Advocates fire two petitions targeting added sugars in school meals and restaurants

CSPI along with other advocates have filed a petition asking USDA to restrict added sugars in school meals and ban use of low-calorie sweeteners. The Sugar Association supports mandate on sweeteners, but says the proposed restriction on added sugars can have unintended consequences.

“When it comes to competitive foods, policymakers need to consider the unintended consequences of drastic limits on added sugars when applied to a single product,” Gaine said. “The recommendation to reduce added sugars to less than 10% of calories is intended to apply to a diet – over a day, week, month – not to a product.”

So limiting added sugars to 10% or less of a single product could restrict children’s access to products that are otherwise healthy, Gaine stressed.

“We support the alignment of school breakfast and lunch with the federal government’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans with meals containing less than 10% of calories from added sugars on average over the week,” she stressed.”

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