Host of the award-winning Sound Bites® Podcast, Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDCES, invited Dr. Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD, President and CEO of the Sugar Association, to join her in a conversation about the history, consumption and dietary guidance for sugar and added sugars.
There are many common myths and misunderstandings about sugar such as: sugar causes hyperactivity and diabetes, reducing sugar in foods always reduces the caloric content, and Americans consume more added sugars now than ever before. But there are many other narratives about sugar and added sugars that are taken at face value or taken out of context that warrant a closer look.
Listen in to receive 1.25 FREE CEU credits approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and learn about:
- The difference between sugar, sugars and added sugars
- Where sugar comes from and how it is processed
- Sugar’s functional roles in food beyond sweetness
- Current and historical sugar consumption data
- The rationale for the DGA recommendations to limit added sugar intake to less than 10% of total calories
- The need for updated carbohydrate DRI (last update was 20 years ago)
- What food manufacturers have already done to reduce the sugar content in products like bread and yogurt
- Common myths and misunderstandings about sugar, sugars and added sugar
- Added sugars on the nutrition facts label
“Despite claims and concerns that we are eating more sugar than ever before, consumption of added sugars is actually on a 30% decline in the last 20 years. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10% of calories per day, and we’re at 12.9% right now. Back in 1910 we were at 11% – probably because of all the various functions that sugar has in food beyond sweetness.” – Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD
About Melissa: Melissa is The Guilt-Free RD – “because food shouldn’t make you feel bad!” She is the CEO of Sound Bites® Inc., and promotes sound science, smart nutrition and good food. Melissa is best known for her Sound Bites® Podcast and her Media Training workshops for dietitians and other health professionals. Through media interviews and social media outreach, Melissa helps people digest nutrition information so they can make their own, well-informed decisions based on facts, not fear. As the host of the Sound Bites® Podcast, Melissa explores the science, psychology and strategies behind good food and nutrition in conversations with her guests who are experts on a variety of topics ranging from farming to fad diets. The show debuted in the Top 20 Nutrition Podcasts on iTunes and was named one of “11 Podcasts You Need” by Cosmopolitan Magazine, one of the “Best RD-run Podcasts” by Today’s Dietitian Magazine, and one of “8 Podcasts Worth Listening To” by Diabetes Forecast Magazine.
About Courtney: Courtney Gaine, Ph.D., R.D., is the President and CEO for the Sugar Association in Washington, D.C. Prior to this appointment in January 2016, Dr. Gaine served as the Vice President of Scientific Affairs at the association. Dr. Gaine previously served as senior science program manager at the North American branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI North America), a public, nonprofit scientific foundation that advances the understanding and application of science related to the nutritional quality and safety of the food supply. Prior to ILSI, Dr. Gaine held positions of project director, nutrition and wellness, at the nonprofit organization Convergence and science manager at FoodMinds, a public relations firm. She began her career in academia as an assistant professor at East Carolina University. A native Washingtonian, Dr. Gaine obtained her Ph.D. in nutritional sciences and biochemistry and bachelor’s degree in dietetics from the University of Connecticut, where she was also a co-captain of the UConn women’s basketball team.
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