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You are here: Home / Professional Development Tools / Hot Topics A-Z / Sugars 
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Find resources that provide background and support for education efforts related to sugars and alternative sweeteners, including consumption statistics, sugar myths, reports and guidelines, and online tools.
Statistics
United States total food and beverage consumption of caloric sweeteners by calendar year  (XLS|12.7 KB)
USDA. Economic Research Service.
Statistics on total U.S. consumption of refined sugars, corn sweeteners, honey and edible syrups from 1966 to 2007.
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United States per capita consumption of caloric sweeteners by calendar year  (XLS|12.2 KB)
USDA. Economic Research Service.
Statistics on per capita consumption of refined sugars, corn sweeteners, honey and edible syrups from 1966 to 2007.
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General Information
IFIC Review: The Science of Sugars  (PDF|588 KB)
International Food and Information Council.
An overview of recent research on dietary sugars in nutrition and health. Current nutrition and policy recommendations are summarized in relation to supporting research.
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Facts About Low-Calorie Sweeteners
International Food and Information Council.
A comprehensive review of low-calorie sweeteners with background material, facts about each sweetener and information about the use of low-calorie sweeteners and weight management.
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Food Insight, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): The Sweet Facts
International Food and Information Council.
Describes the misunderstanding, correlation and controversy surrounding HFCS. Also discusses recently what the scientific community thinks about HFCS and its role in the etiology of obesity.
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Glycemic Index
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT Sports Medicine.
Brief overview of the glycemic index, the glycemic index formula, glycemic load and foods that are considered high, moderate and low glycemic scores.
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Inside the Pyramid: What are "added sugars"?
USDA. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
An explanation of sugars that are added to foods or beverages during the processing or preparation process. Provides a list of the types of foods that contain added-sugars and what to look for on a food label.
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Study Shows Children's Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on the Rise.
Columbia University.
Insight into the growing problem of childhood obesity and the role that sugar-sweetened beverages play. Article highlights recent research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. June, 2008.
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Sugar Alcohols Fact Sheet
International Food and Information Council.
The background, facts and types of sugar alcohols that include: metabolism, diabetes, reduced calorie/low carbohydrate diets, tooth decay and labeling. Also includes a list of sugar alcohols and their caloric measurements, comparison of sweetness and applications in food products.
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Sugar Substitutes: Americans Opt for Sweetness and Lite
HHS. FDA. FDA Consumer.
Discusses the history and controversies of artificial sweeteners used in the U.S., when each type of sweetener was approved for use and their relative sweetness when compared to table sugar.
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Notice regarding Stevia's (rebaudioside A) placement on the Substances Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
A notice describing the acceptance of Stevia (rebaudioside A) in certain food categories and placement on the Substances Generally Recognized as Safe list.
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Using the glycemic index to compare carbohydrates  (PDF|88 KB)
Iowa State University. University Extension.
An in depth look at using the glycemic index to compare carbohydrates. Looks at why the glycemic index is important and glycemic indexes of common foods. November, 2003.
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Dietary Sugar and Alternative Sweeteners  (PDF|130 KB)
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
Defines the types of sugars found in foods, describes the chemical structure, function and metabolism of sugars, provides tips for lowering sugar intake through the food guide pyramid, and describes the role of sugars in health and modified diets. Inclu d es a list of the sugar content (in teaspoons) of commonly selected foods, labeling terms for the sugar content of foods, and definitions of sugar substitutes.
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graphic of a diet cola bottleLow-Calorie Sweeteners: Their Role in Healthful Eating  (PDF|112 KB)
International Food Information Council.
Examines how low calorie sweeteners can decrease the calorie content of food. Reviews research on the role of low calorie sweeteners in weight management. Outlines the Food and Drug Association (FDA) approval process and includes a chart of qualities o f approved sweeteners. Sweeteners discussed include: acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and polyols (sorbitol, mannitol, etc.) Also reviews several that have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Association.
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Questions and Answers About Glycemic Index
International Food Information Council.
Describes the glycemic index, how it is determined, and factors that affect the glycemic index of foods. Discusses the problems associated with ranking and eating foods based on their glycemic index.
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Questions and Answers About Sugars
International Food Information Council.
Defines the terms “sugars,” “reduced sugar,” and “sugar-free” on nutrition facts panels. Describes why sugars are added to foods and their health implications, including a discussion of sugars and hyperactivity, diabetes, weight gain, and tooth decay.
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Sugars and Low Calorie Sweeteners
International Food Information Council.
Concise description of sugars, sugar alcohols, low calorie sweeteners and low calorie sweetener blends. Summarizes the health implications of these items, including the risks associated with eliminating sweet foods from your diet. The Spanish version is useful for vocabulary building for non-native Spanish speakers.
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Current Knowledge of the Health Effects of Sugar Intake  (PDF|2.56 MB)
USDA. CNPP. Family Economics and Nutrition Review Volume 13, Number 1.
Discusses the health implications of sugar consumption. Topics include diabetes, hyperactivity, heart disease, obesity, and dental caries. Also includes a discussion of the physiology of sugars and nutrient displacement.
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Reports/Guidelines
Americans Consume Too Many Calories From Solid Fat, Alcohol, and Added Sugar  (PDF|47 KB)
USDA. CNPP. Nutrition Insight.
Explanation of discretionary calories in the food guide pyramid, the 12 levels by age-gender groups and that Americans exceed the recommendation of the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for solid fat, alcohol, and added sugar. June, 2006.
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FDA Notice regarding Cargill’s rebaudioside A (Stevia) is GRAS, through scientific procedures, for use as a general-purpose sweetener in foods.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
This notice explains how Cargill Incorprated intends on using rebaudioside A (Stevia) in future food products. The FDA concludes that based on the information provided by Cargill, as well as other information available to FDA, that rebaudioside A purified from S. rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni is GRAS under the intended conditions of use.
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High Fructose Corn Syrup: Consumer Communications  (PDF|58 KB)
International Food and Information Council.
A look at consumer perceptions of High Fructose Corn Syrup and developing effective and accurate communications to address those perceptions. This At-A-Glance summarizes the findings of that research.
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Increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among US adults: 1988–1994 to 1999–2004
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
A survey that has monitored the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in the U.S. Abstract.
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Diets of Individuals Based on Energy Intakes from Added Sugars  (PDF|2.6 MB)
USDA. CNPP. Family Economics and Nutrition Review Volume 12, Number 2.
Examines the intake of food groups and nutrients by individuals grouped by the caloric contribution of added sugars to their diet. Discusses whether high intakes of added sugars displace essential nutrients or nutrient dense foods in the individuals' diet.
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food guide pyramid with the words "nutition insights" printed above and belowIs Intake of Added Sugars Associated With Diet Quality?  (PDF|23.9 KB)
USDA. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion Examines the association between added sugars consumption and diet quality at different levels of energy intake. Uses USDA's 1994-6 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and Healthy Index scores to compare the diet quality of “high consumers” to others.
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Online Tools
Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods
Harvard medical School. Harvard Health Publications.
Glycemic index and glycemic load offer information about how foods affect blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food's glycemic index or glycemic load, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels.
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close-up graphic of a calculatorCarbohydrate Calculator
University of Maryland Medicine.
Calculate your daily carbohydrate intake requirement based on age, height, gender, and activity level. Also is useful for calculating calories burned, Body Mass Index and protein intake requirements. Should be used only as a guide.
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Last Modified: Oct 9, 2009  
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