We all know that a lot of sugar isn’t good for us. But our body’s also need sugar to function– especially if you’re losing weight or if you are undernourished. Sugar is an important energy supplier and provides flavour. When undernourished, it is important that they recieve enough energy. The proteins and calories in our products are building materials that enable recovery, improve fitness, strength and wound healing in people who have difficulty putting on weight, recovering or maintaining their weight. Most undernourished individuals have trouble taking in enough energy. If the body cannot extract enough energy from the products, the proteins do not have the added value for which they are advised.

The sugar in our products aids in delivering sufficient energy in small portions. Building Blocks may taste sweet, but their sugar content is not much higher than a piece of fruit such as an apple or a slice of cake. Finally, it is important to note that Building Blocks and Easy to Eat do not serve as a substitute for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are tob e used as an extra, a little treat – an indulgence.

In terms of composition, whey protein resembles body protein. Our products contain high-quality protein. In professional terms, we call this ‘biological value’. This means that the body can use the amino acids (protein is a long chain of amino acids) in whey protein for recovery if a person is undernourished or unwell. Whey protein is quickly absorbed by the body and enables rapid build-up of muscle mass, recovery of tissue and prevention of infections.

Innopastry would be happy to help if you have any questions about our products and how to use them. we have a dietitian who can answer all your questions. Her name is Mariska Dute and you can contact her at mariska@innopastry.com.

Building Blocks and Easy to Eat are not enriched with vitamins and minerals. Bottles of liquid food supplements are vitaminized. Care staff, nursing staff and the thrombosis service should always be notified of the use of liquid food supplements due to the effect of various vitamins and minerals on blood coagulation, for example.

‘May contain traces of gluten’ is specified on the packaging in accordance with legislation. Our products are regularly tested in laboratories for gluten and they conform to the ‘gluten-free’ standard. All laboratory results contain less than 5mg/kg; a maximum of 20mg/kg applies for gluten-free products. We therefore easily comply with this standard. In the bakery, flour is used in the production of other products. Before manufacturing Easy to Eat, the production area is completely cleaned in order to remove any gluten or gluten-containing products. We also produce the products in a separate room. So you don’t have to worry: Easy to Eat is completely ‘gluten free’. NB: our energy and protein-enriched Building Blocks are NOT gluten free.

We do not use gelatin in the production of Easy to Eat, meaning that this product is completely gelatin-free. A minimal amount of gelatin is used for the Building Blocks and we also aim to avoid using gelatin for the production of the Building Blocks in the future. This requires further product development and we are carrying out extensive testing. We will keep you informed about the latest developments through our newsletter. Furthermore, our products contain only natural raw materials and do not contain E numbers.

The standard-sized Building Blocks contain 18g of sugar per cake. This corresponds to the quantity of sugar in four cubes of sugar (standard size). For comparison: one glass of soft drink contains approximately 21g of sugar, which is equal to five sugar cubes. Easy to Eat contains even less sugar than the standard-sized Building Blocks. One portion of Easy to Eat contains 8g of sugar per cup. The mini Building Blocks contain 10g of sugar per 30g serving.

The mini Building Blocks are suitable for diabetics. The advice is to eat them between the main meals. Generally, a diabetic person does not have to eat a sugar-free diet. If you are undernourished and have diabetes, it is important to treat the undernourishment as this can also cause varying blood sugar levels. One mini Building Block contains 11g of carbohydrate. Diabetics can eat this instead of another energy and protein-enriched product or snack. Discuss with your doctor, diabetes nurse and/or dietitian how you can fit this into your diet and whether you may need extra medication. It is still important to monitor blood sugar levels as you do with other products. If the standard-sized Building Blocks contain too much carbohydrate, Easy to Eat or a mini Building Block is a good alternative. Easy to Eat and our mini Building Blocks contain half as much carbohydrate as the standard Building Blocks. Easy to Eat contains less carbohydrate and even more protein than the standard-sized Building Blocks.

Undernourishment is when somebody unintentionally loses a lot of weight over a short period of time and has a deficiency of essential nutrients such as protein. Overweight people can also be undernourished or at risk of becoming undernourished. Undernourishment is a major problem for people who are unwell, have problems chewing and swallowing or have just had surgery. It causes poor recovery, longer recovery and more often results in complications. A major cause of this is that nutrition provides too little protein and energy, which in turn causes the body to break down muscle tissue, resistance to decrease and patients to feel extremely tired. The consumption of extra proteins, for example in our Building Blocks or Easy to Eat, is a way to counteract this problem. Body weight does not play a role in it.

