Sugar Producer

20 Sugar Producer NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 What Are Added Sugars, Anyhow? Helping consumers make sense of new labels and dietary guidelines If the term "added sugars" seemed to come out of nowhere and explode into the nutrition dialogue, it's because it kind of did. And, if you're not quite sure what "added sugars" means, you're not alone. WHAT ARE ADDED SUGARS? While the term has been used in policyspeak for decades to describe sugars that are added to foods—as opposed to those found intact (i.e., sugars in an orange)—added sugars wasn't defined by regulation until recently. In 2016, The FDA, during efforts to overhaul the Nutrition Facts Label and include added sugars information, defined "added sugars" to include all caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages during preparation or processing (sugar, honey and many others), as well as those packaged as such (a bag of sugar or jar of honey). ADDED SUGARS ARE ABOUT TO BE MORE VISIBLE. For the first time, in 2020, the grams of added sugars will appear on the Nutrition Facts Label, along with how that amount fits into the FDA's new daily value of 50 grams per day or 10 percent of total daily calories. The FDA's intent with the revised label is to make it easier for consumers to make informed food choices and enable them to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). Education will be incredibly important if the new label is to indeed improve the dietary habits of Americans. With the new added sugars information, it will be important for consumers to be aware that the 50- gram daily value was set to help construct healthy diets and meet the DGAs target, not to serve as an upper-level intake above which leads to an adverse health outcome. This information is important for consumers and health professionals alike. In a 2017 survey, more than 70 percent of registered dietitians believed the inclusion of added sugars information on the label was to control or reduce obesity rather than to help consumers meet nutrient needs within caloric recommendations. In a 2018 consumer survey, 66 percent said added sugars are more important than fat, calories and nutrients when reading nutrition facts labels. The new label information may also result in some consumers being surprised to see added sugars in foods they may not consider "sweet," since many people don't realize that real sugar, in particular, is often added to foods for several reasons that have little to do with its sweet flavor. Consumers may also overlook the total nutrient package, bypassing a more nutritious food for one that is less nutritious but lower in added sugars. Clearly, with this new information, the need for education on so many facets of why real sugar is in foods will be more important than ever. With new hyper-focus on added sugars in specific foods, it's helpful to take a step back and look at the big picture, putting added sugars into the context of the whole diet as well as taking a look at which foods and beverages are contributing the most added sugars in our diets. WHAT ARE THE MAIN SOURCES OF ADDED SUGARS? For starters, added sugars consumption has fallen significantly over the past 20 years (from 18.1 to 12.6 percent of total calories), with a steep decline in sweetened beverage consumption driving this. Despite this decline, sweetened beverages still make up almost half of added sugars intake. So, where does the other half come from? And, are there differences in the sources of added sugars among those who eat very little sugar compared to those who consume a lot? A recent study supported by the Sugar Association looked at the patterns of sources of added sugars across a range of intakes. Below is a summary of what was learned about sources of added sugars in children: The percent of total calories contributed by added sugars for children (ages 2 to 8) ranged from less than 11.2 to greater than FROM THE SUGAR ASSOCIATION Courtney Gaine, R.D., Ph.D. | President & CEO Nutrition Facts Serving Size 2/3 cup (55g) Calories 230 % Daily Value* Trans Fat 0g Saturated Fat 1g Sugars 12g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 160mg Total Carbohydrate 37g Protein 3g 10% Calcium 45% 12% Amount Per Serving Dietary Fiber 4g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Iron Servings Per Container About 8 Calories from Fat 72 Total Fat 8g 5% 0% 7% 12% 16% Vitamin A Vitamin C 8% 20% Calories: 2,000 2,500 Total Fat Less than 65g 80g Sat Fat Less than 20g 25g Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg Sodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g Dietary Fiber 25g 30g 10% 5% 0% 7% 13% 14% 10% 20% 45% 6% 20% 160mg 8g Nutrition Facts Calories 230 Amount per serving Total Fat Saturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium Total Carbohydrate 37g Dietary Fiber 4g Total Sugars 12g Includes 10g Added Sugars Protein 3g Vitamin D 2mcg Calcium 260mg Iron 8mg Potassium 235mg % Daily Value* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. 8 servings per container Serving size 2/3 cup (55g) *

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