to be better for us than nature made it.
Action Plan & Methodology:
- Label Decoding: There is no brand of “Better Juice;” do not go looking. Watch for juice brands (currently in testing in the US and Europe) that tout “Enzymatically Reduced Sugar” or even “Converted to Fiber.”
- The Glucose Monitor Test: (if you use a CGM) A controlled experiment. Drink 4oz up this processed juice. You should have a curve which is substantially flatter than that for ordinary orange juice.
- The “Fiber Buffer” Protocol: Do not drink this juice as water. Drink it with a protein source (a small handful of almonds). Even when there is minimal sugar in your drink, the habit of consuming sweet tasting beverages triggers a cephalic phase insulin response (your brain tastes sweet and preps insulin for release).
For Pre-Diabetics: The “Prevention by Substitution” Method
The dream for this cohort is to stop short at not developing full-blown diabetes without altogether losing their love of food. The interest in this “Israeli drink” tends to be driven by people who are looking for a way out of strict dietary restrictions.
The Logic of Enzymatic Conversion:
Once you realize how this happens, that’s what helps you have faith in the process. Think of the enzymes as tiny scissors. But when they find a sugar molecule in the juice, they’re not just taking it out; they’re changing its shape.
- Before: Sugar short chain (digestible energy that spikes blood sugar).
- After: Long-chain molecules (fiber that runs through the body undigested).
Implementation Steps:
- Substitution, Not AdditionDon’t add this juice to your diet. In place of high-sugar sodas or regular juices, use it. Drink it along with what you already take in (assuming that isn’t very much) and you’ve made no progress.
- Gut Microbiome Training: The fibres produced from this process (Gluco-oligosaccharides) are considered prebiotics. Start with small amounts (4oz/day). Rapid additions of high fiber to a diet can lead to bloating. Healthy gut microbiota increase general insulin sensitivity in the long term.
For Caregivers: Testing the Product on a Loved One
You probably need to purchase something for a parent or partner. The difficulty is differentiating valid science from “snake oil.”
Critical Thinking Framework:
And many dietary supplements promise to “stop diabetes” with vague references to, say, an “ ancient Israeli secret ” (which often turns out to be olive leaf extract or pomegranate pills). Better Juice is distinct in that it is a mechanical/biological process, rather than an herbal supplement.
Verification Process:
- Look at the Label: On genuine products with this technology they’ll list “Fruit Juice” as an ingredient but “Nutrition Facts” will show a gap between “Total Carbs” & Sugars instead of being a more normal juice number (High Fiber, Low Sugar).
- Steer clear of “Sugar-Free” Traps: Do not purchase “sugar-free” juice (made with chemical sweeteners such as Aspartame). You want “sugar-reduced” through enzymes. Artificial sweeteners can disrupt gut bacteria, which is harmful for people with diabetes; the Better Juice process feeds gut bacteria.
For the Metabolic Health Buff: The Science of Bioconversion
You want to know how. What is innovative here is that it allows the immobilisation of non-GMO micro-organism.
The Theory:
The technology works with beads and a bioreactor. These beads harbor enzymes. The conversion takes place on-the-fly, as the juice passes through the reactor.
The Reaction:
Sucrose changes into the dietary fiber (Fructooligosaccharides – FOS). Glucose is oxidised to Gluconic acid (a mild Organic acid).
The Result:
Slightly different sweetness profile (less cloying), but a texture that is still quite viscous because of the additional fiber.
Optimization Technique:
Post-Prandial Dulling: “If you are using this for metabolic tweaking, drinking a small amount before a carb-heavy meal. Gel Matrices The increases in soluble fiber can form a gel matrix within the stomach and help retard glucose absorption from the solid food acting as a “metabolic brakes.”
And For Those In The Industry: The Scalability & Business Logic
For those of you considering this from B2B or investment perspective, the “drank” in question is a retrofitting solution.
The Business Model:
Better Juice doesn’t sell juice; it sells the bioreactor units (known as Sugar-Reduction Units) that plug into existing pasteurization lines.
Data & Efficacy:
- Scalability: The biggest issue in food tech is generally the trade-off in taste. While t reductions of 30% leave flavor virtually unchanged. 80% reduction reduces the sweetness of the concentrate significantly but still keeps good fruit.
- Regulatory Gain: It enables beverage producers to skip “Added Sugar” taxes and get “High Fiber” claims without synthetic additives, cleaning up the label – something that matter in today’s consumer shopping habits!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the “Israeli drink” that I heard will cure my diabetes, and where can I purchase it?
A: No, it is neither a brand nor a miracle cure. It is a food-tech breakthrough by startup “Better Juice” wherein juice manufacturers can use an enzyme to transform sugars into fiber as a way of harm reduction and blood management rather than actually ‘curing’ the disease.
Q: How exactly does the Better Juice technology render fruit juice safer for diabetics?
A: The process uses small enzymes to physically convert natural sugars (fructose, glucose and sucrose) into non-digestible dietary fibers and non-digestible sugars. This cuts the glycemic load of the juice by as much as 80%, and avoids an insulin spike, which is what happens after consuming typical fruit juice.
Q: How can I spot this particular kind of juice in the supermarket?
Q: Don’t bother searching for Better Juice A: You won’t find a brand called “Better Juice.” Instead of searching for “seconds” at the market, search for commercial juice brands that contain labels like “Enzymatically Reduced Sugar” or “Converted to Fiber,” and make sure you see a Nutrition Facts panel indicating high fiber content compared to low levels of sugar.
Q.: Is this juice like the “sugar-free” drinks that have artificial sweeteners?
A: No. While other “sugar free” drinks use additives, like Aspartame, this technology uses a natural process that converts sugar already in Your body into prebiotic fiber (Gluco-oligosaccharides). This practice aids good gut bacteria, artificial sweeteners on the other hand can disrupt the bad bacteriain our stomach.
Q: How should pre-diabetics take this juice?
A: It is meant as a replacement, not an addition, to anything rich in sugary sodas or regular juices. ”Consumers should probably start with very modest amounts (e.g., 4 oz) and introduce it to their GI tract slowly, as their gut becomes adapted to the higher fiber content,” Volpe said, “and ideally be consumed in combination with a protein source that would provide further buffering of any insulin response.
References
- Body: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem & Better Juice.
Title: Enzymatic transformation of sugars in orange juice.
Results: The process was able to effectively convert approximately 80%of simple sugars in orange juice into prebiotic dietary fiber and non-digestible sugar.
Date: Commercial trials expanded in 2021-2022; Patent technology developed around 2017. - Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (Specific Mechanism Contextual Study)
Title: A synthesis of Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) from Sucrose.
Significance: Confirms the biochemical route Better Juice exploits in which enzymatic activity metamorphoses sucrose to un-digestible fibers, underpinning the lowering of glycemic claims. - Entity: GEA Group (DE) & Better Juice (IL).
CFP: Strategic Partnership for Industrial Scale-up.
Date: January 2021.
About: Co-creation to construct and implement the enzymatic bioreactor technology in various juice production plants worldwide, demonstrating the industrial feasibility of “drink” product.
