“Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, explains the latest in nutritional policy, including what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Make America Healthy Again movement mean for sugar.
Gaine, a registered dietician, spoke Feb. 4 at the American Sugarbeet Growers Association annual meeting in San Diego. While she expressed a good deal of frustration surrounding chaos in Washington around nutrition and misinformation surrounding food, she sees opportunities for sugar to gain favor in the Make America Healthy Again movement.
It’s on the additive side that Gaine believes sugar can find favor with MAHA constituents. Sugar is natural while artificial sweeteners are not. Gaine said explaining the farm origins of sugarbeet and sugar cane seems to be a winning strategy. However, additives are difficult to define and complicated, so she worries MAHA will still just “go after sugar.”
Gaine also touched on the Food and Drug Administration updating the definition of “healthy” after seven years of rulemaking. The new definition requires foods labeled healthy to meet limits on sugars, sodium and saturated fat and to include a serving of at least one food group. Less than 2% of foods will meet the criteria, she said. Since artificial sweeteners and unlimited calories in a day are allowed, she doesn’t think it’s going to do much to inform the public.”
Read the full article here: https://www.agweek.com/news/sugarbeet/what-make-america-healthy-again-could-mean-for-sugar
October 29, 2025
“Food and agriculture groups say the Trump administration’s attempt to define “ultraprocessed” foods and reduce their consumption isn’t justified by the science and could sweep up healthful foods like yogurt and whole grain foods. In formal comments filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the groups note there’s a lack of scientific consensus on […]
October 15, 2025
“The Sugar Association is recognizing National Real Sugar Day (October 15) by spotlighting the origins and functions of real sugar in food production. Established in 2022, the annual observance highlights the agricultural roots of sugar cane and sugar beets grown across the U.S., and the ingredient’s role in supporting local economies and food manufacturing. “We […]
August 11, 2025
“International Confectionery magazine is proud to announce that Courtney Gaine, Ph.D., R.D., President and CEO of the Sugar Association (Washington, D.C.), has been appointed as a judge for the International Confectionery Awards, one of the industry’s most respected celebrations of excellence and innovation in confectionery. Dr. Gaine has led the Sugar Association since January 2016, […]
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