Taking a closer look at the foods that we eat.
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What kinds of claims can be made about the
link between sugar and diabetes, obesity,
heart disease, weight gain and tooth decay?
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What claims have the most evidence? Based
on the evidence, and that fact that some of
the evidence is inconclusive, what health
recommendations would you make about
sugar consumption?
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Claims- to assert or maintain as a fact: She
claimed that he was telling the truth.
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Evidence-that which tends to prove or disprove
something; ground for belief; proof.
2.something that makes plain or clear; an
indication or sign: His flushed look was visible
evidence of his fever.
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Retrieved from Dictionary.com
WHAT IS A FOOD ADDITIVE?
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Any substance added to
food.
Direct- added to a food for
a specific purpose
Indirect-become part of
the food due to packaging,
storage, or other handling.
Must prove to form safe
before permitted to add to
food.
FUNCTION OF FOOD ADDITIVES
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To Maintain Safety and
Freshness
 Slow mold
 Control contamination and
possible food borne illness
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To improve or maintain
nutritional value
 Make up for any lacking nutrients
in your diet
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Improve taste, texture, and
appearance
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Enhance taste
Improve appearance
Help texture
Aid in appearance
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Have been used for many years to preserve,
flavor, blend, thicken, and color foods.
Strictly studied, regulated, and monitored.
Federal regulations require evidence that
each substance is safe before added to food.
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Americans consume on average
more than 200 calories each day
from sugary drinks
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Four times what they consumed
in 1965
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Strong evidence indicates this
has been a major contributor to
the obesity and
diabetes epidemics.
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the American Heart Association
found that the average
American eats 22 teaspoons of
“added” sugars per day.
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For your reference, 1 teaspoon is
4 grams of sugar.
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A can of coke has 39 grams of
added sugar, or almost 10
teaspoons of sugar.
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Recommendations:
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Men no more than 9 teaspoons
of added sugar per day
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Women- no more than 6
teaspoons of added sugar per
day.
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Sugar Toxic?????
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More research is also needed on the safety of
artificial sweeteners.
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There is no clear evidence that the artificial
sweeteners sold and used in the United
States are linked to cancer or coronary heart
disease risk in humans.
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Substances used in place of sugar or sugar
alcohols.
Can help people who are trying to lose weight
Provide sweetness without adding extra
calories
Can help prevent tooth decay and control
blood sugar for diabetes patients
Chemically processed
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Aspartame- Equal– 220 times sweeter than
sugar
Sucralose-Splenda– 600 times sweeter than
sugar
Saccharin- Sweet-n-Low– 200-700 times
sweeter than sugar
Monk Fruit- 150-200 times sweeter than
sugar
Acesulfame K- Sweet One
Neotame
Crave Sugar
What is released when
we eat sugar?
 How does the brain
crave sugar?
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Brain on Sugar
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Natural sugar is the
kind of sugar
contained in fruits,
vegetables, and other
plants.
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Natural sugars occur
most plentifully in
fruits, which is what
gives them their sweet
taste.
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In the United States,
sugars that have been
refined or processed,
even minimally, cannot
be sold under the
“natural” label.
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To date, the FDA has approved the use of five artificial sweeteners; each one is far sweeter
than regular sugar. (55) They include: Bellisle F, Drewnowski A. Intense sweeteners, energy
intake and the control of body weight. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61:691-700.
Artificial
sweetener
Brand names
Aspartame
Equal®, NutraSweet®, others 180 times sweeter than sugar
Sweetness as compared to sugar
Acesulfame-K Sunett®, Sweet One®
200 times sweeter than sugar
Saccharin
Sweet’N Low®, Necta
Sweet®, others
300 times sweeter than sugar
Sucralose
Splenda®
600 times sweeter than sugar
Neotame
No brand names
7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar
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One natural low-calorie sweetener, stevia,
has not yet been evaluated by the FDA.
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Stevia is about 300 times sweeter than sugar.
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There are no long-term studies of the health
effects of stevia.
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Fruits and Sugar
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How are GMOs created?
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Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Myths and Truths
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What are your thoughts on Genetically
Modified Foods after watching this clip?
GENETICALLY MODIFIED
MORE THAN 70 MILLION ACRES SINCE 1986.
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Does not require labeling.
Process of breaking the
natural boundaries that
exist between species
Produces desired traits
Example: genes from
salmon can be spliced into
tomatoes to make them
more resistant to cold
weather
HYBRIDIZATION
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The fertilization of the flower
of one species by the pollen
of another species or artificial
cross pollination.
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Needs to be more research
done on the effects of these
new crops on the
environment and on the
people eating them long
term.
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Up to 80% of processed foods in the U.S.
have something that's been changed by man
from the way it would grow on its own.
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This happens at plant's genes.
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Key crops include corn, soybeans, and cotton.
(Yes, cotton products are in foods.)
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In the U.S., three groups play a role in
bringing GM products to grocery store
shelves.
The EPA rates GM plants for their effects on
the environment
USDA decides whether the plant is safe to
grow -- it won't harm other plants or
animals.
The FDA decides whether the plant will make
anyone who eats it sick.
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More food: These plants can
help farmers boost their yield by
making crops that can live
through a drought or the cold
and resist disease.
Less stress on the
environment: Supporters say
using science to make the
changes is better for the planet
than older farming methods.
Crops built to resist pests lower
farmers’ need for toxic chemical
pesticides.
Better products: Scientists can
create crops that contain vital
nutrients.
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The rise of superweeds: Crops
built to withstand herbicides
could breed with each other and
transfer their genes to weeds.
Health problems: The process
often mixes or adds proteins
that don’t exist in the original
plant could create new allergic
reactions. They also worry that
foods made to resist disease and
viruses will linger in your system
after you eat them, and that
could make antibiotics less
effective.
"Frankenfood" fears: The longterm effects of adding new
genes to common crops are still
unclear.
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The bottom line: If you live (and eat) in the U.S.,
unless it’s otherwise stated -- or it’s certified
organic -- it’s a safe bet that your food is GM.
Makers who don’t use GM ingredients clearly say
so on labels.
Food companies like Nature’s Path and
Gerber baby food choose to use non-GM
ingredients. The fast food chain Chipotle
removed GM foods from its menu. Whole Foods
Market promises to label all GM products at its
U.S. and Canadian stores by 2018.
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Refers to the way farmers grow and process
agricultural products
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Fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and meat.
Designed to encourage soil and water
conservation and reduce pollution
Do not use conventional methods to fertilize
and control weeds.
Use natural fertilizers, crop rotation, or mulch
to manage weeds.
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No generally accepted definition of “local
food”
Typically involve smaller farmers,
heterogeneous products, and short supply
chains
Farmer’s perform marketing functions:
including storage, packaging, transportation,
distribution, and advertising.
Food Additive Overview
http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagin
gLabeling/FoodAdditivesIngredients/ucm0942
11.htm
 http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/truthabout-gmos?page=1
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