The sugar industry will come together to mark the first annual National Real Sugar Day this week as a day to celebrate real sugar with the people who bring it from farm to table, and those individuals who enjoy it as part of a balanced diet.
“As the gold standard for sweetness, real sugar has helped us celebrate life’s sweet memories, generation after generation. We feel it’s now time we celebrate sugar and its story — of the plants, the people, the process and — of course — the product,” said Courtney Gaine, Sugar Association president and CEO, who is a registered dietitian and holds a doctorate. “Real sugar has always been a favorite ingredient, but it is so much more than that. Real sugar, which comes from sugarbeets and sugarcane plants, provides many functions beyond sweetness. We hope National Real Sugar Day will spotlight real sugar’s natural origins and bring greater awareness to the many roles sugar plays in the food supply.”
April 7, 2026
“In specific guidelines for certain age groups and subpopulations, the new DGA advise to “avoid added sugars during infancy and early childhood” (birth to 4 years) and say “no amount of added sugars is recommended” up to age 11. The DGA provide no evidence to support such extreme recommendations. In fact, the author of the […]
March 22, 2026
"The Feeding the Economy report affirms the vital role food and agriculture play in our nation’s economic resilience and food security. Commercial bakers have long been proud partners to American agriculture, sourcing 85 percent of their core ingredients from domestic farmers....Sponsoring organizations from the food and agriculture industries, who helped make the 2026 study possible, provided commentary on this year’s findings. The full list of sponsoring organizations includes: ...The Sugar Association"
March 10, 2026
"Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, a scientific body that supports the U.S. sugar industry, told the USDA Outlook Forum that the school meal standards taking effect next year might prohibit added sugars in kindergarten meals and could significantly restrict them in other grades. That change alone would cut sugar demand by over 130,000 short tons. The industry faces additional pressure from rising GLP-1 weight-loss drug usage, which jumped from 12% in May 2024 to 18% in November 2025, though Gaine cautioned it remains "premature to assess the impact."
© 2026 The Sugar Association, Inc. All rights reserved.
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