This depends on the seriousness of the problems that the person has chewing and swallowing. Easy to Eat is amylase resistant and also suitable for people with a thick liquid diet. Easy-to-Eat is classified as IDDSI code 4. It is a soft, indulgent dessert and therefore ideal for people who have difficulty swallowing and chewing. Our Building Blocks are also suitable for people who need to eat ‘coarsely minced’ food. In case of doubt, ask a speech therapist about the options. Easy to Eat is specially made for people looking for a product with an even softer consistency and for people who need to eat finely mashed food or have a thick liquid diet. Easy to Eat has ‘amylase-resistant’ properties, which means that it retains its consistency when in a person’s mouth and does not cause people to choke.

Protein is an important nutrient with many different roles. On average, an adult consists of 12kg of protein. All body cells contain protein, such as muscles and organs, the nervous system, the bones and blood. Protein is essential for cell growth, tissue repair and the immune system and it supports the production of antibodies. Each day, the body breaks down protein and replaces it with new protein. In an adult, this is roughly 200g to 300g per day. In this way, the body removes damaged protein, which could lead to disrupted cell function and cell growth. The body uses the amino acids from the broken-down protein in order to build new protein. However, amino acids are also lost in the process. The body also loses small amounts of protein through the hair, nails, flakes of skin, sweat and urine, and that protein constantly needs to be replenished. This is even more true in the case of disorders related to increased protein breakdown or loss of amino acids. That is why it is important to consume enough protein during illness and poor health; doing so enables muscle mass to be maintained or increased. Research shows that patients with higher muscle mass are better prepared to endure intense chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

There are 20 different kinds of amino acids, and the body uses them to build protein. The composition, sequence and structure of these amino acids differs per protein-rich product. There are many thousands of potential combinations. Of the amino acids in our diet, the body can produce eleven itself. There are nine essential amino acids that we need to get from our diet: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. In addition, there are six semi-essential amino acids: arginine, asparagine, glutamine, glycine, serine and proline. They are semi-essential because the body can usually produce them itself. However, under certain circumstances, such as when specific diseases and illnesses are present, dietary supplements are required.

Our Building Blocks and Easy to Eat contain whey protein with a high biological value. This means that the protein is quickly and easily absorbed by the body and can be used as a building block. It also contains all nine essential amino acids and all six semi-essential amino acids. Building Blocks and Easy to Eat products contain protein with all of the amino acids that the body needs.

The amino acids present in Building Blocks and Easy to Eat products are: alanine, arginine, asparagine, cysteine, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophane, tyrosine and valine.

The need for protein varies from person to person. It depends on weight, age and personal circumstances. The average healthy person needs 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That comes to approximately 56g of protein for a person weighing 70 kilos. The 56 grams of protein should be consumed throughout the day, preferably spread over at least four meals: at breakfast, lunch, with a hot meal and in the evening before bedtime. In case of disorders related to an increased breakdown of protein or amino acid losses, extra protein is required. This applies, for example, to bone fractures, such as hip fractures, and to illnesses such as cancer and Parkinson’s disease. In cases of illness and undernourishment or risk of undernourishment, the recommended amount of protein is 1.2-1.5g per kilogram of body weight, with the exception of patients with liver and kidney diseases.
Consumers with a vegetarian or vegan diet also need extra protein. The recommendation for these groups is 1.2-1.3g of protein per kilogram of body weight, regardless of whether they are ill or undernourished. Elderly people over the age of 65 also benefit from a higher intake of protein because they have a lower protein synthesis rate. Building Blocks and Easy to Eat form a good dietary supplement. They are designed to be an extra treat. In practice, many people consume a Building Block or Easy to Eat once or twice per day. One Building Block is equivalent to two mini Building Blocks. Mini Building Blocks contain 5.5g of protein compared to 10g in the standard Building Blocks.

People who are undernourished often have problems chewing and swallowing, have a low appetite or are too tired to eat. Liquid food sometimes causes nausea or lack of appreciation for the taste. Building Blocks and Easy to Eat are a welcome addition to the usual diet. They are considered inviting, tasty treats – and that’s important to us. They need to be delicious while having an attractive design as well. The portions are small and not too heavy on the stomach. There’s also a social aspect: enjoying a cake or tasty snack is associated with being together. Usually, people eat them in the company of others. This creates nice connections and contributes to quality of life. Care providers and hospitals can welcome patients with Building Blocks and Easy to Eat. What’s more, they’re less expensive than clinical drinks.