Comments on: Sugar as a measure of nutritional quality: more from ILSI http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=744 Tue, 11 Apr 2017 23:15:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bill Shrapnel http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=744#comment-766 Bill Shrapnel Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:23:07 +0000 http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=744#comment-766 Hi Hilary. You have made an interesting point but I think you are making some assumptions that may not be entirely sound. You are essentially saying (1) exposure to sweet foods/beverages develops a taste for sweetness which (2) shapes taste preferences in the future and (3) produces adverse health outcomes. Let’s assume that (1) and (2) are correct, but how confident can we be about (3)? There is no direct line between higher sugar intakes and adverse health outcomes. It all depends on which foods/beverages deliver the sugar. If sugar is consumed via soft drinks there is an association with higher body weight, but if the sugar is delivered in flavoured milk or in solid foods there is no association with body weight. So sugar is not the key variable. Also, the three assumptions above could be used to argue against the consumption of fruit, yet nutritionists never do this. So we argue inconsistently i.e. both fruit and chocolate milk contain sugar and both contain essential nutrients, but we argue that one is good for you and one isn’t. If sugar or sweetness is a nutritional negative we have to apply our approach consistently and universally. Rather than focussing on sugar (as all we nutritionists are encouraged to do) try focussing on nutrient density instead. Give it a go. Regards, Bill Hi Hilary. You have made an interesting point but I think you are making some assumptions that may not be entirely sound. You are essentially saying (1) exposure to sweet foods/beverages develops a taste for sweetness which (2) shapes taste preferences in the future and (3) produces adverse health outcomes. Let’s assume that (1) and (2) are correct, but how confident can we be about (3)? There is no direct line between higher sugar intakes and adverse health outcomes. It all depends on which foods/beverages deliver the sugar. If sugar is consumed via soft drinks there is an association with higher body weight, but if the sugar is delivered in flavoured milk or in solid foods there is no association with body weight. So sugar is not the key variable.
Also, the three assumptions above could be used to argue against the consumption of fruit, yet nutritionists never do this. So we argue inconsistently i.e. both fruit and chocolate milk contain sugar and both contain essential nutrients, but we argue that one is good for you and one isn’t. If sugar or sweetness is a nutritional negative we have to apply our approach consistently and universally.
Rather than focussing on sugar (as all we nutritionists are encouraged to do) try focussing on nutrient density instead. Give it a go. Regards, Bill

]]> By: Kate http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=744#comment-751 Kate Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:03:24 +0000 http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=744#comment-751 http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2013/04/03/soft-drink-and-fruit-juice-consumption-declining-in-australia.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AustralianFoodNews+%28Australian+Food+News%29 Thought you might find this interesting. http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2013/04/03/soft-drink-and-fruit-juice-consumption-declining-in-australia.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AustralianFoodNews+%28Australian+Food+News%29

Thought you might find this interesting.

]]> By: Hilary Hoevenaars http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=744#comment-749 Hilary Hoevenaars Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:30:57 +0000 http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=744#comment-749 "How can one argue that chocolate milk is an undesirable food?" On the basis of taste development. Certainly flavoured milks are nutrient dense and much better options than many other sweetened foods and beverages, but what about taste development? Why is this so often ignored in nutritional advice, when we know that taste preferences developed in childhood are much harder to change in adulthood? We know that the early environment of the child can either reinforce or re-attune the early preferences for sweet and salt. We have all seen the difficulties faced by older individuals faced with changing life long taste preferences in the interest of their health. In my experience, children who learn to enjoy sweet foods and drinks on a daily basis have a much more difficult time learning to enjoy foods such as vegetables. “How can one argue that chocolate milk is an undesirable food?” On the basis of taste development. Certainly flavoured milks are nutrient dense and much better options than many other sweetened foods and beverages, but what about taste development? Why is this so often ignored in nutritional advice, when we know that taste preferences developed in childhood are much harder to change in adulthood? We know that the early environment of the child can either reinforce or re-attune the early preferences for sweet and salt. We have all seen the difficulties faced by older individuals faced with changing life long taste preferences in the interest of their health. In my experience, children who learn to enjoy sweet foods and drinks on a daily basis have a much more difficult time learning to enjoy foods such as vegetables.

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