By: Ann Bouchoux   Date: 4/21/11

Man, I am so confused.  You’d think a couple of decades of nutrition science communication would make everything easy to understand, but, nooooo.

Those of us who write about, think about, and read about nutrition are often confused by the eagerness of some folks to jump on the Evil-of-the-Day bandwagon.  We’re confused by  news that a certain food component is going to kill you outright; and those who seem to accept as fact that this one nutrient or behavior, or whatever, is consigning us to poor health and an early grave.  We’re confused because we can’t believe anyone would actually accept such a simplistic view about health—which is a pretty complicated topic.

If nutrition communicators are confused, then imagine the confusion of consumers, who are just trying to figure out what they are supposed to eat.  These people watch TV, or read an article, or hear the latest doomsday advice and don’t know whether to never again touch the food or just quit trying to understand nutrition advice.  In short, they are needlessly confused about the most pleasant of subjects—the foods we eat and enjoy.

Certainly that is the case with sugars.  Over the decades, sugar consumption has been studied extensively, especially in the current environment of increasing levels of obesity and chronic conditions like diabetes.  To date, there is no conclusive evidence of a causative effect of sugars on chronic diseases, despite the fervent efforts of some to condemn it.  Much more scientific research is needed before we can make an absolute statement about sugar and disease.  In the meantime, it’s good to remember that your mother was right; enjoy all things in moderation—including sugars—and then go out and play.