Why the Sugar Industry Doesn't Like the New Food Labels

The new food labels mandated by the FDA will require manufacturers to disclose the level of added sugars in their products. So, of course, the new food labels do not come as good news for the American Beverage Association and other manufacturers of sugary products.

The sugar industry has a lot of influence and so far it has won many cases for any claim to discredit the industry through its influence and money. The research on how sugar causes tooth decay and how much sugar is actually recommended was skewered by the industry. The amount of sugar recommended by physicians and nutritionists and the amount of sugar in beverages like Coke and Pepsi is different.

The new food labels would require that the number of calories and servings per container is added under total sugars, so that consumers can know how much sugar per serving a product contains and what percentage of the recommended daily sugar intake it includes. The rule requires an added label which tells the quantity of Added Sugars to be included under Total Sugars. The industry argues it puts them in a negative light, making even small amounts of sugar look bad.

The problem is your total caloric requirement comes from different fibers but if you consume a product with high sugar, most of your caloric requirement would come from there. This makes it difficult to consume sugary products while not exceeding your daily calorie limit. Generally, people whose sugar intake makes up more than 10% of their daily caloric intake are unable to meet their nutritional requirements. This is a concern, as on average, Americans get 13% of their daily calories from added sugar, which is why the new food labels have been introduced.

Added sugar is part of many products and therefore there have been a number of complaints to reverse this decision. The representatives of the sugar industry say the proposal is uncalled for. Their argument is that the amount of sugar in products is already mentioned on their labels, combining the natural sugar content already present in the food and the amount added during processing.

They say there is no scientific evidence why one type of sugar should be singled out for new food labeling requirements. The sugar industry knows just how much their loss would be if consumers would know the actual amount of added sugar and this is why they are likely to resist the change as much as possible.