A new survey shows a majority of customers understand that real sugar comes from plants and is natural, according to the Sugar Association, the scientific arm of the U.S. sugar industry. About 80% of respondents agreed that “real sugar” is naturally occurring. The majority of respondents also agreed that sugar plays a role in a balanced diet. “”The results of this research tell a very different story from what people see and read about sugar in the context of books, fad diets, social media and news headlines,” said Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the association. “Consumers like real sugar, and while many seek to monitor their intakes, they know that they can still enjoy it as part of many foods and see it as part of a healthy diet.”
Read the full article at: https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/research/survey-shows-more-customers-know-sugar-comes-from-plants/article_f0b01db2-fafb-11eb-a222-a75ea0264f1b.html
February 25, 2026
Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, which represents the industry on scientific matters, said at the International Sweetener Colloquium. “It is really easy to regulate sugar. You can get easy wins for sugar,” Gaine said as she others discussed the impact of the MAHA movement. “The narrative is: The government and food […]
February 20, 2026
Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, a scientific body which 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 significantly restrict them in other grades. That change alone would cut sugar demand by over […]
January 10, 2026
The health secretary’s new dietary guidelines tell parents to cut the added sugar until their kids turn 11. “Misleading rhetoric “declaring war” on and creating unsubstantiated fear about a real ingredient like real sugar will not improve children’s health,” said Courtney Gaine, the association’s president and CEO, in a statement. “Real sugar — which comes […]
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