The Food and Drug Administration on Friday proposed updating the nutrition facts label to include a recommended daily maximum for added sugar—10 percent of calories.
Marion Nestle, New York University nutrition professor, noted in her blog post today that “10 percent of calories means 200 calories on a 2,000-calorie daily diet, or 50 grams, or 12 teaspoons—the amount in one 16-ounce soda. If you drink a 16-ounce soda, you have done your added sugars for the day.”
The World Health Organization, Nestle noted, views 10 percent of calories from sugar as the absolute maximum.
“Congratulations to the FDA for this one. Let’s hope it sticks,” Nestle said.
The American Sugar Association said the recommendations “are based on the limited and weak scientific evidence found in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines report” and that the science behind the guidelines “would not meet FDA’s own high standards for scientific integrity.”
“The fact is that the preponderance of science and the data on caloric sweeteners do not support a suggested limit on sugars intake,” the association said, adding that it plans to submit comprehensive comments that will oppose this proposal and examine the level of scientific evidence at the basis of the recommendation.
But Nestlé, the multinational food company, said it supports the recommendation of 10 percent of calories coming from sugar and the inclusion of that information on the nutrition facts label.
“It might sound surprising coming from a major food company, but Nestlé supports the FDA's recommendation on added sugars,” said Paul Bakus, president of Nestlé U.S. corporate affairs. “We want to help consumers make informed decisions about their added sugar intake as part of a balanced diet. Additionally, Nestlé is committed to constantly improving the nutritional profile of our foods and beverages.”
Source: www.hagstromreport.com