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Sugar Association: Big News For Diet Season -- Science Weighs In on Common Dietary Myth B Sugar Does Not Cause Obesity

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 March 2006, 12:00 CST

WASHINGTON, March 22 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Wouldn't it be great if sugar, that marvelous all-natural sweetener that makes Grandma's apple pie the best in the world, didn't make people fat? It wouldn't be just great -- it would be true. And science proves it.

Sugar consumption and obesity has been the subject of intense scrutiny for years. The results of study after study are surprisingly consistent. Every major review of the body of scientific literature exonerates sugar as the explicit cause of any disease, including obesity.

The FDA Sugars Task Force, in a review of 1,000 scientific papers, reported that "scientific evidence clears sugars of links with other diseases including diabetes, hypertension, and obesity."

In 2002, The National Academy of Sciences completed a three- year analysis of the science on diet and health including Body Mass Index (BMI). The conclusion: "There is no clear and consistent association between increased intakes of added sugars and BMI."

"Scapegoats are the rage these days," explains Charles W. Baker, executive vice president and chief science officer for The Sugar Association. "The desire to blame something for society's problems has become more influential than the body of scientific evidence. Rather than endorse positive changes in lifestyle to manage weight, it's easier to point a finger at sugar as the reason for obesity. Science, however, doesnbt support that view."

Sugar is a basic carbohydrate that every healthy body needs for energy. It is an essential fuel for muscles, internal organs and first-rate brain function.

The natural sugar consumers buy at the grocery store has only 15 calories a teaspoon. People gain weight by taking in more calories than they burn over the course of a day. Obesity is the result of eating too much food, especially those with a high caloric content.

"Many people on a weight loss diet are searching for a 'magic bullet' and may think switching to artificial sweeteners is the answer," continues Baker. "There are dozens of new low and no- sugar products introduced each year and companies are spending millions of dollars to develop and promote them."

"Consequently many consumers have been duped into thinking they are cutting lots of calories and eating healthier by switching to artificial sweeteners," says Baker. "The fact is, under the U.S. food labeling laws, foods with less than 5 calories per serving are considered an 'insignificant source' of calories and therefore can be described as 'no calorie' foods under FDA regulations. For example, a yellow packet of Splenda artificial sweetener actually provides 4 calories per serving, not zero calories. A teaspoon of real sugar is only 15 calories a teaspoon. Is it worth using an artificial sweetener to save only 11 calories? People can't eat their way out of obesity. Americans must become more active while eating fewer calories."

The simple fact is if you're concerned about your weight, eat reasonable amounts, drink plenty of water and maintain an appropriate level of physical activity. With pure all-natural sugar as part of your active lifestyle, you'll have the energy you need to get going in a healthy direction.

For more information on the real facts about sugar, visit http:// www.sugar.org.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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