Since the National Academies' Institute of Medicine published its new Dietary Reference Intake Report on Sept. 5 saying people can consume up to 25 percent of their diets in added sugars, there may be a run on extra-large tote-bags this Halloween.
Not so fast.
Health-conscious eaters are confused about what the new guidelines mean.
Rachel Johnson, Ph.D. R.D., professor of nutrition and acting dean of the University of Vermont's College of Agriculture and Life Science contributed the guidelines on sugar to the Institute of Medicine's report. Here she clarifies the numbers and the intention of the report.
* "It's not a recommendation to eat 25 percent of calories as added sugars, that's an absolute ceiling," says Johnson.* At 25 percent of calories from added sugars intake of key vitamins and nutrients significantly decreases to adversely affect health.* Eating added sugars either adds calories or dilutes important nutrients.Not all foods containing added sugars are equal. Some sweets come with vitamins, fiber and other beneficial nutrients. So when the witch next door offers you a choice: a candied apple or a candy bar -- reach for the fruit.Additional contacts:* More About the Dietary Reference Intake Report: http://national-academies.org* More About Rachel Johnson: http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/experts/?Page=experts.php&ID=rnjohnso and http://nutrition.uvm.edu/htm/fs_about.htm* Johnson on Flavored Milk: http://www.uvm.edu/news/?Page=News&storyID=2778&FieldValue=Rachelhttp://www.uvm.edu/news/?Page=News&storyID=2098&FieldValue=Rachel* Johnson on Soft Drinks: http://www.uvm.edu/%7Euvmpr/theview/article.php?id=499
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